Despite an improving on-ice product, the San Jose Sharks have lost their first four games out of the 4 Nations break in heartbreaking style.
Losers of eight straight, even though it doesn't feel like it because of the break, San Jose has held a lead going into the third period in three straight.
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Will Smith is on a three-game point streak, Macklin Celebrini had another two assists against the Ottawa Senators, and William Eklund is three points away from passing his total of 45 from last season with 21 games to go.
All of that sounds great, but the win total is stuck at 15. The Sharks record in the last 30 games is a staggering 5-21-4. I want to emphasize that the on-ice play and culture off the ice have improved from last season, but for the young core, finding a way to win one of these close games can go a long way.
San Jose has played in 31 one-goal games this season and has a record of 10-12-9. Last season, the Sharks had a record of 12-9-9 in one-goal games. That isn't much improvement, but the roster has infused a young core that started the 'learning to win' process from step one.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky understands the team's current state during the rebuilding process but knows the NHL judges by wins and losses.
"The people that are in here every day understand the progress we've made, but at the end of the day, the outside world sees our record, and that is our record," Warsofsky said at the end of January. "We understand that. We're all frustrated by that, but I think we've made some strides."
He's right that the team has made strides, but starting next season, the bad luck losses need to change, and they probably will.
Celebrini and Smith have established themselves as NHL players, with Celebrini leading the way. Along with the continued development of other young players, the two top-five picks will need to lead the way and become game-breakers.
Celebrini has shown an ability to do that, but his next step is to do that on a nightly basis. Don't forget the rookie is the NHL's youngest player, and he's playing center against the other team's top-line forwards and defense pairs.
Patience is needed for this Sharks team to continue building into a winning franchise. The next step is to create your luck and have someone change the game for the better.
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