SAINT PAUL, MINN. — The San Jose Sharks are desperate to improve both offensively and defensively.

Losers of five out of their last six, they’ve scored the least amount of 5-on-5 goals and given up the seventh-most in the NHL.

Here’s head coach Ryan Warsofsky’s latest attempt to get the Sharks out of their tailspin: Michael Misa, normally a center, has been placed on wing with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Collin Graf, normally a winger, and Ty Dellandrea are taking over at center in the top-nine, ahead of Misa and Filip Bystedt. Bystedt will be scratched.

Sharks tools

“It’s all about creating some offense for our team and finding ways to score,” Misa said. The 2025 No. 2 pick has been surging offensively, with three goals and seven points in his last eight games.

Misa said the last time that he had played on the wing extensively was in juniors.

“Brings some pace to run with Mack there a little bit,” Warsofsky said.

Taking 19-year-old Misa and rookie Bystedt away from center, and replacing them with Graf and Dellandrea, looks like a clear attempt to shore up the middle defensively.

“Fil’s had moments, you see the potential,” Warsofsky said. “[But] there’s moments where the game picks up, the speed picks up, the urgency picks up, and the way to defend and get into people. So just some things defensively that he has continue to improve on, and offensively as well.”

Warsofsky added, about Bystedt but this could also refer to Misa at center, “It’s a young player that’s trying to find his way.”

Warsofsky is hoping that veteran checker Dellandrea can add some pace to his line and find his past form.

“We look back at last year, before he got injured there. He was playing some really good hockey in that 3C spot,” Warsofsky said. “So trying to find that again.”

Safe to say, the San Jose Sharks miss glue center Alex Wennberg. Today, Warsofsky upgraded Wennberg’s upper-body injury to day-to-day. Could he play on Saturday at the Dallas Stars?

San Jose Sharks (7-9-1)

Yaroslav Askarov starts.

Here’s how the San Jose Sharks will line up tonight:

Misa-Celebrini-Smith
Marchment-Graf-Sherwood
Stenberg-Dellandrea-Toffoli
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette

Nurse-Kesselring
Dickinson-Trouba
Orlov-Pohlkamp

Askarov

And here’s how they looked on the power play.

PP1: Smith-Stenberg-Celebrini-Toffoli-Marchment

PP2: Orlov-Pohlkamp-Sherwood-Graf-Misa

I’m told Brainerd native Eric Pohlkamp should have about 30 family & friends coming to his first NHL game in Minnesota

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 6, 2026

Minnesota Wild (11-3-3)

Askarov starts tonight against Wild.

Fun match-up! 2020 No. 11 pick Askarov vs. 2021 No. 20 Wallstedt

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 6, 2026

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