SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The San Jose Sharks came out of Wednesday with something they could actually point to, even if the result still left plenty to fix.
After getting routed 7-2 by the Los Angeles Kings, a 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild counted as progress. That says plenty about where things stand right now for San Jose, which has dropped six of seven and now heads into a tough back-to-back against the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
Macklin Celebrini scored the Sharks’ only goal against Minnesota, and afterward the conversation in the room centered on small signs of life rather than the bigger picture. Celebrini said the team handled the puck better, spent more time in the offensive zone and wasn’t stuck defending shift after shift.
“For the most part, we took care of the puck really well. I thought we got a lot of offensive zone time.
We were good on breakouts. We weren’t just hemmed in and them playing all over us all the time.
I thought we got sustained O-zone pressure”
He also said the Sharks were sharper in response to their players-only meeting.
“We definitely played a lot better of a game. From our process to what we did on the ice, we made some mistakes, and they got a couple early that hurt us, but I thought we played better.”
Celebrini also had praise for Michael Misa, who was on his line and on the power play. He pointed to Misa’s pace and ability to think the game quickly.
“His skill and his speed are the biggest things. His speed is probably one of the best in the league, and when he uses his legs and his skill, just the way he thinks the game, I think it just gels well.”
Ryan Warsofsky echoed that positive read on Misa, saying he liked the way the young forward looked in both spots.
“I liked his game. He was good.
He was engaged. Thought he was good on that power play too.
Made nice play down low.”
Warsofsky also said Ty Dellandrea turned in what was probably his best game of the year. But he didn’t sugarcoat the issues elsewhere, especially with the fourth line.
He noted that the line has not found its rhythm lately.
“We know there’s good players there. We saw it last year; that was a really effective line for us. For whatever reason, it hasn’t clicked.”
Yaroslav Askarov, meanwhile, described the Quinn Hughes goal that made it 3-1 as one he never really got a clean look at.
“Just like the screen, Mis was on the line, flash screen, didn’t see anything. Got beat to the far side.”
Darnell Nurse tried to keep the focus on what the Sharks can control inside the room, not the noise around them.
“To get out of it, the people that are going to get out of it are in this room. No one outside is going to control our destiny, our fate, or go out there and play for us. All we can control is what we do for each other now.”
He added that the group isn’t letting the rough start define it.
“We know what we’re capable of and we’re not going to get discouraged by the first quarter of the year.”
Nurse also said the Sharks looked cleaner in the offensive zone and more connected coming out of their own end.
“I thought we were a little more direct in the offensive zone, getting pucks to net, breaking out the puck. We weren’t so much slapping [the puck] on the boards, we were making plays to each other, skating the puck out of our zone. Those are all signs of us coming together and playing together.”
In Other News...
Sharks Desperately Shake Up Lineup As Bigger Questions Start Looming
The Sharks are trying to jolt a lineup that has been searching for answers, and the latest tweak comes ahead of a matchup with the Minnesota Wild. Michael Misa has been shifted to left wing on the top line, a move that underscores how San Jose is still experimenting with its forward group as it looks for any combination that can generate more traction.
Filip Bystedt is sitting as a healthy scratch, while Yaroslav Askarov is set to start in goal again as the team tries to steady itself after recent losses. A players-only meeting followed the skid, and with Ryan Warsofsky still under contract and no plans for a coaching change, the pressure is increasingly about performance and urgency rather than a quick external fix. Alexander Wennberg remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, though he could be activated soon. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Skid Feels Even Worse After Another Flat Night In Minnesota
A rough stretch for the Sharks got a little harder to ignore in Minnesota, where San Jose dropped a 4-1 decision and left the ice with its losing streak stretched to four games. The night had the look of one that slipped away early, with the Wild cashing in on special teams and controlling enough of the game to keep the Sharks from ever settling in.
Minnesota also had plenty to celebrate beyond the final score, adding another milestone to a season that has gone smoothly. For San Jose, though, the bigger concern is the way the losses are piling up, and how little margin there seems to be right now when the opponent starts finding rhythm and the Sharks are still searching for theirs. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Emerge In Trade Talks That Could Get Very Expensive
The Sharks are still looking for ways to upgrade the back end, and one avenue has apparently led them into trade discussions with Detroit over restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson. San Jose has been exploring options for a puck-moving defenseman, but with limited salary cap space to work with, any meaningful roster change is going to require some creativity.
Michael Misa has been part of the conversation, yet the price tag appears to be climbing beyond a one-for-one framework. Detroit is believed to be pressing for a larger package, with other young San Jose pieces reportedly in the mix as the sides continue to feel out whether there is a deal worth making. [Read more 🡒]