The San Jose Sharks showed significant improvement this season, finishing with a 39-35-8 record and narrowly missing the playoffs. With key players like Macklin Celebrini and Alex Wennberg stepping up, the Sharks aim to solidify their roster for a playoff push in the 2026-27 season.
Key points
San Jose Sharks finished the season with a 39-35-8 record
Macklin Celebrini set a franchise record with 115 points
Alex Wennberg scored 55 points this season
Sharks need to upgrade their defense for next season
Team aims for playoff contention in 2026-27
Mike GrierSan Jose SharksMacklin CelebriniAlex Wennberg
The San Jose Sharks (39-35-8) showed major progress towards a Stanley Cup Contender this season. After years of deep, arduous rebuilds, they were in the hunt for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference this season. Sure, they fell short, but the arrow is pointing up on them making the Stanley Cup Playoff in the 2026-27 season.
Macklin Celebrini, who they drafted No. 1 overall in 2024, set the franchise record for points in a season (115). Guys like Will Smith and William Eklund became top-line fixtures, while center Alex Wennberg came out of nowhere to score 55 points. They also signed Collin Graf as an undrafted free agent, and Graf surprised them with 21 goals and 25 assists through 81 games.
San Jose Sharks manager Mike Grier is checking all the boxes of a rebuild, but he’ll need to do a little more this offseason to get over the hump in the Pacific Division.
How do the San Jose Sharks upgrade their defense?
The Sharks have the forward talent to compete with the best teams in the Western Conference. However, their defensive structure is weak.
Their top point-producers on defense were Dmitry Orlov (37 points) and (27 points). That’s not enough to become a Stanley Cup contender. Some may point to them building their defensive core from within, with youngsters (14) and (12) playing meaningful minutes.
Q&A
What are the key improvements the San Jose Sharks made this season?
The Sharks improved their record to 39-35-8, with standout performances from players like Macklin Celebrini, who set a franchise record with 115 points.
Who are the top players contributing to the Sharks' success?
Key contributors include Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund, and Alex Wennberg, with Celebrini leading the team in points.
What challenges do the Sharks face in the upcoming offseason?
The Sharks need to upgrade their defense and make strategic moves to compete effectively in the Pacific Division next season.
How did the Sharks perform in the playoff race this season?
The Sharks were in contention for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference but ultimately fell short of making the playoffs.
Related Articles
Golf·Recap
Nelly Korda is back in her bubble and a big year could await
Nelly Korda triumphs at The Chevron Championship 2026, marking her return to form!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Recap
Bearkat football wraps up spring season
Sam Houston football wraps up spring season with open practice
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NHL·Recap
Who is Sabres' goalie? Meet Alex Lyon, the Ivy League product saving Buffalo in the NHL playoffs
Alex Lyon steps up as the Sabres' goalie in their playoff run.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NFL
Steelers' UFA tender for Aaron Rodgers is a chess move in a game no one knew about
Steelers apply UFA tender to Aaron Rodgers, committing $15M in 2026.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Players who cover mouths face red card at World Cup
World Cup players could face red cards for covering mouths during confrontations.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Soccer
Players who cover mouths face red card at World Cup
Players could face red cards for covering mouths at World Cup.
Still, the Sharks should get a veteran to stabilize their defensive core. They could try a trade for Dougie Hamilton (New Jersey Devils) or try and get Darryn Raddysh (Tampa Bay Lightning) from free agency, but at least one significant investment in the D-core should set the San Jose Sharks straight. Even an addition like John Carlson or Jacob Trouba (Anaheim Ducks) would work.
How do they fix their goaltending?
The defense might’ve exacerbated the issue, but the San Jose Sharks had major problems in net this season as well. In a year full of lackluster goaltending, the Sharks duo ranked no. 30 in goals against (290).
Alex Nedeljkovic was a hot mess in the net, with a 2.87 goals against average and a .896 save percentage. Yaroslav Askarov, however, was expected to be the goaltender of the future for San Jose.
The Sharks acquired Askarov from the Nashville Predators for a 2025 first-round pick. So far, the return on investment hasn’t been there. Askarov has a .886 SV% with the Sharks, including a .883 SV% and 3.63 GAA this past season.
The hope is that San Jose will get a quality veteran to pair with Askarov and unlock his potential. However, time might be running out for Askarov as well. This might be a make-or-break year coming up for the 23-year-old goaltender.
What do the remaining RFA extensions look like?
The San Jose Sharks have worked out most of their free agent decisions. They signed pending UFAs Alex Wennberg (three-year, $18 million) and Kiefer Sherwood (five-year, $28.75 million) to long-term deals, and they already figured out a major RFA decision with William Eklund (three-year, $16.8 million).
Still, they have two RFA extensions to decide on. The first one should be to Collin Graf, an undrafted pick-up in 2024 who came out of nowhere to have a 20-goal, 20-assist season. As a result, he’s earned himself a major payday.
A good comparable contract could come from a division rival. Los Angeles Kings winger Alex Laferriere put up as much production as Graf did this past season, with 21 goals and 23 assists through 82 games. The Kings signed him to a three-year, $12.3 million deal that runs through 2028. I bet Graf gets a similar deal.
The second one is Shakir Mukhamadullin. The 24-year-old defenseman has been subpar in NHL action with San Jose. Through the past two seasons (80 games), he’s had just 21 points with a plus/minus of minus-10.
At 24 years old, it’s tough to gauge how much potential he still has left. His skating still hasn’t come along yet, and at this point, I don’t think the Sharks will retain him, especially with Hobey Baker Award finalist Eric Pohlkamp breaking through. They might sign a quick RFA contract, just like last season, and dangle him for a veteran defenseman
