The San Jose Sharks are actually fun to watch right now

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
The San Jose Sharks are actually fun to watch right now
Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The San Jose Sharks haven’t qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2018-19. And that’s not going to change this year – they’re destined for a lottery spot again.

But it’s hard to watch the group right now and not be thoroughly entertained for both good and bad reasons.

Take your pick: Mikael Granlund is playing at more than a point-per-game pace. William Eklund is finally breaking out. Tyler Toffoli is looking like a solid signing. Mackenzie Blackwood is trying to push his way onto Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off team. And the club’s future No. 1 netminder, Yaroslav Askarov, has looked good in spot duty, too.

There are legitimate reasons to keep a close eye on the club right now – and none greater than the play of future NHL star and current No. 1 center Macklin Celebrini.

If you were concerned about how Celebrini would transition to the NHL from college, you aren’t anymore. He missed some time after a Game 1 injury, but has bounced back for 11 points in 13 games. Celebrini had a three-point game against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday – a dominant 7-2 victory for the Sharks – in easily the best game of the season.

Will Smith is starting to put things together after a rough introduction to the NHL. He opened the season with an eight-game pointless drought before scoring two against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Halloween. He’s currently riding a two-game stretch with two points in each contest, helping to get him up to eight points in 20 games. Sure, he might not be a serious Calder Trophy candidate at this point, but many around the league don’t see much reason to worry just yet – he’s only 19, and he’s figuring things out.

You can’t forget about Eklund, either. He’s on pace for just under 70 points in his second full season in the NHL – and he’s only 22. The fun is only beginning for one of the team’s top young stars.

The veterans are shining, too. Granlund has missed the past few games, but he’s on pace to smash the 70-point mark for the first time in his career. Regardless of where his future is, it’s never a bad thing for a 32-year-old pending UFA to have a breakout season – especially after his struggles in Nashville and Pittsburgh before moving to San Jose last season. Toffoli looks like a 50-point producer for just the second time since 2015-16, and Zetterlund is trending toward his first 30-goal, 50-point season while being a force in hits and blocked shots.

How about Blackwood in net? The surface numbers aren’t anything special, but anyone who has watched him knows he’s one of the team’s early MVP candidates. Both he and Vitek Vanecek are pending UFAs, so maximizing value on a bad team was the name of the game. Blackwood has emerged as a top target in trade rumors in recent weeks, and while it’s unclear what’ll happen there, it’s safe to say he has helped boost his stock in a big way this year – and Hockey Canada might come calling in a few days.

So, if you need someone to cheer for, how about a guy with a chance to live out his dreams with his country in a best-on-best competition?

Sure, the defense can be ugly. And, yeah, they’ll lose a lot, too. But after starting the season on a nine-game losing streak, the Sharks have had a few memorable performances along the way – highlighted by a three-game win streak at the end of October. When you tune into a Sharks game, you’re not watching a good team – but you might see a wild game at either end of the ice. And if you’re going to be a fan of a bad hockey team, you might as well find ways to remain entertained, win or lose.

And that’s what happens when you’ve got a future worth looking toward. Celebrini and Smith are here and making things happen. They’ve got a future No. 1 goaltender in Askarov waiting for his opportunity. Colin Graf and Luca Cagnoni look like studs down in the AHL, too.

The focus this year is all about continuing the rebuild. They entered the season with one of the best pipelines in hockey, and the top two — Celebrini and Smith — have graduated to full-time status. They might keep things close against the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, but they’ll collapse against Detroit or Pittsburgh. There’s no better way to describe Sharks Hockey as anything other than chaotic.

So, yeah. The Sharks might come dead last again. They might finish with one of the worst seasons in franchise history. But they are playing better hockey this year – they’re scoring 2.64 games per game, which is up from 2.20 a year ago. They’re 23rd in the league in that category, but they’re also allowing about half a goal fewer per game. Small and steady improvements, but at least the 10-0 drubbings are over with – for now.

At the very least, we’re not seeing many players falling backward. Barclay Goodrow (now injured) isn’t playing well, sure, but he’s a depth guy. Mario Ferraro will see a dip in production, but he’s never been an offensive defenseman. As long as there’s been some actual progress for core players, that’s fine.

A good young core. Veterans having career years. A bright future on the horizon. You have to be able to find positives in a sea of negatives if you’re going to suffer through the dark days of your favorite NHL franchise.

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