The Sharks face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, starting Wednesday. Here is what needs to happen for the Sharks to win the series:
Get Healthy
Everything is contingent on the health of Joe Thornton and Logan Couture.
If the Sharks’ top two centers are unable to contribute in a meaningful way, Brent Burns will be skipping town in his RV sooner than anybody would have expected a month ago.
Without Thornton’s ability to create space, the Sharks produced a season-low 15 shots on goal in a 4-2 loss to the Oilkers last Thursday in San Jose.