It is a strange thought to consider that the top-seeded team in the Western Conference and second-best team in the NHL in the regular season could in anyway be considered an underdog.
Still, in many ways, the 2010 San Jose Sharks ought to be.
The Sharks really are not facing the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, but the lingering ghosts of last year’s first round embarrassment against the eight-seeded Anaheim Ducks, piled on top of a mountain of pressure and expectations, and an ever-public franchise-long catalogue of playoff disappointments.
It may not be fair to say that most experts expect the Sharks to fail in the playoffs, but suffice it to say that most would likely not be surprised to see that happen.
Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Patrick Goulding II