Pacific division foes meet as the San Jose Sharks take on the Vancouver Canucks. Welcome back to NHL Predictions! Today, like every day, Last Word on Hockey looks at the games happening and gives our predictions for each.

The San Jose Sharks traded Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins nearly 18 months ago, and it’s continuing to bear fruit. The Sharks have since turned that trade, and the one involving waiver claim Ty Emberson last summer, into prospect defenseman Sam Dickinson and three more picks in this year’s draft, including a first-rounder.

Are the San Jose Sharks getting better? That’s been the big question recently, amidst another long losing streak. On one hand, after a 7-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, the 14-32-6 Sharks have virtually the same record after 52 games as last year’s 14-33-5 Sharks.

With only two games remaining before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Vancouver Canucks travel down to San Jose for a single-game road trip to battle with the Sharks. Note the 7:30 p.m. PT start time for Thursday night’s game.

A busy day across the NHL has started with bad news in Vancouver. Vancouver Canucks superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes won’t travel with the team for their Thursday matchup against the San Jose Sharks,