LAST SEASON

So, uh, yeah.

If you are a San Jose Sharks fan, I don’t need to tell you how last year went. It was ugly, but by design. The team was in the midst of a flat-out rebuild – and still is – and there wasn’t much to get excited about.

That is, of course, unless you’re focused on the future. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith became full-time NHLers last year and looked excellent. Celebrini nearly won the Calder Trophy while Smith continued to get better as the year wore on.

Everything else that happened during the season didn’t matter. The Sharks came in last place and ended up with the second overall pick. They would have loved to take Matthew Schaefer at number one, but Michael Misa is one heck of a consolation prize. That’s the only other thing worth noting about 2024-25.

Sure, the team was a bit more fun to watch than other bottom feeders because you always knew something fun or crazy would happen. But they ended up at the bottom of the standings for a reason – and likely will do the same again in 2025-26.

The Sharks premiered their #TheFutureIsTeal hashtag last year, and it remains true today. The future is all that matters. The present? Yeah, it’s still ugly.

KEY ADDITIONS & SUBTRACTIONS

Additions

Michael Misa, C
Philipp Kurashev, LW
Oskar Olausson, LW
Jeff Skinner, LW
Adam Gaudette, RW
Ryan Reaves, RW
Dmitry Orlov, D
Nick Leddy, D
John Klingberg, D
Cole Clayton, D
Alex Nedeljkovic, G
Jakub Skarek, G

Departures

Thomas Bordeleau, C (NJD)
Daniil Gushchin, LW (COL)
Walker Duehr, RW (WPG)
Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (KHL)
Scott Sabourin, RW (TBL)
Henry Thrun, D (TOR)
Marc-Édouard Vlasic, D (Buyout)
Jan Rutta, D (NL)
Alexandar Georgiev, G (BUF)
Georgi Romanov, G (UFA)

OFFENSE

The surface stats place the Sharks in either 31st or 32nd in just about every category. That’s also true on the advanced analytics side – their 43.96 expected goals for percentage at 5-on-5 was downright terrible. At the very least, the Sharks had three forwards crack the 50-point barrier – Celebrini with 63, William Eklund at 58 and Tyler Toffoli with 54. Smith (45) and Mikael Granlund (45, but was traded in the spring) weren’t that far off either. That was a nice step forward after only Granlund had more than 50 the year prior. In fact, there’s been so much turnover over the past two years that only one Sharks forward from the top 10 in team scoring in 2023-24 remains with the team: Eklund.

Baby steps? Maybe. It’s all about the future, and Celebrini, Smith and Eklund are already evolving into the young stars fans have been begging for. Celebrini had 63 points in 70 games and then spent two weeks playing alongside a host of NHL stars at the World Championship – most notably Sidney Crosby. Both Celebrini and Eklund are expected to play alongside Toffoli, a veteran forward who has been a tremendous mentor for the youth. All three are set for more than 60 points this year, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Celebrini push 80. It’s not one of the better top lines in the NHL – yet – but it’s a legit trio that’s only going to get better. It should be aesthetically pleasing to watch 71, 72, and 73 line up together, too.

Look for Smith to have an even bigger impact this season. He finished his rookie year strong, registering 19 points over the final 22 games. He was overshadowed by Celebrini throughout the campaign, but Smith was dangerous at both 5-on-5 and the power-play, and was easily one of the most creative rookies in the NHL. Smith played a bit of center and the wing last year, and there was talk of him playing on Celebrini’s right wing early in camp, but look for him to mainly stick down the middle in 2025-26 as he looks to prove why he was one of the top picks from the 2023 NHL Draft.

If Smith stays at center, he could be flanked by veterans Jeff Skinner and Adam Gaudette. It’s a line built around trying to seize opportunities. Skinner is in the back half of his NHL career, and his 29-point performance in Edmonton last season shows he’s far from the 82-point guy he was three years ago. But with little pressure to perform, and a seemingly safe spot in the lineup, Skinner might be able to at least finish north of 40 again. Gaudette, meanwhile, took a long time to establish himself as a full-time NHLer, but did score 19 goals in 81 games last year. Don’t expect him to get a ton of points overall (he only had 26 last year), but he can hit, battle hard and clearly knows how to shoot.

It’s hard to get excited about much else up front, though. If Collin Graf – the top NCAA free agent signing in 2024 – can stick with the big club and perform, that would be huge. Wennberg had a solid 35-point season, showing he can be a decent middle-six point-producer. Philipp Kurashev fell out of favor in Chicago, but he has a chance to prove himself in San Jose. The Barclay Goodrow, Zack Ostapchuk and Ty Dellandrea line should be hard to play against, but don’t expect much offense.

The real wild card is a certain 18-year-old prospect – but more on him later.

DEFENSE

There was quite a bit of overhaul here, with the team moving on from Marc-Édouard Vlasic, Henry Thrun, and Jan Rutta. In response, GM Mike Grier brought in Nick Leddy, John Klingberg, and Cole Clayton. And that doesn’t include Shakir Mukhamadullin, Jack Thompson, Luca Cagnoni and top prospect Sam Dickinson, who will all be chasing full-time roster spots.

It’s hard to be worse defensively than the Sharks last year. They ranked 31st in shots against per game (31.8), 32nd in goals against per 60 (3.03), and finished in the bottom two of just about every other statistical category. It’s not going to be much better this year, but it’s hard to be worse.

On the veteran front, Mario Ferraro is the team’s top defender. He did a better job than usual at generating scoring chances, but it’s his own-zone play that makes him dangerous. By just about every metric, he’s been San Jose’s best defender for a few years now – but that also makes him trade bait.

One defenseman who won’t be, though, is Dmitry Orlov. Orlov was one of the team’s top free agents this summer, signing a two-year deal worth $6.5 million per. Like Ferraro, his game is more about holding his own defensively, but he does a good job there. He hasn’t missed much time over the past few seasons, with the durable left-shot defender always showing a willingness to get in front of pucks. He’s not too shabby with the puck, either, and he’ll be counted on to generate some chances from the point.

Former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Timothy Liljegren and Klingberg will look to add a bit of puck-moving to the back end. Liljegren played much more physically in San Jose last year, and while he didn’t put up many points, he did show a willingness to rush the puck at times. Klingberg, meanwhile, will likely see time on San Jose’s top power-play unit, which isn’t the most ideal situation in the world. He has played just 25 regular-season games over the past two years due to injury, and while he’s far from the 67-point guy he was in 2017-18, he can still move the puck.

Two of the more interesting defenders are Mukhamadullin and Thompson. Mukhamadullin is coming off a solid pro season between the two San Jose squads, and, arguably, played better with the big club. The 2020 first-rounder will look to bring his mobility as a 6-foot-4 defender to the team full-time, but he’ll have some competition. Thompson is in the same boat after putting up 10 points in 31 games last year. He’s a work in progress, for sure, but he knows a thing or two about getting the puck into a scoring situation. He’ll have to outduel some more rounded blueliners – but more on that in the rookie section.

GOALTENDING

The Sharks cycled through five goaltenders last year, with Mackenzie Blackwood – later traded to Colorado – being the best. San Jose allowed 3.78 goals per game last year, the most of any team. It didn’t seem to matter who was in net – it was ugly just about every night.

Now, it’s young Yaroslav Askarov’s time to hopefully prove himself. The 23-year-old finally got his first serious taste of NHL action last year, playing 13 games with the Sharks. His surface-level numbers weren’t impressive, but he was still better than veteran Alexandar Georgiev. Askarov was also a standout during his three years in the AHL, which included four shutouts and a .923 save percentage in only 22 games with the Barracuda. Askarov has a solid 6-foot-3 frame, but he’ll usually beat you with his athleticism. If any goaltender has a chance of challenging for the Calder, it’s Askarov – and if all goes well, he can finally establish himself as one of the best young goaltenders in the game.

Newcomer Alex Nedeljkovic will do everything in his power to steal the starting gig, though. While consistency has been an issue throughout his career, Ned has proven he can win games in bunches. He had some tough outings in Pittsburgh last year and he’s far from the starter-caliber goaltender he once was in Detroit. But he still played 38 games in each of the past two seasons and can serve as solid relief for Askarov whenever needed. It’s a one-year deal for Nedeljkovic, so he’ll be looking to prove himself and potentially snag a longer-term deal.

The Sharks lack a third goaltender with notable NHL experience. Gabriel Carriere split last year between the AHL and ECHL, while Jakub Skarek played parts of two games with the New York Islanders. Don’t be surprised if they end up adding someone along the way – unfortunately, Carey Price doesn’t count.

COACHING

Ryan Warsofsky is the youngest active coach in the NHL at 37 years old – Sharks winger Ryan Reaves is 38. He might be young, but he’s growing with this team in real time. He showed his coaching prowess when he served as head coach of the American World Championship team, which won gold for the first time in nearly a century back in May. Nobody had USA pegged as a winner, but he got the most out of that squad and turned them into champions.

That’s what the Sharks are hoping the North Marshfield, Mass., native can get out of the team one day. It’s hard to judge him based on his (lack of) NHL success, but many around the league believe highly in him. He can be proud that he got a 30-goal season out of Toffoli, another excellent campaign out of Mikael Granlund and turned Jake Walman into a valuable trade chip. Given the tools at his disposal, Warsofsky did exactly as you would have expected. The Sharks are still another few years away from contention, but as long as Grier stays loyal to his man, Warsofsky will be fine.

ROOKIES

Now this is where things get interesting. The Sharks finally signed Misa to his entry-level contract earlier this month, eliminating the NCAA as an option. It’s either the NHL or OHL for Misa, and he has nothing left to prove in Saginaw. Misa is an outstanding skater who’ll beat you both in short bursts and with his pure straight-line speed. He’s as good of a play-driver as you’ll find from any forward in this class. The Oakville, Ontario native also had a casual 62 goals in the OHL last year, so he knows what to do with the puck. Misa still has to work his way into San Jose’s lineup and might have to start the season on the wing to maximize his chances in the top six. But the future is bright for Misa and he absolutely should be in the Calder conversation.

Dickinson, meanwhile, has a solid chance of starting the year in the NHL. Whether he stays there is another question, but I wouldn’t bet against him. The big, high-flying defender is so difficult to beat in 1-on-1 situations, and the numbers show he can dominate shifts offensively. If he doesn’t stick in San Jose and ends up back in London for another year, look for the 19-year-old to smash the triple-digit barrier in points.

Other rookies who could see some playing time include forwards Oskar Olausson, Igor Chernyshov and Quentin Musty, as well as defenseman Luca Cagnoni. None of them will likely be full-timers in 2025-26, and that’s fine. I loved Cagnoni’s game last year and think he could force his way into the lineup by the trade deadline. But regardless, they’ve got plenty of youngsters fighting for spots, and that should excite Sharks fans.

BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Is Yaroslav Askarov the real deal? Askarov has been one of the top goaltending prospects since the Nashville Predators selected him in the first round in 2020. And by then, his name had already been in the hockey consciousness for a few years, given his dominant play in various junior tournaments. Now, he finally has an opportunity to become a No. 1 goaltender – will he seize the opportunity like Dustin Wolf did in Calgary last year? The Sharks have been chasing a true long-term No. 1 since Evgeni Nabokov left 15 years ago. If Askarov can be the team’s next star goaltender, they’ll be in good shape.

2. Macklin Celebrini, Olympic-bound? There won’t be much to cheer for this year if you’re a Sharks fan. But with the Olympics coming up in 2026, there’s going to be plenty of speculation about Celebrini’s potential to make Canada’s roster. He was outstanding alongside Crosby at the World Championship, with the two high-IQ forwards looking truly dominant together. Will that be enough for Celebrini to make it? Probably not, but he’s going to put up a fight in the first half of 2025-26 to make his case known.

3. Who, beyond the young stars, will step up? The team is going to be in a rebuild for at least another year. But for it to truly work, there need to be results. We saw some promising signs with the improved play of Eklund, as well as the emergence of Celebrini and Smith, but more needs to be done. The team has a handful of pending UFAs and RFAs who will look to prove their worth – guys like Wennberg, Skinner, Graf and Nedeljkovic. Chicago managed to turn Ryan Donato into a key part of the future – the Sharks need to find their own Donato.

PREDICTION

Look. There’s no reason to sugarcoat it. San Jose is doomed. And that’s perfectly OK.

The Sharks last made the playoffs in 2018-19, and that’s not going to change next spring. With Gavin McKenna being the ultimate prize at the 2026 NHL Draft (with a few others looking to challenge), Grier and Co. will be solely focused on finding some incremental improvements while still finishing at the bottom of the standings. Maybe an improvement from 52 points last year to 58 would be appreciated by the fanbase.

But anything other than landing the top pick in the draft will feel like a failure in 2025-26.

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