SAN JOSE — The Sharks have sold out all 88 home playoff games in their franchise history. The team’s chief sales and marketing officer is optimistic that streak will continue when the NHL postseason returns to SAP Center in a little over a week.

Flavil Hampsten, an executive vice-president for Sharks Sports & Entertainment, said Friday that roughly 3,000 seats remain unsold for each of the team’s first two home playoff games in the 17,562-seat building. But Hampsten said sales have been trending in a positive direction as season ticket holders are responding to certain benefits.

“Based on what we’ve seen, it’s been really healthy,” Hampsten said.

Starting with their first-ever home playoff date in 1994, the Sharks have sold out every postseason game at their downtown arena, which is known for being one of the loudest in the NHL for playoff hockey.

But the Sharks have sold out just 12 of 40 home games this season, with an average announced crowd of 16,726, or 95.2 percent of capacity. Only one of the last 11 home games has sold out, a March 12 game against league-leading Washington.

The Sharks entered 2015-16 with a season ticket base of between 11,000 and 12,000, which left a lot more tickets available for each home game than in previous years.

Hampsten is confident ticket sales will get a boost once the Sharks know who their first-round opponent will be and when the first two home games will take place. The Sharks’ playoff opponent could be known as early as Saturday night, with the NHL announcing its schedule for the first round sometime Sunday.

The Sharks will play either rival Los Angeles or Anaheim in the first round.

“I definitely think the schedule will help, and I think the opponent will help, too,” Hampsten said.

Season ticket holders were given the option to purchase their own tickets for the playoffs, plus additional tickets, at the same price as the ones they bought for the regular season. Season ticket holders who renewed for next season are charged after each round for the number of games the Sharks play.

Individual ticket prices for the first round for non-season ticket holders range from $60 in the upper bowl to $500 for seats along the glass. The average individual ticket price is less than $100, according to the team.

The Sharks close the regular season Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes. San Jose has struggled mightily on home ice this season with a 17-20-3 record for 37 points, tied for 28th in the 30-team league.

If the Sharks play the Ducks, the series could start as soon as Wednesday at the Honda Center in Anaheim. If San Jose plays Los Angeles, it appears the earliest that series would begin is Thursday since the Los Angeles Lakers play at Staples Center on Wednesday. The first home game at SAP Center could be as soon as Sunday.