Once again, the San Jose Sharks (34-6-5) are at the top of the NHL Western Conference standings.

Been there, done that.

By the start of the second half of the season, they had already defeated their chief rival, the Detroit Red Wings (31-9-6, 2nd seed Western Conference), in a tight 6-5 battle to establish dominance in the Western Conference.

But the Sharks were also hammered in a 6-0 blowout in Detroit a month earlier.

San Jose is the Phoenix Suns of the National Hockey League. The Sharks have had their successes against conference foes throughout the regular season but come playoff time, San Jose always stumbles.

Whether it was the last three seasons, when the Sharks were eliminated in the second round in six games — yes, all three years — or the 2003-2004 season, when they finished their best ever postseason by losing in six games to the Calgary Flames in the Conference Finals, the Sharks seem to play like minnows once the regular season ends.

Will San Jose ever be able to win when it matters?

After the annual disappointing playoff run last year, San Jose fired head coach Ron Wilson.

Since then, the Sharks have hired former Detroit assistant Todd McLellan as their new coach. Perhaps his familiarity with a team that’s won the Stanley Cup four of the last 11 seasons will stem the choke jobs.

Over the offseason, San Jose signed several players to bolster their defense too.

Defenseman Rob Blake is a veteran who has been on winning teams both internationally and in the NHL. Blake was a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team in 2002 and won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with Colorado.

San Jose also traded two defensemen for two veterans in Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich. Both Boyle and Lukowich played for the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup that year, and Lukowich has another championship ring with the 1999 Dallas Stars.

Veteran championship experience as well as a tough, defensive presence appears to be the Sharks’ hope for a Stanley Cup-winning formula.

So far, San Jose’s major defensive acquisitions have been paying off.

Boyle is off to a great start, leading all NHL defenders in points with 38 and has added 25 assists.

Blake was playing decent hockey as well, putting up 29 points and 22 assists, but he was sidelined with a facial injury Jan. 17 and hasn’t returned since.

Yet despite the flashy record, the new coach and new players, San Jose may be on its way to yet another playoff disappointment.

The Sharks have shown aptitude for beating losing teams.

But against championship-caliber opponents though, the Sharks have not been as successful: San Jose has suffered that loss to Detroit and is 1-2 against Calgary (28-14-4, 3rd seed Western Conference) this year.

Being able to defeat top teams is what separates a legitimate Stanley Cup contender from being the NHL equivalent of a college football team from the Big Ten Conference.

Reach columnist Honsen Lin at sports@dailyuw.com.