Would you consider the San Jose Sharks a successful franchise?

[weastern bias]

In the last decade (the period of time where it would actually seem feasible for SJS to realistically win a championship)
the Sharks have had 5 legitimate failures to end their season

2009 - President's Trophy season, lose to the 8th seed Ducks in the 1st round

2014 - The Choke of Chokes, reverse sweep to the Kings in the 1st round

2015 - Missed the playoffs

2017 - Lost to the Oilers in the playoffs. . . the Oilers. . .

2018 - Lost to the expansion Golden Knights in the 2nd round

In the last 10 years they have found a way to disappoint compared to expectations literally half of the time

Some Shark fans will cry foul about officiating, or injuries, or matchups, but not this one, that's just unacceptable

 

[Choralone]

Actually 4 :-(

I have corrected my post, and my point stands even stronger. (Sorry about the heartbreak, bud).

 

[Foots]

Success as in stability? Yes, absolutely the Sharks are a successful franchise.

 

[Josepho]

reminder that the cup is a very luck-based trophy in a cup and that using it as the only measure of a successful/good franchise is f***ing stupid.

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

I think so. It sucks they haven’t won a cup yet, but no fans should be proud they are one of the best teams in the league year in and year out. They keep finding ways to win.

 

[HisIceness]

Ever since I started following the NHL as a whole (2002) they've always been a playoff contender at worst most of the time. You can usually always count on them to at least make it to the dance. Yeah their playoff shortcomings make for laughable material, but it's way better than watching your team miss the playoffs for 9 straight seasons, or watching your team tank for draft picks and not get out of the lottery.

Plus, they're supported well and they rock the Teal (Charlotte Hornets say hello) nicely.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

There are so many stupid variables and so much luck along with everything else behind winning a Cup that it's legitimately probably the most difficult trophy to win in all of sports. It's really bad to look at success as "Cup or bust." San Jose is still a young franchise, not even 30 years old, and their level of regular season success speaks for itself, along with their playoff performances (more so the more recent ones).

They are absolutely a successful franchise imo.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Yes. Obviously the ultimate goal is the cup, but always being in the hunt is impressive, even if the final results are usually underwhelming to some degree.

I'd rather watch a team that always has a chance rather than watch a team win it all once and then suck for 15 outta 20 years. That's just me, though. Obviously the Cup year would be memorable, I'd love looking back on it, but just in terms of daily rooting interest I'd rather have a consistently playoff-bound team.

 

[Sempiternal]

Very successful but blind to the fact that Joe Thornton is cursed and they should've cut ties years ago. They'd have at least 1 Cup if he wasn't on the team.

 

[FissionFire]

San Jose is a profitable team in a non-traditional market. I’d call that a success.

 

[oXo Cube]

Anyone who thinks they aren't is blind to what having to support a real lame duck is actually like.

 

[Pyrophorus]

The brush that tars us, tars them.

 

[aufheben]

Um...yeah?

 

[Sega Dreamcast]

UrinatingTree is entertaining, but let's not treat his opinion videos like gospel.

San Jose has been one of the most consistent franchises. Them not having a Cup shouldn't discount the rest of their success.

 

[Crazed Fan]

Urinating tree is a good time.
But yes San Jose is definitely a success. Loyal fan base and very competitive teams. Yes, there is no cup, but that will come. The Stanley Cup is notoriously hard to obtain.

 

[unknownbrother]

I love the comment about them having more playoff success than the Capitals and Blues. A month after the video was published the Caps won the cup. It's like he has a crystal ball.

 

[tiburon12]

In the last decade (the period of time where it would actually seem feasible for SJS to realistically win a championship)
the Sharks have had 5 legitimate failures to end their season

2009 - President's Trophy season, lose to the 8th seed Ducks in the 1st round

2014 - The Choke of Chokes, reverse sweep to the Kings in the 1st round

2015 - Missed the playoffs

2017 - Lost to the Oilers in the playoffs. . . the Oilers. . .

2018 - Lost to the expansion Golden Knights in the 2nd round

In the last 10 years they have found a way to disappoint compared to expectations literally half of the time

Some Shark fans will cry foul about officiating, or injuries, or matchups, but not this one, that's just unacceptable

2017 is the only year i'll argue against calling it a failure. Thornton and Couture, our #1 and #2 centers, went down with injury right before the playoffs. With those two playing at full health i think we win that series easily.

The rest, no comment

 

[TheMule93]

Yeah. Cup contenders year after year with different cores of players. Built up a solid fanbase because of it. Great hockey to watch.

 

[weastern bias]

2017 is the only year i'll argue against calling it a failure. Thornton and Couture, our #1 and #2 centers, went down with injury right before the playoffs. With those two playing at full health i think we win that series easily.

The rest, no comment

There is no excuse for losing to the Oilers under any circumstances, I consider it more shameful than the reverse sweep

No other franchise has lost to them in the playoffs in last 12 years, the Sharks are alone on that list

 

[Voight]

Have been great in the regular season, playoffs not so much.

Sure they make the playoffs basically ever year but they have made the finals once (compared to twice for their expansion brothers TB + ANA) and have had multiple playoff disappointments / chokes.

You have back to back conference finals in 2010/2011 but they went 1-8 in those two series, 2014 where they became one of the few teams to give up a 3-0 lead and 2009 were they lost in the first round after winning the Presidents Trophy.

Yea its awesome to have a ton of playoff wins but those don't really matter when you're missing a certain trophy. History doesn't remember you kindly.

As an actual franchise/business they have done very well in a non traditional market and haven't run into the kinds of financial issues other warm-weather teams have.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Their have only been 14 different cup winners in the 28 years they've been in the league. Most of those cups belong to the Penguins, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Kings, Avalanche and Devils who make up 19 of those 28 winners. You could also point out the fact the first couple years they weren't expected to compete so had no real chance of winning anyway.

While they have many playoff losses, they are still one of the more successful teams in the league. Many teams seem to rarely make the playoffs, and when they do, they are a quick out. There are some teams who haven't won cups since years before San Jose was in the league.

When you compare every team that has been in the league since the 1991 season, San Jose may not have a cup, but their "legacy of failure" doesn't even compare to that of other teams.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

All other things aside, that video was the most enterntaining thing I have seen in a long time.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

Of course they are. The argument of cups is so f***ing stupid.

 

[fishsandwichpatrol]

Yes, and I hate them

 

[Devil Dancer]

Of course they are, how is this even a question? They're consistently competitive in the toughest hockey league in the world.