The San Jose Sharks are finally in the Stanley Cup finals. Some people thought they would never hear those words.

Consider that this was the Sharks' fourth crack at the Western Conference finals, and in the previous three times, they never were one win away from getting to play for that elusive Cup. It’s something the franchise has been dealing with since its entrance into the NHL during the 1991-92 season.

Consider that in their first two years of existence, the Sharks had a record of 28-129-7, good for a points percentage of .192, by far the worst by any team that played in both seasons in that span. The next-worst team was the Hartford Whalers, who had a record of 52-93-19, a .375 points percentage. According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Sharks were one of four teams to have a points percentage below .200 in a two-season span.

Consider that their first draft choice was Pat Falloon, who they took with the second overall pick in 1991. The player that was drafted first: Eric Lindros, who won a Hart Trophy in 1995 and a gold medal for Canada in the 2002 Olympics. The player that was drafted after Falloon? Scott Niedermayer by the Devils. All Niedermayer did was win four Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals for Canada and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Falloon played nine NHL seasons, but never scored more than 25 goals in a season and never won a Stanley Cup.

Consider that since the 2003-04 season and through this regular season, the Sharks owned the second-best record in the NHL behind only the Red Wings. However, they never had the postseason success -- until now.

Consider that in 2011 when they lost to the Canucks in the Western Conference finals, they lost on a goal that no one knew where the puck was -- except for the goal scorer, Kevin Bieksa.

Consider that they could have folded under the controversy of stripping Joe Thornton of his captaincy before last season and the uncertainty of whether they were going to trade Patrick Marleau this season. Those teammates, who were drafted first and second overall respectively in the 1997 NHL draft, will finally play in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time after 2,778 combined regular-season games.

Consider they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals under the first-year guidance of Peter DeBoer, who is in it for the second time, both of which came in his first season with a team (he took the Devils to the finals in 2012). According to Elias research, DeBoer is now one of four men to take two teams to the Stanley Cup finals in their first season as head coach of those franchises: Scotty Bowman (Blues and Penguins), Pat Burns (Canadiens and Devils), and Mike Keenan (Flyers and Rangers) were the others.

Consider that their goalie, Martin Jones, whom they snagged from the Kings (by way of the Bruins), had only 34 games of experience prior to this season.

But also consider, the Sharks' trip to the Stanley Cup finals is the fourth for the state of California in the past 10 seasons. In that same span, Canada has had only two of its franchises compete for the Holy Grail. California: 3-0, Canada 0-2. Advantage California.

All things considered, after 2,101 regular-season and postseason games over 24 years, the Sharks are finally in the Stanley Cup finals.