The San Jose Sharks weren’t supposed to be here-not this soon. Coming off a season where they managed just 20 wins, the expectation was another year of rebuilding, development, and maybe a few flashes of promise.
Instead, they’ve flipped the script. With a 25-21-3 record, they’re sitting fifth in the Pacific Division and right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.
Not bad for a team that looked like it was still a few years away.
Meanwhile, things couldn’t be more different for the New York Rangers. After a rough 2024-25 campaign, the hope was for a bounce-back year.
Instead, the slide has only continued. At 21-25-6, the Blueshirts find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
It’s been a frustrating season in Manhattan, and the front office isn’t sugarcoating it. GM Chris Drury has already addressed fans directly, confirming that the team is entering a retooling phase.
That shift has naturally sparked trade chatter, and one name that keeps surfacing is Alexis Lafrenière. The former first-overall pick hasn’t quite lived up to the billing of a franchise-altering talent, but he’s shown enough flashes to keep the intrigue alive. Could San Jose be the team to unlock his next gear?
It’s an interesting fit. Lafrenière is only 24, and while this is his sixth NHL season, there’s still a sense that his ceiling hasn’t been reached. He posted career highs in 2023-24 with 28 goals, 29 assists, and 57 points in a full 82-game slate-numbers that suggest there’s legitimate top-six upside if he lands in the right situation.
That’s where the Sharks come in. They’re trending upward, with a young core that includes emerging superstar Macklin Celebrini.
Pairing Lafrenière with a dynamic center like Celebrini could be the kind of fresh start that reignites his development. The talent is there.
The question is whether a change of scenery can help him tap into it consistently.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a no-risk move for San Jose. Lafrenière is under contract with a $7.45 million cap hit through the 2031-32 season.
That’s a long-term investment, and it’s one that assumes he’ll grow into a more productive role than what he’s shown recently. After his breakout in 2023-24, his numbers dipped last season-17 goals and 45 points across 82 games.
So far this year, he’s on pace to repeat that same output, with 10 goals and 28 points through 51 games.
That kind of plateau raises fair questions. Is Lafrenière simply a solid middle-six winger? Or is there still a higher ceiling waiting to be reached in the right environment?
For the Sharks, the calculus comes down to timing and belief. They’ve shown they’re ahead of schedule in their rebuild.
Adding a young, skilled winger with untapped potential could accelerate that growth-especially if he clicks with their core. But with a hefty contract and some inconsistency in his production, it’s not a swing you take lightly.
Still, these are the kinds of decisions that define a team’s trajectory. San Jose has already surprised the league once this season. Taking a calculated chance on Lafrenière might just be the next bold move in their evolution.