Following an eight-game losing streak, the San Jose Sharks picked up wins on both games of a road back-to-back across the past two days. The victories give them a much-needed morale boost, but they become even more notable considering that the 2025 Trade Deadline is just a few days away. As clear sellers, the Sharks are fully aware of the deadline, particularly considering that goalie Vitek Vanecek was put on the trading block shortly before their win over the Buffalo Sabres yesterday and traded to the Florida Panthers today.
Other tradable players know they might be about to switch teams, and the rest of the roster knows they won’t have all the same teammates by the end of the week. Despite this uncertainty, they approached the last two games with focus, grit and positivity, playing some of their best hockey of the season as a result.
Sharks’ Potential Deadline Pieces Make Major Contributions
At this point in the season, the Sharks have left little doubt about their most-likely trade candidates. Those players could have easily become distracted and hurt San Jose’s on-ice performance, but they locked in and helped get their team back in the win column.
Forward Nico Sturm, who is perhaps the Shark most likely to be moved, scored a go-ahead goal against the Buffalo Sabres while also providing his usual penalty killing and defense in his bottom-six role. Luke Kunin didn’t show up on the scoresheet in either game but made several smart plays in both of them. On the blue line, Mario Ferraro played good defense in both games, getting a boost from his new pairing with Jack Thompson and serving a role on the overtime penalty kill against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He offered his usual physicality and his puck movement was crucial to zone exits throughout both games.
Maybe the players in question are playing with an extra level of intensity given their circumstances. They might want to show that they hold value to San Jose and to other teams. They could also simply be playing with more energy now that they’ve shaken off the rust from the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Either way, they’re peaking at the right time for both themselves and the Sharks.
Sharks Finding Joy in Their Final Games Together
With only one game left before the deadline, the Sharks’ current roster is in its last days. The players will try to focus mainly on hockey, but possible trades are distracting and weigh on the whole team. Everyone involved is aware of the reality that hockey is a business and they can’t help but recognize this. It is in that context that has made the Sharks’ reactions to their two wins so notable.
Related: 2025 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
When Fabian Zetterlund scored the shootout winner in Toronto, and when Tyler Toffoli buried an empty-netter to seal the game in Buffalo, the jubilation that ensued was far beyond that of typical regular-season wins. Yes, some of it came from the thrill and relief of finally getting a victory amid a long stretch of losing. But the massive group hug and the smiles on their faces seemed to carry an additional meaning. They had an understanding they wouldn’t all be playing with each other for much longer and wanted to enjoy whatever remaining success they would have as a unit. They’ve bonded through a season of significant adversity and created connections they know won’t last.
The Sharks’ celebrations in the last two games certainly had a lot to do with a losing streak coming to an end. However, they also wanted to end their current group’s time together on as positive a note as possible. The wins, and their reactions to those wins, show that they’ve succeeded.
A few days from now, the Sharks’ roster will look different. For the players who won’t be in San Jose anymore, they’re ending their tenure on an uplifting note while showing why a team might want to trade for them. Those who will still be on the roster get a morale boost, a positive memory of their soon-to-be-former teammates, and momentum for the rest of the season and their careers.
