The Chicago Blackhawks have the gold standard in the NHL for the past several seasons, winning three Stanley Cup titles in the last six seasons. The San Jose Sharks have had some good teams during that time frame, but have yet to break through and bring the cup to San Jose.
With the 2015-16 regular season beginning in more than a month, Craig Custance of ESPN compared each Pacific Division team to the reigning champs. Custance graded the Sharks and the rest of the division in five categories: franchise center, strong top four defense (anchored by a number one), playoff-tested goalie, playoff-proven coach and entry-level contributors.