Sharks Hockey Is Back: How San Jose Is Making Noise in the NHL
- Mayline Ruiz
- Dec 3, 2025
- 4 min read
The 2025 San Jose Sharks are on another level. They started the year off not so hot, but something has gotten into them, helping them bring more wins to the Bay Area. Let’s take a look at how the Sharks have started their season and why teams need to keep an eye out for them.
Just last year, San Jose was sitting at the bottom of the league with a 20-50-12 record. While many considered it a disappointing season, fans were looking forward to the 2025-26 season, as their rookies would be heading into their second year, and the Sharks signed some key veteran players.
The Sharks started their season off against the Vegas Golden Knights, one of their rivals whom they have faced in the playoffs. San Jose kicked off their first game of the season at home with a 4-3 loss in overtime. Their next game against the Anaheim Ducks was another overtime loss, this time 6-7.
It seemed as if the Sharks were going to have a rocky start to their season, once again following another loss to start the year. San Jose went on a six-game losing streak before they finally won their first game of the season against the New York Rangers in a 6-5 overtime win. The win was short-lived, as San Jose lost the following day to the New Jersey Devils, 3-1.
Breakout Players This Season
Macklin Celebrini
Despite the losses, San Jose was still at the top of everyone’s minds with some of their key players. Macklin Celebrini, who made his NHL debut during the 2024-25 season, played in 70 games, where he accumulated 63 points through 25 goals and 38 assists. This season, in just 27 games, he is set to pass his record, as he currently has 40 points from 14 goals and 26 assists.
Celebrini is currently in second place for the most points in the league, where he is five points behind Nathan MacKinnon, from the Colorado Avalanche. Celebrini is also in third place for most goals this season behind Morgan Geekie, who has 20 goals, and MacKinnon, who also has 20 goals. With the Sharks, Celebrini leads the team in goals, points, and assists.
Will Smith
Will Smith, who is also heading into his second year with the Sharks, was the player who brought the Sharks their first win with an overtime goal, in a game where he had four points from two goals and two assists. Smith, who played in 74 games last season, obtained 45 points from 18 goals and 27 assists.
Coming off the 2025 IIHF World Championship win, Smith has played in 27 games this season with 12 goals and 15 assists, totaling 27 points. Smith currently holds second place for the Sharks in points, goals, and assists behind Celebrini.
Yaroslav Askarov
Yaroslav Askarov, who came from the Nashville Predators in a trade for center prospect David Edstrom, goalie Magnus Chrona, and a conditional 2025 first-round pick, has been a big reason why the Sharks have been doing so well.
During his first year with the Sharks organization, Askarov signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension as he spent the majority of the season with the Sharks’ AHL affiliate team, the San Jose Barracuda. While he was with the Barracuda, Askarov played in 22 games, where he had 11 wins and 9 losses with a 0.923 SAV%. Once he got called up, Askarov played in 13 games during the 2024-25 season, where he won four games and had 6 losses. The few games he got in with the Sharks placed him at a strong start for the 2025-26 season.
At the start of the 2025-26 season, Askarov started in four games, where the Sharks couldn’t get a win. Many people started questioning Askarov’s abilities; however, he proved them wrong when he started making important saves, such as the game against the Minnesota Wild, where the Sharks got a 6-5 win in overtime by a goal from Celebrini.
Askarov has played in 17 games, where he has gotten 10 wins and 6 losses with a .910 SAV%. He currently leads the Sharks in save percentages and is in 13th place in the whole league behind Jake Allen, the New Jersey Devils' goalie, and Jeremy Swayman, the Boston Bruins' goalie.
Rookies
The Sharks also have some incoming rookies who people need to keep an eye out for, as they will play a pivotal role in the Sharks' future. Michael Misa, who was drafted during the 2025 NHL Draft in the first round as the second overall pick, has played in seven games where he has one goal and two assists, totaling three points. Misa suffered a lower-body injury at the start of November but has started skating again following his injury.
The Sharks also have Sam Dickinson, who has played in 20 games, where he has two points from one goal and one assist. The rookies are continuing to find their footing with the team, and they have teammates they can lean on, including previous rookies William Eklund, Smith, Celebrini, and Collin Graf. They can also look to veteran players who can give them advice, such as Tyler Toffoli, Alexander Wennberg, Ty Dellandrea, and Mario Ferraro.
This season for the Sharks has been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. While they started the season off with a few losses, the Sharks have gained momentum, and they have found crucial ways to get wins. San Jose has had five overtime wins against the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild (twice), Colorado Avalanche, and the Utah Mammoth. They have also gotten a shootout win against their rival, the Los Angeles Kings.
The Sharks are currently 13-11-3 with a 1-1 record in shootouts. They’re in fourth place in the Pacific Division, 7th place in the Western Conference, and they hold the first wildcard spot in their conference.
The Sharks are set to play against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday at 7 PM before heading on the road to face the Dallas Stars on Friday at 5 PM.
Edited by Mary Merensky
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