Forget those idiots in the postseason (secretly, we’re jealous), it’s more fun to look into our crystal ball and guess what the San Jose Sharks could look like on opening night. There’s been a lot of roster turnover in the past few months, giving us small glimpses of what San Jose is hoping to do with the team’s young players, who the Sharks are hoping to sign in the offseason and what the roster could look like in just a few months.
So, even though it’s May and we still have the NHL draft and free agency to look forward to, here’s what the lines could look like in October with the players currently in the fold.
First line – William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli
Some players are a lock for this roster and that includes the players on the first line. Celebrini is still finding his way in this league, but he is now and will be in the future, San Jose’s top line center. That’s a given. While it might change in the next few months, we’re bringing the 70s line back together for another go of it.
This is in part because the Sharks want to try Will Smith out at center next season, but also because it’s going to balance out scoring. As fun as it is to watch the chemistry between Mack and Will, there needs to be some balance to the team’s offensive attack.
Second line – Free Agent, Will Smith, Alex Wennberg
This is where things get a bit dicey.
The Sharks want Smith as a center, so we imagine he’s going to get a lot of time on the second line. Alex Wennberg, a veteran center, is there to help the kid out if the going gets tough, so this is the ideal situation at least to start the season.
It’s the third member of this trip that’s a little tough to identify. While Cam Lund played in the top six at times, it looks as though he might need a little seasoning in the AHL before he’s ready for that fulltime role with the Sharks. There’s Collin Graf as an option, but we’d like to see a step in his game if he’s going to be in the top six.
If Thomas Bordeleau receives a new contract, he could slot in. So could Danil Gushchin, but he would also need a new deal. Neither seems like a lock to return to the Sharks, let alone make the team next season.
The draft might make a difference. If the Sharks draft, say, Michael Misa, then he could jump to the NHL right away.
Since we’re not counting on that, we’ll leave space on the second line for a yet to be named free agent.
Third line – Collin Graf, Ty Dellandrea, Ethan Cardwell
On the third line, it feels like Collin Graf’s performance in the AHL and during his call up to the Sharks was enough to give him the inside track on the third line. Graf will likely take on more of the responsibility on the penalty kill this season and his ability to do that also gives him an edge.
While Ty Dellandrea was a mixed bag this past season and often left us wanting more. He’s the team’s third line center at this point until we see who else could make the roster.
If I’m guessing on one Barracuda player to make the jump next season, I’m going with Ethan Cardwell. With Gushchin and Bordeleau’s futures in question, and Lund needing more time in the AHL, Cardwell could force his way onto the roster. Cardwell was not only one of the top scorers for the Barracuda this past season, but he spent time working on his defensive game, specifically the penalty kill. If Cardwell shows he can be responsible on and off the puck, he could claim one of the slots on opening night.
Fourth line – Barclay Goodrow, Zach Ostapchuk, Carl Grundstrom
Barring additions during free agency or an exceptional camp from a player like Quentin Musty, Kasper Halttunen, Igor Chernyshov or Filip Bystedt, look for a similar fourth line as the Sharks iced this past season.
Barclay Goodrow is there for the leadership vibes. He’ll use the offseason to work and hopefully come back as a more impactful player.
It will be interesting to see what Zach Ostapchuk looks like after the summer. He has the potential to be the centerpiece of an energetic and gritty fourth line. The pace he created while skating with Carl Grundstrom toward the end of the season was fun to watch, which is why we could see the two of them back on the fourth line to start 2025-26.
Conclusion
Is this a Stanley Cup winning team? Absolutely not. However, with development from players like Celebrini, Smith, Graf, Cardwell and even Eklund, the Sharks could be a formidable opponent on any given night. Even without the addition of this year’s first-round draft pick and a potential free agent signing in the summer, the Sharks should be able to get a few more points than the 52 the team earned this past season.
