SAN JOSE –- For the second-straight year, the Sharks are hosting the Montreal Canadiens just a few hours after the NHL’s trade deadline.
It’s a drastically different situation than 12 months ago, when the Sharks were clearly in sell mode during a transitional and dysfunctional season in which the Stanley Cup was unrealistic.
Now, though, they’re adding pieces in the hopes of making a deep playoff run, and they’re in a decent position to do so. According to SportsClubStats.com, San Jose has a 99.7 percent chance of making it to the postseason, as it enjoys a 12-point lead on fourth-place Vancouver with 21 games to go.