Inside look at San Jose Sharks

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the San Jose Sharks.

The San Jose Sharks are hoping to end their seven-season playoff drought after coming close last season thanks to a remarkable turnaround led by Macklin Celebrini.

The Sharks (39-35-8) improved by 19 wins and 34 points in 2025-26, finishing four points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. This came after they finished with the worst record in the NHL each of the previous two seasons.

Celebrini, who was selected by San Jose with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, will be looking to build on a breakout campaign after he had 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games in his second season. He signed a five-year, $94 million contract July 29, beginning next season, which has a League-high $18.8 million average annual value.

To help Celebrini and the rest of the young group get to the next level, San Jose brought in a number of veteran players, most notably defensemen Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse.

Trouba, 32, signed a four-year, $33 million contract ($8.25 million AAV) as an unrestricted free agent and Nurse, 31, was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1.

San Jose also signed forward Mason Marchment, 31, to a five-year, $33.75 million contract ($6.75 million AAV), and defenseman Michael Kesselring, 26, to a three-year, $13.5 million contract ($4.5 million AAV) after acquiring him from the Buffalo Sabres on June 17.

"We were looking to improve our team, and I think we did that," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said on July 1. "I think this week in general has been a good week for the organization for the short term and the long term. I think we improved our group.

"We're excited about the players we were able to add. I just think it was an opportunity to try and make us better and try and push this thing forward."

San Jose went into a full rebuild phase after losing in the Western Conference Final to the St. Louis Blues in 2019. It began to take shape when the Sharks selected Will Smith with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and then was expedited when Celebrini arrived the following year.

The Sharks also selected defenseman Sam Dickinson (No. 11) and forward Igor Chernyshov (No. 33) in 2024.

"We're just trying to get better," Grier said. "It's about getting the team better and improving, and I think we're a better team now than we were last year. If that gets us in the playoffs, great, but you never know how the season is going to go. It's a step in the right direction where we were able to address some of the things we wanted to address."

Providing Celebrini with secondary scoring was one of the needs San Jose addressed this offseason. Smith was the Sharks’ second-leading scorer with 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 69 games last season.

Marchment should help in that regard. He had 45 points (19 goals, 26 assists) in 68 games with the Seattle Kraken and Columbus Blue Jackets last season.

San Jose is also hoping to lower its goals-against this season by signing Trouba and acquiring Nurse. The Sharks gave up 3.54 goals per game last season, which was the third highest in the League, behind the Vancouver Canucks (3.83) and Toronto Maple Leafs (3.60).

"I think with 'Troubs', I was with him in New York, he's kind of a different animal, there's not many people like him in the League," Grier said. "He's someone when he's out there, you have to know he's on the ice and you have to have your head up. He's got strong character, leadership, I think it'll be really good to help mentor our young D."

Trouba had 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 81 games for the Anaheim Ducks last season.

Nurse had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 82 games with Edmonton in 2025-26. He was acquired for defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, 24, and defenseman prospect Zack Sharp, 21.

"Darnell is really athletic, a great skater," Grier said. "He has length, can defend, but he also can jump up in the play and can add a little bit of offense. He's another guy that is high character, so I think they'll both be great additions to our room."