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<\/p>\nThe Pacific Division in 2026-27 is a top-heavy division made up of two groups: the Haves and the Have-Nots. The gap between the best and worst has never been larger, and the Vancouver Canucks sit firmly at the bottom. Seven teams stand in their way on the path back to contention, and we\u2019re going to look at all of them over the next two weeks in our Pacific Previews series.<\/p>\n
Today we\u2019re looking at the San Jose Sharks.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no team in the Pacific better equipped for the long run than the San Jose Sharks. But their short game is a big mystery.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the Sharks have one of the deepest prospect pools in hockey. Will Smith, Michael Misa, and Sam Dickinson highlight the incredible work San Jose has done rebuilding over the past half-decade, including a massive 34-point swing from their previous season. When they traded budding talent William Eklund<\/a> to the Ottawa Senators before the NHL Draft, the Sharks simply \u201creplaced\u201d him with second overall pick Ivar Stenberg later that week (that feeling you\u2019re experiencing right now is jealousy).<\/p>\n As you\u2019ve probably noticed, there\u2019s a crucial name missing from that list: their most valuable player and the clearest reason for their massive jump forward.<\/p>\n Needless to say, with Celebrini entering the final year of his much cheaper entry-level contract, the Sharks should be going pedal to the metal to make this season a success. And general manager Mike Grier has made some bold moves in that direction. The Sharks opened free agency by signing winger Mason Marchment and defender Jacob Trouba<\/a> to add a veteran presence to the lineup behind their young guns, and traded for Michael Kesselring from the Buffalo Sabres.\u00a0<\/p>\n Grier\u2019s biggest gamble of the offseason? A stunning July 1 trade for Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for prospects Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp. Taking on a defenceman making $9.25 million per year with a lot of red flags in his game is a risk, but it\u2019s the kind of risk the Sharks need to be taking at this point.<\/p>\n The Sharks are dramatically improving, and their play against the Canucks is a prime example. After Vancouver swept the season series in Celebrini\u2019s rookie year, the Sharks flipped the script in 2025-26, winning three of four thanks to contributions from former Canucks Tyler Toffoli and Adam Gaudette.<\/p>\n
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