Sharks' Curse Not Over Just Yet

They're not supposed to be here. There is too much choking in this team's history to have any legitimate success in the NHL Playoffs. But the Sharks finally did it by beating the Detroit Red Wings last night and moving on to the Western Conference Finals.

When Barry Melrose of ESPN finally admits that the Sharks are a "really good team," you know they've done something right. Melrose was the man who was calling a possible Red Wing comeback in this series when they were down 3-0, and he went crazy when the Wings beat the Sharks in Game 4. But who wasn't? That Game 4 was so one-sided that why not give Detroit a legitimate chance of coming back and winning this series? You sound brilliant if they do. After all, the Sharks have always choked. Scratch that, at least for now.

Now that the Sharks have defeated the Almighty Red Wings in a playoffs series, can we finally put this whole choking matter about the Sharks behind us?

For the Sharks fans, yes, go ahead. But for the rest of the NHL world, they still know the team from San Jose as one that has fallen in their potential to win the Cup year after year despite being the favorite. Is a couple series wins in this year's playoffs going to change that? No, the Sharks are the #1 seed, they should be here. Which brings up the question, why do the critics keep picking the Sharks to lose each series? History is the answer.

For the rest of the NHL world, the Sharks' curse is still not over. It won't be over until they are hoisting the Stanley Cup over their head. They will be the underdogs in the next series and the series after, but if they are to relinquish that "choking" title from their name, they must win the Cup. Easy, right?

Sure, Sharks fans know that this a different team with a different attitude and different players, but the rest of the world does not understand that. Prove it to them. The Sharks are the best team still in the playoffs and anything less than a Sharks Stanley Cup victory isn't worth it, and surely won't be worth it to the rest of the NHL world.