TAMPA BAY \u2014 The San Jose Sharks have some interesting upcoming roster decisions, especially up front.<\/p>\n
How GM Mike Grier will solve them, that\u2019ll be telling.<\/p>\n
Sitting out a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay were forwards Igor Chernyshov and Jeff Skinner, both with valid cases for being in the line-up. Philipp Kurashev is injured, but appears close to returning, re-joining practice yesterday.<\/p>\n
When healthy, the San Jose Sharks have 17 NHL-caliber forwards: Macklin Celebrini, Chernyshov, Ty Dellandrea, William Eklund, Adam Gaudette, Barclay Goodrow, Collin Graf, Kurashev, Michael Misa, Zack Ostapchuk, Ryan Reaves, Pavol Regenda, newly-acquired Kiefer Sherwood, Skinner, Will Smith, Tyler Toffoli, and Alex Wennberg.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re about to see what Grier and head coach Ryan Warsofsky value most in their forwards.<\/p>\n
For example, it was striking that Grier traded a couple second-round picks, despite his roster glut, for Sherwood on Monday. But the Sharks, for all their forwards, are missing a winger like Sherwood, an uncommon combination of speed, grit, will, and scoring touch.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s chased incomplete versions of such a player, like Luke Kunin.<\/p>\n
Chernyshov\u2019s emergence is another example of a Grier archetype coming to life in the best league in the world.<\/p>\n
That big, fast, and skilled power forward has been a focus high in the Draft during Grier\u2019s regime, see Filip Bystedt, Cam Lund, Quentin Musty, Kasper Halttunen, and Chernyshov.<\/p>\n
Klim Kostin is a recent example of a longshot Grier bid to uncover such a forward.<\/p>\n
6-foot-4 Ostapchuk is another type that Grier clearly covets, a physically dominant shutdown bottom-six center. Ostapchuk, like Chernyshov, is waiver-exempt, but he\u2019s still with the San Jose Sharks because he also has developed perhaps faster than expected.<\/p>\n
Ostapchuk has been a big part of an \u201cidentity\u201d fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Reaves, also both player types that Grier values.<\/p>\n
Keeping Misa in the NHL, as opposed to returning him to the OHL, appears to be another kind of statement, that Grier is still prioritizing the development of his top prospects, over some of forwards scratched in favor of Misa, like Skinner and Gaudette, who are better NHL players right now. It\u2019s simply better for Misa to develop in San Jose, as opposed to Saginaw.<\/p>\n
The emergence of Grier archetype forwards like Chernyshov and Ostapchuk, and trading for Sherwood \u2014 let\u2019s also not forget about Graf becoming the two-way winger that every GM craves \u2014 could be a signal that a lot of last summer\u2019s free agent crop could be on the way out the door?<\/p>\n
During the off-season, the Sharks signed Kurashev and Skinner, both who felt more like bridge players for the Sharks, as opposed to long-term solutions. Both are considered skilled, but not the hardest to play against. And this season, neither has necessarily produced enough to make up for other deficiencies.<\/p>\n
Kurashev has been hurt, so we\u2019ll see how San Jose uses him when he\u2019s back \u2014 maybe they\u2019re more impressed with him than I know \u2014 but Skinner looks like he\u2019s definitely on the roster bubble.<\/p>\n
The six-time 30-goal scorer has been scratched by the Sharks for four-straight, though it\u2019s worth noting that he had two goals and six points in six games before getting parked. But even that recent streak hasn\u2019t saved him from the bench.<\/p>\n
Skinner, signed to a one-year, $3 million contract, has a full no-trade clause through Jan. 30, and an eight-team trade list through the end of the season.<\/p>\n
Anyway, between the recent return of Smith and trade for Sherwood, the Sharks appear to be getting healthier and better.<\/p>\n
The question now, in large part because of Celebrini\u2019s ascension to superstardom at 19, and exemplified by the acquisition of Sherwood: Is this player the right player? It used to be, can this player keep us respectable?<\/p>\n
This is especially true at forward, where the Sharks have NHL-caliber depth, once again.<\/p>\n
What that means to a Dellandrea or a Gaudette or a Kurashev or a Skinner will be, again, telling.<\/p>\n
Michael Misa<\/p>\n
Tyler Toffoli<\/p>\n
Toffoli, on facing back-to-back teams in Florida:<\/p>\n
Yeah, it\u2019s not easy. The schedule has been hard on us all year. I think we have the most back-to-back\u2019s in the league, or one of them. It\u2019s no excuse. But, you know, it\u2019s never easy, getting delayed coming in here and playing the best in the league. We started, had a solid first 10 minutes, I thought. But obviously, things fell apart.<\/p>\n
(San Jose Hockey Now note: The Sharks arrived in Tampa Bay about an hour later than scheduled because of an airport delay, getting to their hotel at about 1 AM on Tuesday)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ryan Warsofsky<\/p>\n
Warsofsky, on moving Misa to Celebrini’s wing: “Just trying to get something going. We just couldn’t generate a lot of offense, thought Mis probably earned that, to go up there and give it a look.”<\/p>\n
Says it’ll be under consideration to play Misa more at wing in the future<\/p>\n
\u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Warsofsky, on what Sam Dickinson can learn from tonight:<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just Sam, a lot of our young guys need to learn it\u2019s an everyday league. And the schedule and people don\u2019t feel bad for you. You have to show up and you got to work and be a pro. We\u2019re not going to use the schedule as an excuse. You have to do it every single day.<\/p>\n Warsofsky thought #SJSharks<\/a> gave this one away: “We give them 2 goals. Any time you do that against a really good team, you’re gonna pay for it\u2026If we play the right way, our brains are in it, we probably find a way to get a point.”<\/p>\n \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Warsofsky, on Yaroslav Askarov\u2019s third period save on Nick Paul:<\/p>\n His freak athletic ability is why he can make some special saves.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t