Opinion: San Jose Sharks rebirth is sooner than you think

The San Jose Sharks have been the laughingstock of the NHL for the last several seasons, hitting the full rebuild button and hoping that it all works out.

So far it has, and then some.

The Sharks may have had another poor season in 2024, but with young pieces galore on the roster, the future looks bright. No. 1 overall pick Macklin Cellebrini looks to be part of a superstar, and supporting cast members Will Smith and William Eklund look promising.

The collection of talent by General Manager Chris Grier over the past several seasons signals that they are moving in the right direction for the future.

A key veteran piece that also returns from a season ago is Tyler Toffoli. Toffoli had 30 goals in 78 games played last year at age 33. He returns for the 2025 season, hoping to mentor the young players, as well as put up great stats.

Over the summer, Grier took Michael Misa with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, and it was a slam dunk decision. Last year for the Saginaw Spirit, he had 62 goals and 72 assists in only 65 games. He can play center or winger, a valuable asset for the team’s top line.

The defense for San Jose is going to be the general area of concern for the upcoming season. They brought in a couple of veterans with Nick Leddy and Dmitry Orlov, but can they make a real difference?

Orlov had 28 points last season for a playoff Carolina Hurricanes squad, a plus for a team that lacks really any playoff experience. Leddy was also on a playoff team last season, the St. Louis Blues.

If Grier brought them in to bolster up experience, then it makes for a very unique and fun group on the blue line for the upcoming campaign.

I think it is also important to bring up the fact that San Jose had 52 points last season under first-year Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky.

The expectations for this team, despite the young talent, will be set extremely low. It leaves so much opportunity on the table for a team led by a young 19-year-old superstar, in Cellebrini.

In 2026, I believe that the Sharks will return to the postseason, ending what is now a five-year drought in Southern California. Warsofsky was a great hire for a young team on the rise, and the blueprint that the Candiens set could be the runway for San Jose.

Multiple teams are aging throughout the NHL, whether we want to say it or not. The Florida Panthers, off back-to-back Cup wins, have a team that is constantly getting older and isn’t getting any younger.

The Sharks are a team that can take advantage of a recently opened window, where the new stars of the NHL have entered the chat, ready to make lots of noise towards postseason play.

It wasn’t long ago that Erik Karlsonn won the Norris Trophy on a terrible Sharks team that had no vision for the future. That has changed, and fans should be hopeful that this new iteration of star talent on the West Coast can lead back to the Finals a decade after the last appearance.

Giustino Racchini is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email him at gar5448@psu.edu.