Sharks Locker Room: Next Year Can’t Come Soon Enough

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NASHVILLE — The San Jose Sharks are out of the playoffs.

But they’re still playing for each other.

The Sharks played their best game in a week, blowing up the Nashville Predators’ post-season hopes in the process, in a 3-2 victory. The Los Angeles Kings have clinched the last wild card spot in the West.

This is San Jose’s first victory over Nashville since Nov. 2019, snapping a 15-game losing streak.

“It’s a great feeling when you win, when you play like that,” Alex Nedeljkovic said, “you play for each other, play hard.”

The Sharks played a game that they could be proud of, for the first time in a week, outchancing and holding the Predators to just 27 shots.

“I don’t think we’re ever gonna give up,” Macklin Celebrini said. “We’re gonna keep playing as best we can and give it our all.”

San Jose is out of the playoffs, but for one more night, two games left, they reminded us why the fans fell in love with them once again this season.

It started in warm-ups, with Celebrini gifting a young Sharks fan with a stick, and through a scrappy team effort, highlighted by the offensive efforts of young guns like Celebrini, Will Smith, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund, Michael Misa, and Collin Graf.

That's one lucky kid.

pic.twitter.com/sNkWlm8Bqz

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) April 13, 2026

“We got a lot of guys that care a lot, that want to win and want to compete every single night. Those are the guys that I want to play with, you want to go to war with, and do something special with,” Nedeljkovic said. “Those are the guys that you end up winning with in the end of the day.”

Not until next season…but next year can’t come soon enough.

Nice dream pic.twitter.com/ppbkvUOQPz

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 14, 2026

Macklin Celebrini

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Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on #SJSharks snapping 15-game losing streak vs. Preds: "Barclay Goodrow told me that this morning. I kind of remember hearing that stat. It's nice to get off that."

Goodrow was last Shark to beat Preds before tonight in Nov. 2019

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 14, 2026

Warsofsky, on two-way effort by top line on Celebrini's first goal: "Great track by Smitty, stick lift. Cherny, great skill play to have that patience and then put it in his wheelhouse. So, two special players, finding another special player, that's for sure."

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 14, 2026

Alex Nedeljkovic

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Vincent Desharnais

Desharnais, on value of games like this for Luca Cagnoni and company:

Yeah, it’s huge. I think they’re learning experiences. The atmosphere, whatever was at stake tonight, to play those games, I talked to Cags after, [he was like], That was a fast one. They were coming in the third, and that’s great for him. It’s his seventh game, it’s the best thing in the world. He’s got to be a part of those games. You got to get more and more experience.