The San Jose Sharks couldn’t have asked for a cleaner start to the 2026-27 season in the standings. They opened with back-to-back wins over the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings, and now they head out on the road at 2-0-0.
The record is perfect. The performance, not so much.
That’s what makes the first two games so interesting. The Sharks banked all four points, but the opening homestand also laid out a few issues that Ryan Warsofsky will need to sort through quickly if this start is going to hold up.
One of the biggest early storylines is Yaroslav Askarov. San Jose has given him every chance to take hold of the starting job, and Warsofsky’s choice to start him in both games was a pretty loud signal.
Last season, Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic were more of a 1A and 1B tandem, with Warsofsky riding whoever had the hot hand. This time, the path is clearer.
Askarov has had his moments. He came up with some important saves in both games, and his positioning looks better than it did a year ago.
That matters, and it shows up in the numbers too: his goals saved above expected is positive right now, which wasn’t the case last season. Still, the overall stat line has been only mediocre.
He’s been strong on high- and medium-danger chances, but he has room to be better on the easier looks.
That leaves the door open for Nedeljkovic, who should get a shot sometime this week against either the Dallas Stars or the St. Louis Blues. Askarov has been good enough to keep the net, but not so dominant that the job feels locked down.
Another early concern centers on Macklin Celebrini, and it’s a strange one to raise after a player posts five points in his first two games. Still, the way he’s being used stands out. He looks like he’s trying to carry the load on his own, just as he was forced to do at times last season, and that may not be necessary right now.
Warsofsky didn’t single out Celebrini, but he did mention players taking "too long of shifts" in the game against the Kings, and Celebrini looked like part of that conversation. He’s the kind of player who can tilt a game, no doubt about it.
The problem is that this kind of workload can catch up with a player over time. Celebrini currently leads the Sharks in average time on ice, which isn’t an issue over two games.
Over 84, it could become one.
That kind of usage can bring fatigue and raise the risk of injury, and it also eats into opportunities for other forwards who need those minutes to grow into bigger roles. Michael Misa is one of the players who needs that development time.
Then there’s the faceoff problem, which is quietly creating real danger. The Sharks are giving away too many possessions, especially in their own zone, and that’s putting their defense and goaltending under immediate pressure. Through two games, they’ve won just 37% of their defensive-zone draws.
Zack Ostapchuk has been the most visible part of that issue. Against the Panthers, he went 0-for-7 overall and 0-for-4 in the defensive zone.
He was better against the Kings, going 4-11 overall, but he still won only one defensive-zone draw in five tries. He has been useful in other parts of his game, but this is a problem that needs to be fixed fast.
That could lead to Ty Dellandrea getting into the lineup against Dallas. The question is how Warsofsky would make room. Ostapchuk could come out entirely, or he could move to wing if veteran Barclay Goodrow is the odd man out.
Outside of Alexander Wennberg and Celebrini, the Sharks’ other forwards have also had issues in the circle, but Ostapchuk has been the most glaring example. For now, San Jose has four points and no losses, which is all that matters in the standings. But the way they’ve gotten there isn’t built to last, and Warsofsky has some real work ahead before the road trip begins.
In Other News...
Sharks Are Winning But One Early Concern Is Hard To Ignore
The Sharks kept their perfect start intact with a wild 5-4 overtime win over the Kings at SAP Center, and the energy around the building fit the way this one unfolded. San Jose had to answer plenty of pressure along the way, but it still found enough offense to keep pace in a game that swung back and forth before ending in extra time.
There was plenty to like for a club that is 2-0-0 out of the gate, though one early concern is already hard to dismiss. Even with the scoring coming through in big moments, the Sharks needed a heavy workload in net and were forced to lean on Yaroslav Askarov for 31 saves to get over the line, a reminder that the teams winning start has not been built on easy nights. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Face An Early Test With One Key Lineup Question Looming
The Sharks are back at SAP Center for the second game of their opening homestand, and there is already a little bit of early-season uncertainty to sort through. After opening with an overtime win against the Florida Panthers, San Jose has some positive momentum, but the first night also exposed a few things that need tightening up, including discipline, faceoffs and overall consistency against a tougher standard.
Now comes the Los Angeles Kings, along with the kind of lineup watch that can shape a game plan right up to puck drop. Projected lineups for both clubs include several players listed as game-time decisions, and one of the more notable questions is on the Kings side, where Jacob Trouba is dealing with an illness. If he is unable to go, it would keep the lineup picture in flux as the Sharks try to handle another division test at home. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Sent A Clear Signal About Patrick Giles Roster Spot
The Sharks have made a clear roster move with Patrick Giles, waiving the winger as they continue sorting out the edges of the lineup. Giles, 26, arrived with some NHL experience after starting his pro career in the Florida Panthers organization and spending time with the Charlotte Checkers before landing in San Jose and earning a two-year extension.
His latest stint with the Sharks had been complicated by an upper-body injury, and now his future path runs through waivers before he can head back to the AHL. For a player who has had to carve out every step of his career as an undrafted signing, it is another reminder that roster security in San Jose can change quickly once the numbers start to tighten. [Read more 🡒]