Believe it not, the San Jose Sharks were the first team officially eliminated from the NHL playoffs last night. 

Yes, the Columbus Blue Jackets, with 49 points, still technically and mathematically have a chance to reach the postseason. 

So San Jose gets the honor of kicking off our “Where do they go from here?” series on EP Rinkside, which will continue until late June when one team goes off to celebrate with the Stanley Cup. 

In dead last in the Western Conference, the Sharks have now missed the playoffs in four straight seasons. New GM Mike Grier knew this was going to be a rebuild, and that’s how San Jose approached this season. 

The biggest news involving San Jose included figuring out how to trade Timo Meier, who eventually went to the New Jersey Devils, and whether Erik Karlsson’s contr