The San Jose Sharks have spent the past several years near the bottom of the NHL, cycling through front office, coaching and roster changes in search of a direction. But after multiple seasons of waiting, Sharks fans might finally be seeing the start of a new era in San Jose.
The new wave of Sharks hockey is built around a young, energetic core loaded with potential. At the center of it is Macklin Celebrini, the No.1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Celebrini is off to a blistering start, piling up milestones and ranking among the league’s top point scorers.
Celebrini and his teammates have helped fuel a surprising turnaround. After opening the season 0-4-2, the Sharks have since gone 11-5-1, including an impressive back-to-back stretch with wins over the defending Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
San Jose is no stranger to high-level hockey. The franchise has featured stars such as newly inducted Hall of Famer Joe Thornton, along with Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. Throughout the 2010s, the Sharks were a consistent playoff presence and reached the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, failing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
One of the most iconic moments in franchise history came during the 2019 playoffs. In Game 7 of the first round against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Sharks trailed 3-0 with 10 minutes left. A rare five-minute major penalty sparked a furious comeback, as San Jose scored four goals on the power play and eventually won the game, and the series, on Barclay Goodrow’s overtime winner.
The new-era Sharks are starting to bring back some of that energy. SAP Center, known to fans as the Shark Tank, has long been considered one of the loudest arenas in the NHL. With this group of young players pushing the pace and producing results, the Sharks are working to put themselves back on the map as future Stanley Cup contenders.