{"id":246719,"date":"2026-04-01T14:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/246719\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T14:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:02:08","slug":"san-jose-sharks-macklin-celebrini-praises-nick-leddy-amid-playoff-push-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/246719\/","title":{"rendered":"San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini praises Nick Leddy amid playoff push"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN JOSE \u2013 Veteran defenseman Nick Leddy\u2019s NHL career appeared to be in limbo<\/a> after he was placed on waivers<\/a> by the San Jose Sharks in January.<\/p>\n

Over two months later, Leddy, interestingly enough, is once again entrenched<\/a> in the Sharks\u2019 lineup, becoming an unexpectedly key piece of the team\u2019s blue line as San Jose tries to chase down<\/a> its first playoff appearance in seven years.<\/p>\n

After not playing an NHL game for over eight weeks, Leddy is expected to dress for his seventh straight game Wednesday when the Sharks host the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks<\/a> to continue a crucial homestand.<\/p>\n

Leddy, who turned 35 on March 20, led all Sharks skaters<\/a> with 22:32 in ice time during their 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Monday at SAP Center.<\/p>\n

Leddy\u2019s ice time matched a season high, and all came at even strength, as he blocked three shots and had a pretty backhand<\/a> assist on Macklin Celebrini\u2019s second goal of the first period, giving San Jose a 3-2 lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s meant a lot to our whole group, but especially our younger group,\u201d Celebrini said of Leddy. \u201cJust his leadership, just the guy he is. He\u2019s one of the best guys, and we\u2019ve gotten pretty close to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sucked when he was getting sent down, but now that he\u2019s up, I think you can see just the way he plays, how solid he is. It was nice to see that pass come through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leddy’s sauce to Mack from last night is our March Connection of the Month. \ud83d\ude4c@ConnectionIT<\/a> \/ #WeSolveIT<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/LHcCm7bp95<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Leddy has averaged 18:12 in ice time over the last six games and has been paired recently with rookie Sam Dickinson. A veteran of 1,067 career NHL games, Leddy, in the eyes of coach Ryan Warsofsky, is playing more of a meat-and-potatoes game now than he was at the midway point of the season when he made too many unforced errors and was often a healthy scratch. The Sharks were also carrying eight or nine defensemen at the time and were giving Dickinson a long leash.<\/p>\n

Leddy now has five assists in 25 games this season, averaging just under 18 minutes per game.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not trying to do too much,\u201d with his puck decisions, Warsofsky said of Leddy. \u201cHe\u2019s making the simple one, and he\u2019s really calmed the rest of the (defense corps) down as well, as far as how you need to play this time of year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s won a lot of hockey games in his career. He\u2019s played the playoffs in his career. He knows what winning looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leddy never lost faith in himself, even after being placed on waivers twice in seven months.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I knew I could always play. That was never a doubt in my head,\u201d Leddy said. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s just getting the chance. When I came into this league, spots were never given; they\u2019re earned, and you\u2019ve got to earn it every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Blues, in a salary cap move,<\/a> placed him on waivers last July, when the Sharks picked him up<\/a>, enjoying priority as the NHL\u2019s last-place team from the year before. Leddy is now in the final year<\/a> of a four-year, $16 million contract.<\/p>\n

Leddy\u2019s third and final year in St. Louis had its challenges, as he missed over three months with an undisclosed injury that left him wondering, at times, when he would be back to full strength again.<\/p>\n

Leddy said the mental challenges were perhaps greater than the physical ones, as he was out for an extended period for one of the few times in his lengthy career. He played just 31 of 82 games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think more mentally at the time, being away from the guys and not having that facet of the game was definitely hard,\u201d Leddy said. \u201cThe mental side of it was probably the most difficult. The physical side has come back. I figured it would for the most part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leddy received a warm reception from Blues fans when the Sharks were in St. Louis last Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was nice,\u201d Leddy said. \u201cThe fans there have always been great to me. They\u2019re great hockey fans. It\u2019s always fun getting back to play against friends and places you played.\u201d<\/p>\n

The situation that Leddy was in with the Blues last season is somewhat similar to the challenges the Sharks face now.<\/p>\n

Just before Leddy returned to the Blues lineup on Feb. 4 from his injury, St. Louis had 52 points and was seven points out of a playoff spot with 29 games left to play.<\/p>\n

From that point forward, though, the Blues went 20-5-4, including a 12-game win streak, and captured the second wild card spot in the west with 96 points, finishing ahead of the Calgary Flames due to having one more regulation time victory.<\/p>\n

The Sharks\u2019 playoff outlook has brightened in recent days as they\u2019ve collected five of a possible six points in their last three games before Wednesday. They have 10 games left and enter their game against the Ducks in 11th place in the Western Conference with 75 points, two points back of the Nashville Predators for the final wild card spot, with two games in hand.<\/p>\n

Leddy said for Sharks players who have never been to the NHL playoffs before, which is about half of the team\u2019s roster, it\u2019s about \u201ccontrolling what you control. Take it shift by shift, game by game, and focus on the next day when that day comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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