San Jose Sharks 24-25 Season Preview

San Jose Sharks
Pacific Division

2023-24 Recap
Record (W-L-OTL): 19-54-9
Over/Under: 38-40-4
Home Favorite: 0-0
Home Dog: 11-30
Road Favorite: 0-0
Road Dog: 8-33
Win Score 4 or more: 11 of 19
Lose Give Up 4 or more: 43 of 63
Puck Line Wins: 7 of 19
Puck Line Losses: 45 of 63
Front End Back-to-Back: 3-7
Back End Back-to-Back: 3-7
Goals Scored Per Game: 2.20 (31st)
Goals Against Per Game: 3.98 (32nd)

Additions: Tyler Toffoli, Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Wennberg, Barclay Goodrow, Jake Walman, Cody Ceci
Subtractions: Alexander Barabanov, Filip Zadina, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Burroughs

Sharks GM Mike Grier’s plan for the team to be bad more than exceeded expectations in 2023-24, finishing dead last in the NHL with 47 points, the second-fewest point total in the salary cap era. On the positive side, San Jose won the NHL Draft Lottery and selected Hobey Baker Award winner and former Jr. Shark Macklin Celebrini, a standout at Boston College with 32 goals and 64 points in just 38 games.

Grier made another big addition in the summer, acquiring goalie Yaroslav Askarov from the Nashville Predators. In a bit of a surprise move, Grier also fired head coach David Quinn after two seasons and replaced him with former assistant Ryan Warsofsky.

Offense
The Sharks' 178 goals scored this past season ranked them 31st overall, just behind Chicago's 180, with their anemic offense being held to goal or less in 30 games. The offense should get a boost from their pair of former Boston College draft picks in Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, who was selected 4th overall in 2023.

Don’t be surprised if the Sharks open the season with Celebrini centering Fabian Zetterlund and new free agent signing Tyler Toffoli, an 8-time 20 goal scorer coming off back-to-back 30 goal seasons. Meanwhile, Zetterlund led the team in goals last season with 24. San Jose also added former Rangers Alex Wennberg and Barclay Goodrow to their forward group.

Defense
The Sharks gave up more shots on goal per game (35.1) than any other team and gave up a league high 326 goals last season. GM Mike Grier bolstered his blueline in acquiring Jake Walman in a trade from the Red Wings, a defenseman who played just shy of 20 minutes a night on Detroit’s top pair. His 12 goals last season were more than any other Sharks blueliner. Expect the Sharks to find themselves in the bottom third of most defensive statistics once again.

Goaltending
The Sharks believe they now have their goalie of the future after trading for Yaroslav Askarov from Nashville. The 2020 11th overall pick demanded a trade, feeling his path to being a starter in the NHL was blocked when the Preds signed Jusse Saros to an 8-year extension.

Askarov will share the goaltending duties with either Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek. Despite the Sharks finishing 32nd and last in goals against, Blackwood, the 42nd overall pick in 2015, still managed to record a pair of shutouts last season. Most Sharks fans will remember Blackwood’s season debut, stopping the first 49 shots against Colorado before losing 2-1 in a shootout. The big question that remains is can the team as a whole tighten up defensively and give their goalies an opportunity to keep the Sharks in games.

Player to Watch – Macklin Celebrini
I can’t blame Sharks fans if they are a little impatient. Five consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs would do that to most fanbases. With their home opener not coming until October 10, three thousand of the Sharks faithful packed their practice facility to watch Celebrini in a July intrasquad game. The first overall pick has already drawn lofty comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews, and a 20-goal season for is not out of the realm of possibility for San Jose's newest young star.

Outlook
The Sharks are still in rebuild mode, but no longer in tank mode. Celebrini and Will Smith give San Jose fans hope the future, one that is still likely at least another three years away. One thing to keep in mind, is that 14 of the last 16 Stanley Cup winners have a player that they drafted first or second overall.

Regular Season Point Total: 63.5 (Over/Under -115)
To Make the Playoffs: +2500
To Miss the Playoffs: -8000
To Win the Pacific Division: +25000
To Win the Western Conference: +2800
To Win the Stanley Cup: +40000