Mikael Granlund is producing at an elite level for the San Jose Sharks and says this is the best he's felt in years.
Mikael Granlund is producing at an elite level for the San Jose Sharks and says this is the best he's felt in years.
Mikael Granlund is producing at an elite level for the San Jose Sharks and says this is the best he's felt in years.
"The way I'm skating and moving, I haven't felt this kind of good in 3-4 years," Granlund told THN.
Granlund has 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in the last five games. He has become a key contributor after starting the season with an injury.
"Even with the injury at the beginning of the season, it took me a while to get to the point that I can move the way I want," Granlund said. "Last season was not easy. It's good to get back and feel good out there again."
Granlund had five points in 21 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. The entire league noticed his struggles. Sharks captain Logan Couture recognized his struggles but is excited to play next to him.
"He's been a good player in this league for many years. He had a tough year last year in Pitt," Couture said. "[He's a] very proud player, so you figure someone like him is going to redeem himself, and he definitely has. He's playing very well."
The Sharks' overall game has taken an upswing. His success has directly correlated to better performances by the entire team.
"It's nice. As a team, we are playing way better," Granlund said. "We're defending way better, so we can play some offense. A lot of things go into that when individually you do well. As a team, we've been doing a better job for the last few weeks."
Granlund is always calm under pressure. Whenever the puck is on his stick, he can make a play.
One thing THN noticed is that Granlund uses black tape during the game's first two periods. He changes his tape to white for the third period.
Hockey players stick to their routines. Granlund has become entirely comfortable in San Jose.
"When I was a kid, everybody was just like talking [about] white or black tape. I just said 'Oh, I don't care which one it is'," Granlund explained. "I've always changed it up, and it's just kind of stuck."
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Granlund centers a line between Fabian Zetterlund and Anthony Duclair, a line that head coach David Quinn has put a lot of trust in.
Granlund and the Sharks take on the Winnipeg Jets tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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