The San Jose Sharks’ path this season may come down to more than just Macklin Celebrini.
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period laid out that picture during an appearance on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio with Steve Kouleas and Martin Biron, making it clear that Celebrini matters, but he’s not the only piece that will shape how far the Sharks can go.
“He’s the heartbeat of that team, no question,” Pagnotta said. Still, he added that the Sharks have to learn to function when Celebrini isn’t available.
“I think the team has to understand how to play without him at times, because at the same time, he‘s not always going to be on the ice. So you’re going to need some of those secondary guys really stepping up, and I think a big part of their potential success this season doesn’t necessarily rest with Macklin Celebrini.
I think a lot of it has to do with the overall performance of Will Smith, Michael Misa, Ivar Stenberg, the other guys on this team, younger stars that are going to produce. Yeah, you’ve got some vets there with (Tyler) Toffoli and of course (Mason) Marchment, but what are some of the other guys up front going be able to do and produce?”
That, Pagnotta said, is the bigger issue for San Jose: whether the scoring can be spread around instead of leaning on Celebrini shift after shift.
“You’re going to have to do it without just Macklin Celebrini on a game-by-game, shift-by-shift basis. You got to be able to spread things out. So they’re going to obviously keep a look at that.”
There’s also a goalie situation worth watching as the season unfolds. Pagnotta pointed to the Sharks’ previous interest in Connor Hellebuyck, saying that a lot of the discussion circles back to Yaroslav Askarov and how he handles the net this season.
“I think a lot of that has to deal with (Yaroslav) Askarov. How’s he going to perform this season?
If he’s up to the task, I think they hold suit and roll with him for the season. Hope he becomes their legit number one, which is why they acquired him from Nashville when they did.
But at the same time, if there are some question marks around him halfway through the season, it gives them an opportunity to potentially address that position with ample time ahead of the deadline.”
For now, that leaves the Sharks with two big evaluation points: whether their young forwards can carry more of the load, and whether Askarov settles in as the kind of starter they can trust or opens the door for a move later on.
In Other News...
Sharks Still Searching For Answers As Offensive Frustration Builds
The Sharks kept tinkering at Mondays practice, a sign that the frustration around their offense is starting to seep into daily work. Ryan Warsofsky shuffled the forward groups and adjusted the power-play units while the club tries to settle on combinations that can create more sustained pressure, and the search for answers has only gotten more urgent with Boston next on the schedule.
One of the more notable changes came up front, where Igor Chernyshov moved into a prominent role alongside the teams top young talent. The morning also brought a separate wrinkle when Barclay Goodrow was not on the ice for reasons the team did not explain, leaving another open question as San Jose tries to sort out its lineup and find some chemistry before puck drop against the Bruins. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Enter A Tough Week With One Early Concern In Focus
The Sharks are still early in the season, but the next stretch already feels like a useful test of whether their recent emphasis on defensive consistency and daily habits is taking hold. San Jose has been sorting through line combinations and trying to balance the growth of its younger players with the steadier influence of veterans, all while keeping an eye on goaltender workloads as the schedule starts to tighten up.
Macklin Celebrini has been one of the clearest bright spots in that mix, showing real second-year growth and helping the Sharks in both ends of the ice. Still, the bigger question for a team trying to build a more reliable identity is how those individual gains hold up against a tougher run of opponents, especially with Boston, Nashville and Detroit coming next and the margin for error getting smaller. [Read more 🡒]