The San Jose Sharks finish the first month of the NHL season with a 7-7-1 record and 15 points, the same total they had through 15 last season.<\/p>\n
Before I get into anything, I need to remind my readers that this is my opinion. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Sharks front office, coaching staff, players, and everything else. Please remember that what you post online is seen by all I just mentioned, just like this story will be. They are humans like us, with feelings, emotions, and families, and they deserve respect. This is a pressure-filled business with criticism all around, so remember they are humans like all of us. I\u2019m not going to publicly call for someone\u2019s job or anything close to that.<\/p>\n
Team buy-in shouldn\u2019t be a question, and it is<\/p>\n
After an ugly 5-1 loss<\/a> to the Ottawa Senators<\/a> Saturday afternoon, head coach Ryan Warsofsky<\/a> was blunt about where the team stands.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not good enough, right? We\u2019ve got to go back and look at everything. Look at it all, and start getting to work on tomorrow,\u201d Warsofsky said.<\/p>\n One major issue stands out to me, and Warsofsky recognized it too: the lack of buy-in. After 15 games, with a new core of players besides the young stars, the team shouldn\u2019t have a buy-in issue.<\/p>\n #SJSharks<\/a> Warsofsky asked about team buy in being an issue still: \u201cYeah. We got to work on that.\u201d <\/p>\n He added this about sending a message: \u201cYeah, I think there is. I mean, look, you know, sometimes the best tool coach has is to take someone out, take away ice time. So we’ll look\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) October 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Sure, there are on-ice issues that I\u2019ll get into in a second, but the team can only go as far as they bring it. A lack of buy-in is a fault of both the players and coaches. Somehow there is a disconnect between the two. The guys in the room have to fix it, and fix it fast.<\/p>\n Kiefer Sherwood<\/a> was blunt about what needs to happen to change the San Jose Sharks\u2019 fortunes.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got to check ourselves in the mirror here because we got to get things going,\u201d Sherwood said postgame. \u201cCan\u2019t just keep going back and forth and expect to go on a run later on. We gotta have some urgency now. We gotta really focus on our identity and how we want to play each and every night.\u201d<\/p>\n The team\u2019s identity showed up against the Florida Panthers<\/a> on opening night. There have been flashes of that team identity in the 14 games since, but not enough.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s probably the most frustrating thing, right? We\u2019re 15 games into it, and we probably still haven\u2019t played a complete game. Maybe Florida, but it was so long ago,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cWe\u2019re still off in our game. We\u2019ve got to find it quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Warsofsky and the rest of the Sharks staff have to find what works.<\/p>\n Defensive system needs a revamp<\/p>\n I intend to do a film deep dive of the San Jose Sharks\u2019 systems soon. I am waiting for Saturday\u2019s game to be cut together on InStat. That\u2019ll allow me to find specific plays much more easily.<\/p>\n For now, I\u2019ll do my best to explain with words. The Sharks\u2019 systems, especially defensively, need a change. In most games, it\u2019s nearly impossible for me to figure out what the Sharks are trying to do defensively. Mix in a horrific habit of puck watching and a lack of clear structure, and the players seem easily confused or overthink.<\/p>\n Take a look at this play against the Boston Bruins<\/a>. After the team can\u2019t get the puck out of the zone, a shot comes in from the point. Everyone is watching the puck and isn\u2019t sure where to go. Tyler Toffoli<\/a> is in the corner watching; Ty Dellandrea<\/a> and Mason Marchment<\/a> collapse and search for something. And at the very end, Nolan Allan<\/a> left a man behind him unmarked because he was watching the puck, and got lucky the puck didn\u2019t bounce his way.<\/p>\n Via InStat<\/p>\n Before Saturday, you could argue the San Jose Sharks\u2019 worst defensive performance came in this game against the Bruins. Here\u2019s another clip of the confusion over what to do once an attacking team has consistent possession.<\/p>\n The defensive positioning looks great at the start of the clip, but quickly falls apart. Darnell Nurse<\/a> loses his man in front, Michael Kesselring<\/a> gets pulled out of position (more on that in a second), and the forwards crash too low in the zone, leaving the points open.<\/p>\n Via InStat<\/p>\n Kesselring\u2019s route through the zone hints at what the Sharks are trying to do: play a man-on-man system. That can work, but given how they\u2019ve struggled to exit their zone and enter the offensive zone, it is bound for mistakes. The problem is, when teams get extended offensive zone time on the Sharks, they quickly move the puck around, constantly crossing up defenders with awkward handoffs. Then everyone watches the puck and collapses, leaving more time and space for the opposing team.<\/p>\n The players are smart, but they seem to overthink it. With a young forward core, a simplified system with a clear structure could help the Sharks generate rush chances and win puck possession. Man-to-man can provide that, but not when it is this easily exploited.<\/p>\n So while the coaches can be criticized for their defense system being exposed, the players are at fault for their lack of buy-in. This system can work, but if the players on the ice don\u2019t want to do it the way it needs to, that\u2019s a big problem.<\/p>\n Offensive system appears to be limiting high-octane talent<\/p>\n Before Saturday\u2019s game, the San Jose Sharks had given up the most high-danger chances against and ranked 29th in high-danger chances for.<\/p>\n Going into tonight, the #SJSharks<\/a> had given up 230 high-danger chances against, the most in the NHL. Their 140 high-danger chances for is 29th in the NHL.<\/p>\n \u2014 Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) October 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n While defense comes first, a team with Macklin Celebrini<\/a>, Will Smith<\/a>, Michael Misa<\/a>, Ivar Stenberg<\/a>, Igor Chernyshov<\/a>, and more shouldn\u2019t have a problem generating offense. <\/p>\n I take what the Sharks staff has preached to many of the young players: you\u2019ve got to learn defense first before playing offense. Yes, that\u2019s true, but limiting players to that and not letting them build confidence in what got them to the NHL won\u2019t work either.<\/p>\n Sam Dickinson<\/a> has finally started to look like an impactful NHL defenseman over the past few weeks, but what got him drafted 11th overall? His offense. Yes, the Sharks need defensemen to defend first, but the former offensive leader of his junior team has seen next to no power-play time in his NHL career. He\u2019s focused on defense and defense only.<\/p>\n Celebrini is a rare breed, so take him out of this equation, but even now, he appears so worried about doing everything on the ice that his offense has suffered. Still, on Saturday, with the team needing offense, Ty Dellandrea played more 5v5 minutes than Celebrini.<\/p>\n The team looks afraid to get pulled out of position on a backcheck because of a potential offensive misplay. The Carolina Hurricanes<\/a>, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, play a system that requires pucks on net. They create chaos around the crease, and defend hard with swarms and rush chances in return. <\/p>\n Let the young players play<\/p>\n The San Jose Sharks can\u2019t replicate that style exactly, but they need to take the keys. Simplify the offense, let more skill come out, and let the young players learn through their own mistakes. Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, and Beckett Sennecke are three examples of raw talent allowed to play their game offensively and work on defense as they got older. Hutson was and still is allowed to make SOME mistakes defensively, but he\u2019s a generational offensive talent. <\/p>\n