Even in the salary cap era, the playoff window concept is fundamentally flawed. It’s tougher than ever to build and maintain a consistently competitive team, but smart cap management, good drafting and a little luck can keep a team in the hunt for the Stanley Cup year in and year out. So while these next two years represent a peak for the San Jose Sharks, I hesitate to call this the end of a window. It’s just another crest in a ridge.
However, it makes sense to evaluate this year under the context of that peak. If the Sharks can find an upgrade, they should jump at it .