SAN JOSE — Reaching the Stanley Cup Final last year required a lot stars to line up in the Sharks favor. The chips didn’t fall into place quite as perfectly this season.
As the Sharks move past their 4-2 series loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, general manager Doug Wilson will need to figure out whether this year’s late-season collapse was a strike of bad luck or a sign of deeply-rooted flaws.
The answer will go a long way in determining whether the franchise should re-sign its two cornerstones, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, this offseason or launch the beginning of a new era.