Sharks 2024-25 preview: Projected roster, season outlook, playoff picture
Hope is beginning to return to the San Jose Sharks. San Jose had a horrific season in 2023-24, resulting in the firing of David Quinn as head coach. This summer saw the team get better, however. The Sharks drafted Macklin Celebrini first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. Additionally, they signed Tyler Toffoli and Alex Wennberg while trading for Jake Walman and Yaroslav Askarov.
San Jose is looking to be more competitive on the ice. Whether this desire translates to their performance certainly remains to be seen. However, it’s clear that the Sharks are done with the tear-down phase of their rebuild. Now, they are looking to build around an impressive foundation.
The Sharks are going to be a team that could surprise some people. But how does their 2024-25 season shake out on paper? It’s time for our complete Sharks season preview for the 2024-25 NHL season.
Projected Sharks roster
San Jose has a mix of established names and young stars on its roster. Logan Couture will miss the start of the season due to injury. However, new veteran signing Tyler Toffoli and returning forward Mikail Granlund will fill in. Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, and Will Smith represent the youthful options in the top six.
The Sharks boast a new look blueline heading into the 2024-25 season. As mentioned, Jake Walman came over through trade in the offseason. He could pair with another new member of the team. The Sharks traded for Cody Ceci during the summer. Ceci spent the last few seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. Mario Ferraro is another name worth watching on this San Jose blueline.
In goal, the Sharks have two veterans. MacKenzie Blackwood returns for his second season with the team. Meanwhile, Vitek Vanecek gears up for his first full season in San Jose. Yaroslav Askarov will start the season in the AHL. However, he is likely to play in the NHL at some point this season. Here is a complete look at the projected Sharks roster:
Forwards – Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, Tyler Toffoli, Will Smith, Mikael Granlund, Fabian Zetterlund, Alex Wennberg, Klim Kostin, Luke Kunin, Nico Sturm, Ty Dellandrea, Barclay Goodrow, Carl Grundstrom, Thomas Bordeleau
Defensemen – Jake Walman, Cody Ceci, Mario Ferraro, Jan Rutta, Matt Benning, Henry Thrun, Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Goalies – MacKenzie Blackwood, Vitek Vanecek
San Jose’s season outlook?
David Gonzales-Imagn Images
There are certainly some interesting matchups to keep an eye on this season. The Sharks begin their 2024-25 season on October 10 with a game against the St. Louis Blues. On October 17, they travel to face the Chicago Blackhawks. This marks the first time Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard will face off in the NHL.
On November 18, the Sharks take on the Detroit Red Wings in San Jose. This will be the first time Jake Walman faces his former team since his trade before the NHL Draft. The Sharks travel to Detroit on January 14 for Walman’s first game in Detroit as a visitor since the move. Walman was essentially moved as a cap dump, which could create a chip on the expressive defensemen’s shoulder.
The Sharks head north of the border on December 21 to take on the Edmonton Oilers. This will be Cody Ceci’s first time back in Edmonton since his trade to California. The Oilers are also the reigning Western Conference champions. It should be a good test for Celebrini and his team against Connor McDavid and a stacked Edmonton roster.
The Sharks end their season with 10 games against Western Conference opponents. Nine of these opponents are direct division rivals in the Pacific Division. Some of the games could be interesting as they pertain to playoff seeding or draft lottery positioning. In any event, San Jose ends its 2024-25 regular season with a game against the Oilers at home on April 16.
Are the Sharks a playoff team?
The Sharks are certainly a better team this year than they were last year. It would take quite a catastrophe for this team to be any worse than they performed a year ago. In saying this, that is quite a low bar to cross. And their offseason improvement is not enough to see the Sharks into the playoffs.
San Jose will certainly be more competitive. However, being more competitive does not necessarily translate to a significant amount of wins. This will be a tougher team to beat. And they will steal games they otherwise would have no business winning. But the Sharks are not going to truly challenge for the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.
Of course, the front office is aware this team likely won’t challenge for the playoffs in 2025. The front office simply does not want to continue bottoming out this season. They should improve enough to fight off the basement of the league. Playoffs, though, will come down the line once their key prospects come into their own.
The post Sharks 2024-25 preview: Projected roster, season outlook, playoff picture appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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