San Jose Sharks: 3 free agent goalies to target in the offseason
By Matt Hawkins
The San Jose Sharks have several issues that they’ll need to address this coming offseason, including their goaltending situation. Let’s take a look at three potential candidates that the team can swipe up in free agency.
Just like last season, the goaltending of the San Jose Sharks has been one of their greatest flaws. However, this season, they don’t have the offensive power to bail out their lackluster goaltending.
Martin Jones has continued his inconsistent play that began last year, sporting a 2.97 goals-against average (GAA), .898 save percentage (SV%), two shutouts, and .405 quality start percentage (QS%) in 39 games played this season.
With just 16 games remaining for the Sharks, this will be the first year that Jones will not reach 60 starts since joining the team in the 2015-16 offseason via trade. This is rightfully so with Jones having such a terrible year last season.
Aaron Dell hasn’t been much better this season. In 31 games, Dell has a 2.94 GAA, .907 SV%, and .500 QS%. These numbers are much better than last year, however, they’re nothing more than mediocre backup numbers.
The Sharks need to find a goalie suitable to start at least half of the games next season. Dell isn’t that guy as he’s never started more than 30 games in a season. Right now he’s at 28, so he’ll most likely break 30 starts this year.
Sadly, with a cap hit of $5.75 million and only in the second year of his six-year deal with a modified no-trade clause (NTC) every year, Jones is most likely not going anywhere soon. So, the Sharks are stuck with him. At least he isn’t Cory Schneider.
Dell, on the other hand, is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at season’s end. If the Sharks elect to not re-sign him, this will open up an opportunity for the team to add another goalie.
With a potentially great class of free agent goalies this upcoming offseason, I believe the Sharks should look into these three guys as possible answers to their goaltending woes.