SAN JOSE — Sharks coach Pete DeBoer is amused by Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford’s relaxed attitude about this year’s playoff race.
Rutherford told reporters last month that the Penguins’ focus down the stretch isn’t necessarily to win the Metropolitan Division or earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Instead, Rutherford said, the Pens have their sights set on reaching the playoffs and they like their chances of making another deep run regardless of where they’re seeded.
The Sharks are taking a different approach. They are attacking the last 13 games of the season with a more desperate mindset aimed at locking down the top seed in the Western Conference.