Saturday, June 28, 2025

Sharks 2025 NHL Draft Rounds 2-7 Recap

 The later rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft are officially in the books, and the Sharks have made their last seven picks on day 2. As in previous years with my Sharks NHL Draft Rounds 2-7 recaps, I do not plan to go in depth on each Sharks later-round selection due to my general unfamiliarity with them and their lower probability of eventually making the NHL. Here is each selection made on day 2 by the Sharks: 

Round 2, Pick 33: Simon (Haoxi) Wang, Defenseman, Oshawa Generals (OHL) 

Round 2, Pick 53: Cole McKinney, Center, USNTDP 

Round 3, Pick 95: Teddy Mutryn, Center, Chicago Steel (USHL) 

Round 4, Pick 115: Ilyas Magomedsultanov, Defenseman, Yaroslavl Jr. (Russia) 

Round 4, Pick 124: Zachary Sharp, Defenseman, Western Michigan (NCAA) 

Round 5, Pick 150: Max Heise, Center, Penicton Vees (BCHL) 

Round 7, Pick 210: Richard Gallant, Left Wing, USNTDP

It is worth noting that the Sharks' first selection of day 2, Simon Wang, is the highest drafted Chinese-born player in NHL history with the 33rd overall pick. San Jose's second pick of the second round of this year's draft, Cole McKinney, is an underrated, potential sleeper selection at no. 53 overall, as he is a big, physical forward that was once a top scorer for the USNTDP. As for the Sharks’ selections in rounds 3-7, I have no strong feelings about any of them, but I hope they all become successful in their professional hockey careers and can have positive impacts in the NHL someday. 

Overall, 2025 has produced another solid draft class for the San Jose Sharks, headlined by the best forward and arguably the best goalie in the entire class. Next up, the Sharks are expected to be busy over the next few days with free agency set to open on Tuesday, July 1, so watch this space to find out everything Team Teal has in store for the remainder of the offseason. 

Sources: NHL Network, Multiple Sources via X 

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Friday, June 27, 2025

Sharks 2025 NHL Draft Round 1 Recap

 Round 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft is complete, and it was another significant draft for the Sharks, as they had two first round selections at nos. 2 and 30 overall. Let’s begin: 

With their first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Sharks selected center Michael Misa from the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL at no. 2 overall, who is seen as the consensus best forward in this year’s draft class. According to scouts, Misa projects as a star no. 1 center to build a winning team around. His incredible speed, skill, and vision will translate to significant scoring numbers in the NHL. This past season with the Saginaw Spirit, Michael Misa recorded 62 goals, 72 assists, and 134 points in 65 games played, which are some absolutely unbelievable numbers. This is a slam-dunk selection for the Sharks at no. 2. Not only am I hyped about Misa becoming a Shark, but the Sharks forward core will certainly be stacked and a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. 

The Sharks used their second pick of the draft at no. 30 overall to select goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen from the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. Scouts say that Ravensbergen is a dynamic goalie who can use all of his tools effectively. He is also the highest goalie selection in Sharks franchise history, recording a 3.00 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 51 games this past season and finishing as a finalist for WHL Goaltender of the Year. I was kind of surprised that the Sharks went with a goalie instead of a defenseman near the end of the first round, but Josh Ravensbergen sounds like a great, promising goalie with high potential. I am okay with this pick and trust Mike Grier and the Sharks front office on this one. 

In other news, The Sharks are not expected to give pending RFA Noah Gregor a qualifying offer, which will make him a UFA and should come as no surprise whatsoever. The NHL and NHLPA have come to an agreement on a four-year collective bargaining extension, which makes some notable changes to the league beginning in the 2026-27 season. These include a shortened preseason to four games, a regular season extended by two games to 84 games, a term limit to seven years on player contract extensions, a comprehensive playoff salary cap that effectively closes the LTIR loophole, full-time emergency backup goalie positions, and no more team-mandated dress codes, all of which I am cool with. 

The 2025 NHL Draft resumes tomorrow morning at 9 am PT with rounds 2-7, starting with the Sharks selecting first on day 2 with the 33rd overall pick. Stay tuned for a recap of the later rounds of this year's draft from the Sharks' perspective on CPF Hockey tomorrow afternoon. 

Sources: ESPN, NHL Discussion via Instagram, San Jose Hockey Now, Multiple Sources via X 

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Thursday, June 26, 2025

Sharks to Buy Out Marc-Edouard Vlasic

 The Sharks have opted to buy out the final year of longtime defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s contract. 

The 38-year old defenseman has played 19 seasons in teal up to this point, making him the longest-tenured Shark until today, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He may certainly be past his prime now, but Vlasic was a great, underrated shutdown defenseman at his peak. This past season, now officially his last with the only NHL franchise he has ever known, Vlasic had one goal and two assists for three points in 27 games, and was a healthy scratch at times throughout the season. He most notably became the NHL's all-time leader in blocked shots last season with 2,184 total. Over the course of his 19 seasons in teal, Marc-Edouard Vlasic has amassed 84 goals, 295 assists, and 379 points in 1,323 games played, along with six goals, 33 assists, and 39 points in 142 Stanley Cup Playoff games. His 1,323 games played are first among defensemen in Sharks franchise history and rank only second behind Patrick Marleau, while his career goal, assist, and point totals among defensemen rank second behind Brent Burns in Sharks history. 













In other Sharks news, San Jose is expected to not issue pending restricted free agent forward Klim Kostin a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. As a result, Kostin is expected to return to his home country of Russia and sign with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. I am not all that shocked by this, as Kostin did not have much of a significant role with the Sharks during his season and a half with them, and I did not see that changing with him going forward. 

I initially thought that Marc-Edouard Vlasic would play the final year of his contract at a cap hit of $7 million to help the Sharks reach the salary cap floor and mentor the younger players. However, I find this somewhat shocking move to be a necessary one. The Sharks' main intention with this contract buyout was to clear a roster spot to make much-needed improvements ahead of next season, and it is a step in the right direction. I am kind of sad that Pickles' time with the Sharks has come to an end, since he was one of the last remaining players from when the Sharks were a perennial playoff contender several years ago, but the Sharks' main objective of progressing their rebuild and escaping the basement of the NHL next season remains more important. Despite Vlasic being a shell of his former self for the past few seasons, he should be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Sharks sweater and an integral piece in the Sharks' lengthy playoff contending window from the late 2000s through the 2010s. I will cherish his tenure with the Sharks for as long as possible and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors. 





Sources: NHL App, ESPN, Curtis Pashelka via X 

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Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Sharks Legend Joe Thornton Named to Hockey Hall of Fame

 Sharks legend Joe Thornton can now add one more accolade to his multi-accomplished hockey career: the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

Jumbo Joe Thornton has been announced as one of the inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Also named to the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025 are former players Zdeno Chara, Alexander Mogilny, and Duncan Keith, former female players Brianna Decker and Jennifer Botterill, and former executives Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau. 

Joe Thornton needs little introduction on why he belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Over the course of his 24-year NHL career, Jumbo has accumulated 430 goals, 1,109 assists, and 1,539 points in 1,714 regular-season games. He ranks 14th all-time in points, seventh all-time in assists, and sixth all-time in regular-season games played, and is one of only 16 players in NHL history to ever surpass the 1,500-point milestone. Thornton was traded from the Bruins to the Sharks during the 2005-06 season in arguably the biggest and most important trade in Sharks franchise history. He then spent 15 seasons with the Sharks from 2005 to 2020 as not only one of the premier playmakers of his generation, but one of the biggest components of the Sharks' playoff-contending window from the late 2000s through the end of the 2010s. In addition, his infectious positive attitude and aura cemented Joe Thornton's status as an all-time favorite player among Sharks fans everywhere. One report I recently read online stated that the Sharks front office is looking into transitioning Jumbo into a more solidified player development role besides being just the director of vibes, which would be huge for this franchise. 

Overall, this is one of the most significant honors a player can receive in his or her respective sport, and it is a well-deserved one for Joe Thornton. I and all other Sharks fans are very proud and could not be happier that Joe Thornton will officially be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

Sources: NHL Discussion via Instagram, NBC Sports Bay Area/California 

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Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Florida Panthers Win Back-to-Back Stanley Cups

 The Florida Panthers are your back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions, overcoming the Edmonton Oilers for the second consecutive year, this time in one less game compared to last year. The Panthers accomplished their second Stanley Cup in six games compared to seven games last year. This year's Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP was awarded to the Panthers' Sam Bennett, who led all playoff skaters with 15 goals this year. 

This was an absolutely epic Stanley Cup Final rematch. Before diving further into my thoughts on this series, here are brief recaps on each game and how it all unfolded: 

Game 1: Oilers defeat the Panthers 4-3 in overtime. Leon Draisaitl scored the first goal of the Cup Final about a minute into the first period, followed by three consecutive goals by the Panthers, two from Sam Bennett and one from Brad Marchand. The Oilers added a goal from Viktor Arvidsson in the second period and a goal from Mattias Ekholm in the third period to force OT, where Leon Draisaitl would score his second goal of the game to win it for Edmonton. Kasperi Kapanen and Connor McDavid each recorded two assists for the Oilers, while Carter Verhaeghe and Nate Schmidt each recorded two assists for the Panthers. Stuart Skinner registered 29 saves on 32 shots against for the Oilers, while Sergei Bobrovsky registered 42 saves on 46 shots against for the Panthers. 

Game 2: Panthers defeat the Oilers 5-4 in double overtime. Sam Bennett opened the scoring for the Panthers about two minutes into the first period with his third goal of the series, while the Oilers followed that up with two goals from Evander Kane and Evan Bouchard early in the first period to take their first lead of the evening. The eventful opening period continued with Seth Jones scoring on a wide-open net to tie the game at two for Florida and Leon Draisaitl scoring a sweet power play goal to retake the lead. The Cats scored twice in the second period via Dmitry Kulikov and Brad Marchand to regain momentum, while Corey Perry tied the game at four with 18 seconds left in regulation to force extras. The Panthers get the job done in double overtime on Brad Marchand's second goal of the game to even the series at one a piece. In addition, Connor McDavid tallied three assists to bring his total to five assists on the series. Sergei Bobrovsky recorded 42 assists on 46 shots against for the Panthers, while Stuart Skinner recorded 37 assists on 42 shots against for the Oilers. 

Game 3: Panthers dominate the Oilers 6-1. Florida tallied two goals in each period: Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe in the first, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett in the second, and Aaron Ekblad and Evan Rodrigues in the third. Corey Perry scored the lone goal for the Oilers early in the second period. Besides the Panthers onslaught, Game 3 featured plenty of scuffles between these two teams, including a line brawl in the third period. Sergei Bobrovsky was excellent in net for the Panthers once again, recording 32 saves on 33 shots against. 

Game 4: Oilers defeat the Panthers 5-4 in overtime. Florida scored the first three goals of this contest in the first period via Matthew Tkachuk twice and Anton Lundell. The Oilers would flip this game in the second period and score three goals via Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Vasiliy Podkolzin to tie it at three. A marvelous slapshot goal by Jake Walman gave the Oilers the lead late in the third period, while Sam Reinhart scored to tie it at four for the Panthers with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. Edmonton would officially complete its comeback in overtime on Leon Draisaitl's fourth overtime goal of this year's playoffs to win and even the Cup Final at two games a piece. Stuart Skinner made 14 saves on 17 shots against before getting pulled after the first period in favor of Calvin Pickard, who made 22 saves on 23 shots against for the rest of the contest in route to an Oilers comeback victory. On the other hand, Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves on 35 shots against on the losing end for the Panthers. 

Game 5: Panthers defeat the Oilers 5-2. Florida scored the first two goals in the opening period via Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett. The scoring resumed in the third period with Brad Marchand's second goal of the game, a goal from Sam Reinhart, and an empty-netter from Eetu Luostarinen, while the Oilers' only goals came from Connor McDavid and Corey Perry. Sergei Bobrovsky recorded 19 saves on 21 shots against for the Panthers, while Calvin Pickard recorded 14 saves on 18 shots against for the Oilers. 

Game 6: Panthers defeat the Oilers 5-1 win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The biggest factor in how the Cats clinched their second consecutive Cup was a four-goal performance by Sam Reinhart, in which he scored one goal in each of the first two periods along with two empty-net goals late in the third period. Matthew Tkachuk scored the second goal of the game late in the first period in what would end up as the Cup-clinching goal. Vasily Podkolzin scored the Oilers' lone goal late in the third period to help Edmonton avoid getting shut out. Sergei Bobrovsky recorded 28 saves on 29 shots against for the Panthers, while Stuart Skinner recorded 20 saves on 23 shots against for the Oilers. 

Although I am generally not a fan of repeat champions in sports, I am completely satisfied with the end result of this year's Stanley Cup Final. My Cup Final series prediction, gut, and heart were spot on with how this year's Cup Final went down. The Panthers have been a practically unstoppable force throughout this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they have fully earned the right to defend their Stanley Cup. Florida's recipe for success in going all the way this year has been in large part due to their high-powered offense, depth, physicality, and consistently solid goaltending. Sam Reinhart's four-goal performance in the Panthers' Cup-clinching Game 6 was simply unbelievable. I am happy for former Sharks Jonah Gadjovich, Nico Sturm, Vitek Vanecek, and Jaycob Megna who have become Stanley Cup Champions this year, with this being the second time for the former two and the first time for the latter two. It was also great seeing a few veteran defensemen in Nate Schmidt and Seth Jones along with a few other players lift the Stanley Cup for the first time. If the Panthers can re-sign most or all of their key free agents this offseason, they have the potential to form a modern-day dynasty in the coming years. 

Now that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, the NHL has entered into full offseason mode, with most notably the entry draft later this month and the start of free agency next month on the horizon. I plan to cover every significant Sharks headline and transaction this offseason as soon as I can once they occur, so stay tuned for those in the coming weeks. 

Sources: TNT Sports, NHL App 

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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

SJ Sharkie Inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame

 San Jose Sharks mascot SJ Sharkie has been named to the Mascot Hall of Fame on National Mascot Day as part of its class of 2025. This year's induction class into the Mascot Hall of Fame also includes Toro of the Houston Texans, Fredbird of the St. Louis Cardinals, Blitz of the Seattle Seahawks, and Sebastian the Ibis of the University of Miami Hurricanes, all of which were voted in by the fans. 

SJ Sharkie becomes the third NHL mascot to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame, joining Youppi! of the Montreal Canadiens and Tommy Hawk of the Chicago Blackhawks. He will be honored in a ceremony in San Jose at a later date to be determined. 







This is a huge and well-deserved honor for SJ Sharkie, who I and many other Sharks fans see as the greatest mascot in sports. I am fortunate to have met and taken photos with Sharkie twice at two Sharks games I have previously attended, specifically my second-ever game at SAP Center against the Kraken during the 2022-23 season and my most recent Sharks game against the Oilers in their 2024-25 regular season finale in April. Not only does he look awesome and have an amazing personality, but he has done so many great things for the Sharks, Sharks fans, and the local communities in the Bay Area. Overall, I am absolutely thrilled that SJ Sharkie is now in the Mascot Hall of Fame and felt that this highest honor awarded to any mascot was long overdue for Sharkie. 












Source: Sharks + SAP Center App 

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Thursday, June 12, 2025

Macklin Celebrini Named to 2024-25 NHL All-Rookie Team

 Sharks superstar and new face of the franchise Macklin Celebrini has been unanimously named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team for the 2024-25 season. This announcement comes days after Celebrini finished third in Calder Trophy voting behind Flames goalie Dustin Wolf and Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. 

Celebrini becomes the seventh Sharks player to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and the first since Logan Couture in 2010-11. Also named to the 2024-25 NHL All-Rookie Team were forwards Cutter Gauthier of the Ducks and Matvei Michkov of the Flyers, defensemen Lane Hutson of the Canadiens and Denton Mateychuk of the Blue Jackets, and goalie Dustin Wolf of the Flames. 

On a side note, Sharks rookie forward Will Smith was close to being named to this year’s NHL All-Rookie Team but did not receive enough votes. Smitty also received some recognition in the Calder Trophy voting, finishing sixth in those standings. 

Back to Celebrini, he needs little introduction, as he completed his rookie campaign as one of the top rookie scorers in the NHL this past season. He has also brought a lot more joy, excitement, and direction to this Sharks team compared to the past few seasons before his arrival. Although I would have preferred that he did better in the final Calder Trophy standings than third place, and I totally understand why, being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team was a no-brainer for Macklin Celebrini this year. Hope these final results from his rookie campaign fuel Celebrini to have an even better sophomore season, and I am glad that Will Smith is getting some recognition from the hockey writers and media for his solid rookie campaign as well. 

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

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Sharks Trade Thomas Bordeleau to Devils for Shane Bowers

 The Sharks made a relatively minor but somewhat significant trade today, as they traded forward Thomas Bordeleau to the New Jersey Devils i...