Downtown San Jose is leaning all the way into Sharks season, and this time the buzz feels real.
The “Turn It All Teal” campaign has blanketed the city over the summer, and the push has landed. Signs are up everywhere downtown, San Pedro Square has Sharks-themed crosswalks and vehicle barriers, and local bars are lining up their game-night specials for the opener. Around town, the chatter is not just about the team’s return - it’s about Macklin Celebrini, the first phase of SAP Center’s $425 million “Teal Reimagination,” and the arrival of a new goal song after last year’s “Power Bite” was shown the door.
The home opener against the Florida Panthers on Thursday will come with a full pregame street festival outside SAP Center. Things begin at 3 p.m. with players greeting fans on the Teal Carpet. The lineup also includes a lowrider showcase, a spray-paint activity from Local Color, a bucking mechanical shark, kids activities and food trucks.
There’s a bigger civic backdrop to all of it, too. After Super Bowl LX, March Madness and the FIFA World Cup, a strong Sharks season would give downtown San Jose another boost at exactly the right time.
San Jose President Jonathan Becher made the city’s hockey pitch plain back in June, pointing to the rare setup that includes the NHL’s Sharks, the American Hockey League’s Barracuda and the new, still unnamed Professional Women’s Hockey League team that starts play in December.
“San Jose is the only city in the United States that has teams from all three of those leagues,” Becher said. “So if you’re that town in Michigan, we’re coming for you. We’re now Hockey City, USA.”
Santa Clara is keeping its own celebration train rolling as well. Mayor Lisa Gillmor is set to deliver the State of the City address Sept. 30 at the Mission City Performing Arts Center at Wilcox High School, with the event beginning at 5 p.m. and featuring a welcome reception, council district awards, a citywide award and performances by Elite Dance Team of Santa Clara and Sociedade Filamonica Uniao Portugeusa de Santa Clara.
This weekend, though, belongs to the annual Parade of Champions. The grand marshals this year are Bay FC co-owner Leslie Osborne, former San Jose Earthquakes star Shea Salinas and Kevin Zacher, CEO of the Santa Clara Swim Club, which is marking its 75th anniversary.
A “Meet the Grand Marshals” breakfast is scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday at the American Legion Post 419 at 958 Homestead Road.
The parade day begins with an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. on the main stage at Monroe and Franklin streets, followed by the parade at 11 a.m. The festival runs around Franklin Square until 5 p.m. More information is available at www.scparadeofchampions.org.
Also on the calendar: the San Jose Public Library Foundation’s third annual Signature Author Event on Oct. 8, which will bring bestselling author Robert Dugoni to the Montgomery Theater in downtown San Jose. The 7 p.m. fundraiser will center on his novel, “The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell,” with San Jose City Librarian Jill Bourne moderating the conversation.
Dugoni grew up in the Bay Area, attended Stanford University and practiced law in San Francisco before becoming a full-time writer. He has published 30 books that have sold more than 12 million copies. Tickets are available at sjplf.org/authorevent26.
In Other News...
Avalanche Opener Already Comes With A Lineup Problem
Adam Gaudette is edging closer to giving the Sharks a little more forward depth as they continue sorting through their early-season roster picture. The San Jose winger has been progressing in his recovery, a welcome sign for a team that could use every healthy body it can get as the schedule starts to tighten.
He has been working his way back from an upper-body injury suffered two weeks ago, and the next step should offer a clearer read on how soon he can be available again. For a club trying to keep pace in the opening stretch, getting a useful depth piece back without much delay would be a small but meaningful boost. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Tied Their Blue Line Future To One Bold Bet
The Sharks made a notable swing on the back end, landing a blue-line prospect with real long-term intrigue in Keaton Verhoeff. Drafted ninth overall in 2026, Verhoeff already carries the kind of profile teams covet on defense: a big frame, a right-handed shot and a resume that includes a season at the University of North Dakota, along with a turn for Canada at the World Junior Championships.
What makes the move especially interesting for San Jose is how clearly it signals a willingness to invest in upside on defense even if the development curve is still ahead. Verhoeffs size and physical style give him a sturdy foundation, but like most young defensemen, the next step will be refining the details that decide whether his game translates from promising college talent to dependable pro presence. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Set Up A Big Development Test For Mattias Havelid
Mattias Havelids next step is back where the Sharks can keep a closer eye on his progress. San Jose has reassigned the 22-year-old defenseman to the Barracuda after his recovery from an upper-body injury kept him out of the early stages of camp and delayed his chance to get on the ice with the organization in a meaningful way.
The AHL assignment gives Havelid a chance to make up ground quickly, and special teams figures to be the clearest test. The Barracuda have a vacancy on their top power-play unit, and Havelid is in position to fight for it as he continues to build toward a bigger role in the Sharks pipeline. [Read more 🡒]