Sharks Learning the Hard Way to Not Cheat for Offense (+)

LOS ANGELES — The San Jose Sharks have a lot to learn.

That’s no hot take: They’re 9-22-3 for a reason.

If they want to start to turn that record around – if not this year, next year – there’s one area of improvement that a 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes last week magnified.

“We cheated for offense,” head coach David Quinn lamented.

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What did he mean by that? Cheating for offense is one of those hockey cliches, but it’s not as simple as someone cherry-picking for a breakaway.

It’s something that young – and not very good – teams are often guilty of. But it’s also something, if the San Jose Sharks can do less, will be a key step toward transitioning out of the rebuild.

Two Coyotes goals, in particular, came from the Sharks cheating for offense. Quinn spoke on that, along with an ex-NHL assistant coach who also shared his wisdom.