Sharks Are NHL's Last Winless Team

The San Jose Sharks were the NHL’s worst team in 2023-24, and the expectations aren’t much higher this season. Seven games into 2024-25 and the Sharks are the only team without a win.

At 0-5-2, the Sharks are once again dead last in the Western Conference after the Nashville Predators finally notched their first win.

Final. pic.twitter.com/L0KWAFGBfN
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 23, 2024

The Sharks have been out-scored 28-13, giving them a minus-16 goal differential. A couple of key faces are at a point-per-game, but the rest of the lineup isn’t doing much to help.

Forward Tyler Toffoli (4G-3A) and Mikael Granlund (1G-6A) are both at seven points in seven games, but they’re the only ones making a huge difference. Rookie Will Smith has played in six games and hasn’t recorded a single point.

Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek also haven’t been holding up their end in goal. They’re combined for a .891 save percentage and 3.61 goals against average.

Blackwood was between the pipes for both of the Sharks overtime losses, where he managed to push one to a shootout. After making 36 saves in regulation and overtime against the Dallas Stars, he missed all three shots he faced in the shootout.

The Sharks put a lot of faith into recent first-overall pick Macklin Celenbrini. A possible front-runner for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, Celebrini impressed in his NHL debut.

Celebrini scored a goal and an assist in the season-opening overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues, but that’s also the only game he’s played this year. The rookie phenom has been out with a lower-body injury and is being evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

The season is still young and the Sharks have plenty of games ahead of them, but they’re in a deep hole and likely set for another losing season. If Celebrini can come back and look like a star, he can at least shed light on the future and show that there is hope.

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