November 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\nWill it last? Maybe, if Celebrini has any say in that. It isn\u2019t a one-man (or one-kid?) show in San Jose, but the teenager is the conductor. He\u2019s got 30 points, making him the fourth teen to reach that total in his first 20 games of a season. The other three are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
The legend of Celebrini is being written in real time. Chicago\u2019s Connor Bedard, the fellow No. 1 pick that\u2019s blowing up on his own, got his second hat trick of the season in the Blackhawks\u2019 win Tuesday. Hours later, Celebrini scored all three of San Jose\u2019s goals as if to say, \u201cI see you, Connor. Check this out.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it came to assessing his name being among the game\u2019s greatest throughout history, Celebrini said, \u201cIt\u2019s cool,\u201d but quickly added, \u201cI don\u2019t really want to hear about that. That\u2019s not what\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n
He sounded like a future captain, which the Sharks are clearly grooming him for by making him an alternate for the club\u2019s home games. However, that didn\u2019t keep others from marveling at a youngster equally capable of devouring big moments and carrying a franchise.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpecial,\u201d defenseman Vincent Desharnais, who has played with Crosby and Connor McDavid, told reporters. \u201cHe\u2019s special. I think everyone in here, everyone in this building, sees how special he is as a player, as a human being as well. He\u2019s not just an a\u2013hole and walking around and saying that he\u2019s the best player.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always wants to get better every day. I\u2019m sure next skate, he\u2019s going to be one of the first guys on the ice to work on something else. So, it\u2019s impressive to see and it kind of inspires everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, it\u2019s not all about Celebrini. It\u2019s time to take stock of a roster that\u2019s bringing a franchise out of dark times.<\/p>\n
(Note: Some data provided by Natural Stat Trick and Evolving-Hockey).<\/p>\n
Stock way up<\/p>\n
Yaroslav Askarov, Celebrini, Will Smith<\/p>\n
Askarov\u2019s first start had seven pucks get by him in an overtime loss to Anaheim. It didn\u2019t get much better over his next five. Here\u2019s why the 23-year-old goalie wound up in this category. Ever since he allowed four goals on just 14 shots from Los Angeles on Oct. 28, Askarov has been lights out. Wins in five of his last six outings with two or fewer goals allowed in each and a terrific .959 save percentage over that run. He has been excellent.<\/p>\n
It is more accurate to say Celebrini\u2019s stock is through the roof. And there may be no stopping how high that stock could rise. The second hat trick of his season and third in just 90 games played keeps him in the scoring race. It may be tough for him to keep pace with Nathan MacKinnon and McDavid as the weeks and months move on, but Celebrini is a megastar whose time is now.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old Smith doesn\u2019t have a bad gig, being Robin to Celebrini\u2019s Batman. However, he is making a leap after a terrific finish to his rookie season. He\u2019s the Sharks\u2019 second-leading scorer with 19 points, and his chemistry with his fast friend looks telepathic at times. The actual top-end offensive skill is often evident. Second-year coach Ryan Warsofsky has praised Smith\u2019s growing competitiveness on the puck and away from it.<\/p>\n
Stock up<\/p>\n
William Eklund, Collin Graf, Philipp Kurashev, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Dmitry Orlov, Alexander Wennberg<\/p>\n
Eklund, 23, missed four games due to injury. The winger flies lower on the Sharks\u2019 radar, but he remains a solid two-way forward who can produce (13 points in 16 games) while being defensively responsible (2.35 xGA\/60). Graf, 23, has emerged as a useful middle-six winger who\u2019s become a fixture of an improving penalty kill. The goal scoring hasn\u2019t arrived yet, but he has an overtime winner and enough skill to get into the double digits.<\/p>\n
Kurashev, 26, came to San Jose in rehabilitative mode after his time in Chicago fizzled out. He\u2019s responded well to two early scratches and has five goals and 11 points after totaling only seven goals and 14 points in 51 games with the Blackhawks last season.<\/p>\n
Mukhamadullin, 23, continues to show promise as a potential defensive stopper. The Sharks\u2019 great goaltending helps boost his impressive 1.76 CA\/60, but other shot- and chance-allowing metrics are trending in the right direction.<\/p>\n
Orlov, 34, doesn\u2019t have the greatest defensive metrics (3.17 xGA\/60), but he\u2019s been breakeven in five-on-five play and has become the clear leader of the defense in his first season. He\u2019s leading the blue line in scoring with 11 points \u2014 all assists \u2014 and tops everyone in ice time (22 minutes, 22 seconds).<\/p>\n
Wennberg, 31, never has eye-popping numbers. Still, he\u2019s making himself an attractive trade deadline target for the second time in his career, thanks to capable faceoff numbers and providing secondary offense.<\/p>\n
Stock flat<\/p>\n
Ty Dellandrea, Vincent Desharnais, Sam Dickinson, Mario Ferraro, Adam Gaudette, Michael Misa, Alex Nedeljkovic, Ryan Reaves, Tyler Toffoli<\/p>\n
Dellandrea was challenged in training camp and responded with a strong preseason. The 25-year-old carried it into the season as he\u2019s been in the lineup every night. He doesn\u2019t bring much offense, and his 29.41 GF% can be much better, but he has earned Warsofsky\u2019s trust.<\/p>\n
Desharnais, 29, is becoming a pleasant surprise. He\u2019s got a strong 2.20 xGA\/60 and has been on the ice for only six five-on-five goals while averaging 16 minutes overall.<\/p>\n
Critiquing a 19-year-old defenseman isn\u2019t easy, given that position for that age in the NHL. Dickinson has had his wobbles with turnovers, but he\u2019s posted good possession numbers and expected goals metrics for a team that\u2019s rough overall in both.<\/p>\n
Ferraro, 27, is not slotted in the No. 1 role; he had to be out of necessity, and the results are better. He might be biding time as an impending UFA, but his trade value remains solid. No one questions his effort.<\/p>\n
Gaudette, 29, missed four games due to injury. He\u2019s on the first of a two-year deal and has seen his ice time spike up lately while occasionally finishing chances.<\/p>\n
Misa, 19, is a bit of an incomplete, as the Sharks were careful to bring the center along on a development plan. He\u2019s currently on week-to-week status rehabbing a lower-body injury.<\/p>\n
Nedeljkovic had some challenging early moments, but he\u2019s been the effective backup the Sharks wanted for Askarov. The 29-year-old has put up a 3-3-2\/2.97\/.902 line in eight starts.<\/p>\n
Reaves isn\u2019t just a personality that\u2019s becoming a glue guy in the San Jose room. The 39-year-old pugilist continues to dress regularly on the fourth line and has added a couple of goals while closing in on 1,000 games (he\u2019s at 928 now, which makes early next season a possibility).<\/p>\n
After leading San Jose with 30 goals in his first season, Toffoli hasn\u2019t had the same impact. He has one goal in his last nine games and just five so far, but the Sharks don\u2019t have a negative impact (66.7 GF%) when he\u2019s on the ice.<\/p>\n
Stock down<\/p>\n
Timothy Liljegren, Jeff Skinner<\/p>\n
Liljegren appeared to start the season well as his best skills (puck movement, offensive support) came to the surface. The 26-year-old defender played 26:50, 24:28 and 27:28 in consecutive games on a road trip after returning from injury. He\u2019s fallen out of favor with healthy scratches in three of his last four games. A big thing is he isn\u2019t driving play (39.63 CF%).<\/p>\n
Skinner is dealing with a lower-body injury. He was hurt on his first shift on Nov. 13 against Calgary. Before that, the winger had just one goal in 13 games after a good start.<\/p>\n
Stock way down<\/p>\n
Barclay Goodrow, John Klingberg, Nick Leddy<\/p>\n
Goodrow\u2019s defensive impact has improved after some truly garish numbers last season. The 32-year-old keeps grinding and sets a hardworking example as a respected veteran, but he\u2019s still playing at a replacement level.<\/p>\n
Klingberg, 33, was demoted from the top power-play unit and scratched from Tuesday\u2019s game after some recent rough performances. With just five points in 13 games, the Sharks aren\u2019t getting the offensive payoff to balance out the turnovers and defensive slipups.<\/p>\n
Leddy, 34, is working his way back from an Oct. 23 injury. With him, it\u2019s about fitting on a crowded blue line when others have played better. As one of their large number of vets on an expiring contract, there will be motivation to play him if only to boost trade value.<\/p>\n