Report: San Jose Sharks Looking To Add Grit To Lineup Next Season

The San Jose Sharks have some skilled players on their very young roster, but according to head coach David Quinn, the team needs to add some "mano-a-mano" grit to the lineup.

Per Sheng Peng in San Jose Hockey Now, Quinn said they can't continue to be pushed around if they want to take the next step in their development.

I think what can get lost in all of hockey, because it’s become such a skill game, is the hardness and the grit to what this game demands. That will never change. I don’t care how many guys can stickhandle through their legs and throw a puck over their shoulder into the net. This is about mano-a-mano, and what can you do when someone’s trying to stop you from doing it? That never, ever, ever changes. Will never change. Until they make the rinks double the size and make the nets bigger.

That's not to say that Quinn isn't excited about the prospect of landing the uber-skilled No. 1 pick in the June Draft, Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks, courtesy of their league-worst record, have the best odds of landing him.

“(He’s) what we want to be as an organization, what the sport demands, he’s got high, high skill, but he’s got a hardness to him that allows him to be a different type of player. When I watch him, I think Jonathan Toews a lot. Maybe a little bit more skill.”

The Sharks will wind up the season on Thursday night guaranteed to finish with less than 50 points, with a dreadful 19-53-9 record going into that finale with the Calgary Flames. They have a 25.5% shot at winning the lottery and landing Celebrini.