The Zach Werenski-to-San Jose Sharks chatter may not be going anywhere fast.
Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that he doesn’t believe Werenski is eager to land in San Jose right now. As Friedman put it: “Wherever Werenski’s going to go now is most likely somewhere he thinks he can win,” Friedman opined on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “I just don’t think you can win [a Stanley Cup] there now.
That’s the reality hanging over the conversation. The Sharks have plenty to sell, with 20-year-old superstar Macklin Celebrini front and center in a franchise that’s clearly trending upward. But they’ve also missed the playoffs for seven-straight seasons and running, and that’s the part Werenski would have to weigh.
It also matters that the reigning Norris Trophy winner is under a No-Movement Clause this upcoming season. If Werenski has a destination in mind, he gets a real say in where this goes, at least not in 2026-27.
Friedman spent a good chunk of his discussion pointing toward the Dallas Stars as a more natural fit for Werenski.
He also raised a bigger long-view point about Werenski’s deal, which runs through the end of the 2027-28 campaign. “Maybe he might not be looking at you now,” Friedman said, “but how’s he going to feel in two years?”
That’s where the Sharks’ pitch would have to live: not just where they are now, but where they might be when Werenski’s contract is still on the books. If everything breaks right, San Jose should be in the Cup conversation by then.
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Sharks Just Made A Telling Decision About Their Blue Line
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Even with Kesselring now signed, the roster math on defense still looks very much in flux. San Jose has only a small group of blueliners with notable NHL experience committed for next season, and the rest of the picture still includes an unsigned Shakir Mukhamadullin and several other pending decisions, which leaves this as less of a finished blueprint than a meaningful step toward one. [Read more 🡒]