CPF Hockey

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Sharks Acquire Andre Gasseau from Bruins

The Sharks made another trade following the one involving Michael Kesselring, acquiring the rights to unsigned forward Andre Gasseau and the 120th overall pick in this year's draft from the Boston Bruins in exchange for picks 104 and 157 in this year's draft.

A former seventh-round selection of the Bruins in 2021, Gasseau is a Southern California native and a former teammate of Will Smith at Boston College. He recently completed his senior season at Boston College, serving as Team Captain and recording six goals, 17 assists, and 23 points in 23 games. These stats were good for fourth among Boston College skaters in scoring this past season. In total, Gasseau has compiled 43 goals, 68 assists, and 111 points in 135 NCAA games to complete his collegiate career. Both Gasseau and Smith were members of the Boston College team that advanced to the NCAA national championship game during the 2023-24 season. He has until August 15 to sign with the Sharks before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, which should not be an issue for Team Teal. Overall, this is a relatively minor deal as of now but could become an underrated pickup down the road if all goes to plan.

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Curtis Pashelka via X

You can further support my blog by checking out my merch here: CPF Store

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Sharks Acquire Michael Kesselring from Sabres

The Sharks have made their first trade of the 2026 offseason, acquiring veteran defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in this year's draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 20th overall pick in this year's draft.

The big fish in this deal is Kesselring, who is a 26-year-old, big-body, right-shot blueliner with a decent two-way ability. Last season with the Sabres, Kesselring recorded two assists in 34 games and appeared in one Stanley Cup Playoff game. Despite his 2025-26 season being hampered by injuries, Michael Kesselring ranked third among Buffalo skaters in blocked shots per 60 (5.00). In total, Kesselring has 12 goals, 43 assists, and 55 points in 190 career games with the Arizona Coyotes, Utah Mammoth, and Buffalo Sabres. His best season to date was his second full NHL season with Utah, in which he scored seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in all 82 games. Kesselring has some familiarity with Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky, as Warsofsky coached Kesselring on Team USA during last year's IIHF World Championships and led them to a gold medal in that tournament.

Overall, this first trade of the offseason for the Sharks is a big step in the right direction in helping revamp their defense. Kesselring fits the bill in the type of defenseman the Sharks are looking to add this offseason, and I believe he can bounce back and potentially thrive on a new, up-and-coming team and system like the Sharks. I had a feeling that after seeing the initial notification about this trade that the later of the Sharks' two first-round picks would be involved, and trading back a bit in the first round of this year's draft should not be a big deal for the Sharks in this scenario. I also wonder how this trade impacts the other moves the Sharks might make this offseason, and I am looking forward to hearing how else San Jose improves its roster before next season.

Source: Sjsharks.com

You can further support my blog by checking out my merch here: CPF Store

Monday, June 15, 2026

Carolina Hurricanes Win 2026 Stanley Cup

The Carolina Hurricanes have overcome the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two to capture their second Stanley Cup in franchise history and first Stanley Cup in twenty years. This was an all-time great Stanley Cup Final for several reasons. Before diving further into my takes and analysis, here is a brief recap of each game to explain how we got here:

Game 1: Golden Knights defeat the Hurricanes 5-4. Carolina began the Cup Final with two quick goals from Nikolaj Ehlers. Vegas responded with three unanswered goals from Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev, and William Karlsson to gain their first lead of the night early in the second period. Jordan Staal tied the game for the Hurricanes before the end of the middle frame, while Vegas and Carolina traded goals in the third period. The final frame began with Brett Howden scoring to break the tie for the Knights early in the third, followed by Shayne Gostisbehere evening the contest at four later in the period and Tomas Hertl scoring the game-winner with a few minutes remaining. Carter Hart recorded 25 saves on 29 shots against for Vegas, while Frederik Andersen recorded 18 saves on 23 shots against for Carolina.

Game 2: Hurricanes defeat the Golden Knights 4-3 in overtime. Brett Howden scored both goals in the first two periods. However, the Hurricanes stormed back in the second half of the third period on three consecutive goals from Logan Stankoven, Mark Jankowski, and Jordan Staal to gain their first lead of the night. The last of these three was generated largely in part due to a Carolina power play resulting from a failed challenge by the Golden Knights. With about one and a half minutes remaining in regulation, Mark Stone scored tie the game at three and force overtime, while Seth Jarvis scored almost four minutes into the bonus period to win Game 2 for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen recorded 23 saves on 26 shots against for the Hurricanes, while Carter Hart recorded 22 saves on 26 shots against for the Golden Knights.

Game 3: Golden Knights defeat the Hurricanes 5-4 in double overtime. Vegas had two goals early in the second period disallowed due to offside and goalie interference, but rebounded big time with four goals later in the second period courtesy of a goal from Tomas Hertl and a hat trick from Mitch Marner. When it seemed as if the second period made this contest out of reach for Carolina, the Hurricanes roared back early in the third period with three goals in 39 seconds from Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall, and Jordan Staal. With under two minutes to go in regulation, Andrei Svechnikov scored to tie the game at four and force overtime for a second straight game. However, Vegas got the last laugh in the second OT period and earned the decision on a shot by Shea Theodore that went off the backboard, off of the back of Brandon Bussi, and into the net. Carter Hart recorded 29 saves on 33 shots against for the Golden Knights, Frederik Andersen made 12 saves on 16 shots against for the Hurricanes, and Brandon Bussi compiled 18 saves on 19 shots against in relief for Andersen.

Game 4: Hurricanes defeat the Golden Knights 5-3. Logan Stankoven opened the scoring for the Canes just over a minute into this contest, while Jackson Blake extended Carolina's lead to two a few minutes after. Mark Stone scored to get the Knights on the board and within one a bit later, followed by Jordan Staal's first goal of the game to make it 3-1 Canes through one period of play. Vegas came back in the second period with two goals in the second period from William Karlsson and Brett Howden, only for Carolina to add two more from Jordan Staal and Nikolaj Ehlers to put this one away for good. Brandon Bussi earned his first win in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 18 saves on 21 shots against, while Carter Hart compiled 23 saves on 27 shots against on the losing end for the Golden Knights.

Game 5: Hurricanes defeat the Golden Knights 4-2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored the Golden Knights’ only two goals in Game 5, while the Hurricanes scored four consecutive goals via Jordan Staal late in the first period, Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho in the second period, and Svechnikov again in the third period. Brandon Bussi earned his second straight Stanley Cup Playoff victory with 23 saves on 25 shots against, while Carter Hart recorded 20 saves on 24 shots against on the losing end for the Golden Knights.

Game 6: Hurricanes shut out the Golden Knights 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup. Carolina finished the job on goals from Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake, and Nikolaj Ehlers, along with 22 saves from Brandon Bussi.

Jordan Staal was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. He earned this honor primarily due to elevating his game during the Final and scoring goals in every game on the biggest stage except for the Cup-clinching game. During this latest playoff run, the Hurricanes have been dominant, going 16-3 on their way to their second Stanley Cup. This latest Cup run was a complete team effort from Carolina, as their depth scoring and goaltending stepped up when they needed to most compared to previous seasons and playoff runs. Besides the top star players in Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis, the Hurricanes' biggest contributors on offense included Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall, and Nikolaj Ehlers. In addition, Frederik Andersen was absolutely outstanding in net for the Hurricanes until he got shelled in Game 3 of the Cup Final against Vegas. After that game, Coach Rod Brind'Amour turned to Brandon Bussi in net, and Bussi came up huge for the Canes in the remainder of this Cup Final. In addition, this Cup Final featured plenty of scoring in bunches and crazy comebacks, which certainly added to its excitement factor.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this year’s Stanley Cup Final. In my eyes, among all NHL teams, the Hurricanes are an easier team to root for. On the other hand, the Golden Knights are one of my absolute least favorite teams in all of sports, so it was genuinely wonderful to see them on the losing end here. Lastly, now that the NHL is fully in offseason mode, I am looking forward to the Sharks’ upcoming roster improvements before next season, the NHL Draft in just over a week, and Team Teal eventually reaching the promise land like where the Hurricanes are at right now.

Sources: ESPN/ABC, NHL App

Discover your next favorite outfit at the CPF Store! With our wide selection of stylish and comfortable clothing, you can express your unique style while feeling amazing. Shop now and elevate your wardrobe with the latest trends and timeless classics. Don't miss out - embrace fashion that speaks to you at the CPF Store by clicking the link here: CPF Store

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Sharks Sign Phillip Sinn + Re-Sign Jimmy Huntington

The Sharks announced two recent signings over the past 48 hours: defenseman Phillip Sinn to a two-year, entry-level deal and forward Jimmy Huntington to a one-year, two-way contract.

Phillip Sinn is a new addition to the Sharks organization from the DEL in Germany. He spent most of last season with EHC Munchen, recording one goal, two assists, and three points in 35 games. Sinn also has four assists in seven games for ESV Kaufberen in the second-tier DEL and appeared in 11 playoff games for EHC Munchen. Internationally, Sinn represented Germany in this year's IIHF World Championship, appearing in five games. In addition, he participated in the World Junior tournaments in 2023 and 2024, scoring a combined two goals, five assists, and seven points in ten games for Team Germany. I did not know who Phillip Sinn was before he signed with the Sharks today, and I am not entirely sure where he fits in with them at this time, but he should be able to help fill Team Teal's biggest organizational need at defense going forward.

Announced yesterday prior to the addition of Sinn was the re-signing of forward Jimmy Huntington to a one-year, two-way contract. Last season, Huntington compiled 15 goals, 33 assists, and 48 points in 71 regular-season games, along with a goal and an assist in two Calder Cup Playoff games for the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. These stats set career highs for Huntington, and his 48 points are tied for second on the Barracuda last season. In addition, Huntington's 33 assists and 15 goals are good for third and sixth on the Barracuda respectively. Throughout the 2025-26 season, Huntington put together 11 multi-point performances, three three-point efforts, and two separate four-game point streaks. While this may not have much implication at the NHL level, Jimmy Huntington will be a key component in keeping the Barracuda competitive next season.

Source: Sharks + SAP Center App

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Sharks Sign Carson Wetsch to Entry-Level Contract

The Sharks announced today that they have signed forward and former 2024 third-round pick Carson Wetsch to a standard, entry-level contract that begins next season.

Not only do the Sharks see Wetsch as a valuable prospect to their organization, but they had to take care of business and sign him before the June 1 deadline. If Wetsch were to not sign with the Sharks before the start of next month, he would likely have to re-enter the draft in order to get another shot at potentially playing in the NHL.

Carson Wetsch had a career year for the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL in 2025-26, serving as Kelowna's team captain and recording 22 goals, 50 assists, and 72 points in 65 games. He also compiled two goals, two assists, and four points in eight playoff games this past season and will be competing in the Memorial Cup later this month.

Overall, while nothing major at this time, I am glad the Sharks were able to sign Carson Wetsch to his first pro contract. He will definitely be a significant and much-needed addition to the Barracuda in the AHL starting next season.

Sources: Sharks + SAP Center App, Curtis Pashelka via X

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Sharks Earn Second Overall Pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The Sharks became the second-luckiest team in this year’s NHL Draft Lottery, winning the second draw for the second overall pick and jumping seven spots from their originally projected ninth overall spot at the end of the regular season.

This will be the second consecutive year that the Sharks’ first pick in the NHL Draft comes in at second overall. The only other team that got luckier than the Sharks in the draft lottery this year was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who jumped four spots from the fifth-best odds to earn the first overall selection.

Before further discussing what this means for the Sharks, here are the full results from the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery:

1) Toronto Maple Leafs

2) San Jose Sharks

3) Vancouver Canucks

4) Chicago Blackhawks

5) New York Rangers

6) Calgary Flames

7) Seattle Kraken

8) Winnipeg Jets

9) Florida Panthers

10) Nashville Predators

11) St. Louis Blues

12) New Jersey Devils

13) New York Islanders

14) Columbus Blue Jackets

15) St. Louis Blues (from Detroit Red Wings)

16) Washington Capitals

Overall, while completely unexpected, getting the second overall pick in this year’s draft is massive and unreal for the Sharks, and I could not be more satisfied with how things all played out and aligned here. Assuming the Maple Leafs take Gavin McKenna first overall on June 26 in Buffalo, I anticipate the Sharks will select either Ivar Stenberg, the second-ranked draft prospect on many NHL draft boards this year, or one of the top defensemen in this year’s draft class, such as Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff. Regardless, whoever the Sharks select with the second overall pick this year could be the final building block to complete their rebuild and fully open up their playoff contention window, and I am very excited to find out who the chosen one in this position is.

In other news, earlier today the Sharks announced that they re-signed forward Patrick Giles to a two-year, two-way contract. Giles primarily spent the 2025-26 season with the Barracuda in the AHL, recording ten goals, 14 assists, and 24 points in 67 games, setting career-highs in points and assists in the AHL in his first full season with the Barracuda. He also appeared in two Calder Cup Playoff games for the Barracuda and three NHL games with the Sharks this past season, registering his first NHL assist on November 2 against the Red Wings.

Sources: ESPN, Sharks + SAP Center App

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Macklin Celebrini Named 2026 Ted Lindsay Award Finalist

The NHL and NHLPA announced their finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player as determined by the players, and Sharks superstar and face of the franchise Macklin Celebrini was named one of the finalists for this year alongside the Lightning's Nikita Kucherov and the Oilers' Connor McDavid.

Macklin Celebrini's out-of-this-world sophomore campaign needs little introduction, especially to Sharks fans and hockey fans everywhere. He finished his 2025-26 season with 45 goals, 70 assists, and 115 points. Most notably, Celebrini set the Sharks franchise record for most points scored in a season and became the third-highest scoring teenager in NHL history, only trailing Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky. He also factored in on nearly half of all Sharks goals this past season, and the Sharks would rarely win if Celebrini is held off of the scoresheet.

Overall, this is absolutely fantastic and the second of many NHL award finalist nominations for Celebrini. As much as I want Macklin to win the Ted Lindsay this year, I have a gut feeling that it will go to either McDavid or Kucherov. Regardless of who ends up winning the Ted Lindsay this year, this is a huge honor for Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks, and their greatness is only just beginning.

Source: Sharks + SAP Center App