For years now the San Jose Sharks have sat upon the precipice of Stanley Cup contention only to find heartbreak every spring, twice reaching the conference final until last year when the made it to the grand dance. The ended up falling agonizingly short of their lofty goals as the Penguins defeated San Jose in a bitterly contested six-game Stanley Cup final. As their core ages without a championship to celebrate, the Sharks time in the sun might soon be coming to an end for the foresseable future.
San Jose Sharks Next Game
The Sharks next game may be part of a homestand, or in the midst of a long, grinding road trip. As with all West Coast teams, the Sharks must deal with a difficult travel schedule.
It’s a travel agenda that can wear them down during stanzas of the season. It’s important to know when these times might arrive during the course of a season, helping you evaluate whether backing the Sharks is a sound beting strategy.
San Jose Sharks Regular Season Schedule
To formulate a sound betting strategy, we recommend looking down the line at possible wagering opportunities. Look for big homestands, difficult away stints and do your homework before the lines become available.
San Jose Sharks Standings
For as long as we can remember, you’d expect the Sharks to be swimming near the top of both the Pacific Division and Western Conference, but change may be on the horizon.
Have a look below to see which teams are in close proximity, another metric that will benefit your overall betting strategy.
San Jose Sharks Betting Tips Predictions
The NHL first arrived in the Bay Area in 1967 when the California Seals were one of the six expansion franchises that helped double the league in size from six to 12 teams. The Seals went through a variety of names - the Oakland Seals and California Golden Seals - but never won a single playoff series or a regular following and were relocated to Cleveland in 1976.
San Jose brought the Bay Area back into big-league hockey in 1991 and were an immediate smash hit. Their eye-catching teal uniforms and cartoon Shark logo made the Sharks popular long before they were winning on the ice. San Jose won a playoff series in their third season, and unlike the Seals, developed a fanatic fanbase from the get-go. Though they've never won a Stanley Cup, it would be wrong to suggest that the Sharks haven't been successful.
The Sharks have performed admirably on home ice for years now, which is the main reason your returns won't be too high on home, moneyline bets. But include it as a bigger parlay bet and the bigger returns will start to fall in place.
San Jose is led by one of the best - if not the best - defenseman in the NHL. Brent Burns is a dominant force and is as good going forward as he is defending his own goal. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have led San Jose for ages and are legends in their own right. Unfortunately for Sharks fans and NHL fans alike, both superstars are coming to the twilight years of their careers.
So futures bets may be out of the question for the immediate future. Partaking in one of the most improved and fastest developing divisions in hockey, the Sharks are up against fast, skilled, young competition on a regular basis. The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers show vast promise, while the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks are perennial contenders.
Before making your Sharks bets, delve into their top player's Corsi Ratings.
Taking the Top Seeds
The Sharks are usually favorites in the playoffs, especially for the first round. But how does their adjusted efficiency margin compare to other top seeds? Are they the big favorites most pundits say they are or is there a chance their less-favored opposition could upset them?
If they come up against a number six, seven or eighth seed in the postseason, dig into the advanced analytics to make sure they'll live up to their usual lofty expectations.
10-Game Metrics
And, as always, ensure you analyze both teams 10-game form before placing a bet on, or against, the Sharks. It's always a good metric, one that offers insight into how the team is performing in the last three to four weeks. Five games is a bit too short, but 10 games is just right.
