When I entered the Shark Tank, the thrill and chill of the rink sent a shiver down my spine. The San Jose Sharks raced out onto the ice through the jaws of a shark and prepared for battle. With Metallica booming in the background, the fans got into it and were excited to see some action. 

“I love the energy the fans bring to the stadium! It’s a chain effect and everyone gets fired up. I also like seeing the players fight!” said Trevor, 17, of Menlo High School.

After a rough start to the 2024 season, the San Jose Sharks seemed to have begun heading in the right direction. Coming off of 7 losses, one of which I attended, they won three straight games. The return of rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini and their young head coach Ryan Warsofsky contributed to the winning streak, signaling that there’s still hope for the season. As of February 12th, their record is sitting at 15-35-7. 

“I am very optimistic as a fan — with all the young talent, especially Celebrini and Will Smith,” commented former Sharks’ Sales Account Manager Patrick Frost. “But remain patient as rebuilds can take time.”

The October 20th Sharks v. Colorado Avalanche home game did leave fans wanting more. The Sharks played hard, but still, were outmatched by the Avalanche. They missed scoring opportunities and had multiple series of bad plays. During a line change, too many players went on the ice, which led to a penalty. That gave the Avalanche leverage, and without missing a beat, Ross Colton capitalized on it and scored on a pass from Nathan MacKinnon, giving them a 1-0 lead. 

Sharks’ Defenseman Mario Ferraro ended the game with 2 giveaways, one of them resulting in an Avalanche goal, putting them at a 3-1 lead over the Sharks halfway through the 3rd period. The turnover allowed the Avalanche to enter the Sharks zone, where what seemed to be miscommunication on the rink between Mario Ferraro and Nico Sturm left the Avalanche’s Joel Kiviranta wide open — with a scoring opportunity that he enthusiastically seized.

The teams that night couldn’t have been more different. The Avalanche have been playing together for a few years, have more experience, and know how they are supposed to play together as a team. It shows in their chemistry on ice. Just two years ago, they nabbed the Stanley Cup while the Sharks haven’t been to the playoffs since 2019. 

This past year, Timo Meier, Eric Karlsson, Tomas Hertl — key players for the Sharks — had been traded away. “Losing veterans like Karlsson and Timo is always tough, especially given their skill levels and contributions” added Patrick Frost. “But the move brought in younger assets, prospects, and draft picks, which was crucial for a team trying to reset.” With most of their seasoned talent gone, the Sharks approach shifted towards playing their younger players to give them opportunities to step up while the Avalanche focused on winning. 

Still, diehard fans are hopeful. Long-time Bay Area resident Mike Flanagan, 52, who’s enjoyed going to Sharks games for three decades says, “Hopefully, the Sharks can build a strong team around their young newcomers and finally win the Stanley Cup!”

Nevertheless, Ferraro has proved to be a reliable defenseman. Seeing the Sharks focus on building up their younger talent gives me hope in the promise they’ve shown to grow as a team. Eventually, with a bit more experience under their belts, they can evolve into a well-disciplined, smarter, and tough team. 

“[Celebrini] is going to be a very special player…dynamic and competitive. San Jose has a player to build a championship team around” observed Paul Eberhardt, Varsity Hockey Coach of the Carmel High School Corsairs in Illinois.

I believe Macklin Celebrini has the makings of the next Joe Pavelski or Joe Thorton for the Sharks — an icon in the works for the organization. Since his return, Celebrini has been playing incredibly well, earning himself “Rookie of the Month” for November. In 45 games played, he recorded 40 points, 17 of which were goals. 

Sharks fans have high “hockey IQ,” and Mike Flanagan agrees as it makes games even more fun. “The team has been filled with highly skilled players which has led to very competitive and successful seasons and this makes it very exciting to attend. Watching hockey in person is the most exciting because of the pace and fluid intensity of the game!”

Every time I enter the Shark Tank, this thrill and joy flows through my body. The Sharks didn’t win that night but they never quit and won’t be defeated so easily.