The San Jose Sharks are in a sprint to the end of the regular season, with less than 20 games left to play in their campaign. As they sit on the border of a playoff spot, they may need to make some tough decisions in order to play the personnel which gives them the best chance to win, and they need to commit to those moves.
Interestingly, the best choices for their skaters and the best choices for their goalies may go in different directions. While they could gain some advantages from dressing more young skaters, they should also lean on veteran goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to give them the best chance to win. Both of those potential decisions highlight the current state of the Sharks and would set them up for the best possible position both this season and in the future.
Sharks Can Afford to Play Younger Skaters
The Sharks’ success this season has been headlined by many of their young players, particularly Macklin Celebrini, having breakout seasons. However, they should consider relying on their young skaters even more.
Starting up front, 26-year-old Pavol Regenda and 20-year-old Igor Chernyshov have generally played very well in their limited time in the NHL. Regenda has scored eight goals in just 18 NHL games and also played well at the Olympics, while Chernyshov has 11 points in 15 NHL appearances. Despite that, neither of them has been able to break through since the Olympic break ended to receive consistent playing time with the Sharks. For comparison, 39-year-old Ryan Reaves and 33-year-old Barclay Goodrow have combined for 13 points all season while playing 49 and 63 games, respectively, but find themselves in the lineup.
They provide a role as physical fourth-line forwards, and Reaves has been important for team chemistry. But given that Regenda and Chernyshov can offer more scoring, the Sharks may want to rotate them in more often based on matchups, particularly as roster limits become more relaxed after the trade deadline. Other young forwards who play more regularly, such as Michael Misa, might deserve more ice time as well.
On defense, Shakir Mukhamadullin has played some of the best hockey of his career since returning to the lineup at the end of February, posting a plus-3 rating in his last seven games while consistently putting himself in the right position on both offense and defense. He deserves a larger role on the Sharks’ blue line, given the pieced-together nature of that unit in San Jose this season.
Sam Dickinson could benefit from increased playing time as well, and Luca Cagnoni might warrant a look at the NHL this season, especially to see what either or both might contribute on the power play. In both of their cases, their contributions would be meaningful for this season, but would also be an opportunity to develop them for future seasons as they become a bigger part of the Sharks.
With such a young team, the Sharks need veteran skaters as well, but more productive players like Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Toffoli fill that task. In many cases, San Jose’s best combinations of team growth and on-ice results come from giving the youth more opportunities, and that’s the exact combination they should be looking for right now.
Sharks Should Give Nedeljkovic More Starts
Nedeljkovic entered this season as the Sharks’ backup goalie, but at this point, his veteran experience gives them the best chance to win games. Although he’s made 23 starts to Yaroslav Askarov’s 40, he has a better save percentage and goals-against average, aided by his recent hot streak in which he’s won seven of his last nine decisions. His average time on ice is also higher, suggesting he gets pulled early less often and leaves the ice for an extra skater less frequently. Now with Askarov injured, he has an opportunity to fully cement himself as San Jose’s number-one goalie for the remainder of the season, including any potential playoff games (from ‘Pashelka: Sharks now have their No. 1 goalie as playoff push continues,’ Enterprise-Record, March 13, 2026).
Related: 3 Takeaways From the Sharks’ Quiet Trade Deadline
The 30-year-old Nedeljkovic has the experience and stability necessary to backstop an inconsistent defense like San Jose’s, especially when compared to 23-year-old Askarov. Askarov is capable of having great games and making spectacular saves thanks to his athleticism, and he may very well have a higher ceiling than Nedeljkovic. But his inexperience leads to inconsistency, and the Sharks need consistency in net right now. Nedeljkovic provides it, and the front office recognized that by signing him to a two-year contract extension earlier this month.
As with their skaters, the Sharks have to consider which goalie will give them the best chance to win. In this case, however, they’ll probably benefit most from placing a veteran in the net and letting the youngster take more time with his development.
Sharks Trying to Determine Team Identity
As a team still somewhat in a rebuild, the Sharks are still figuring out who they want to be. They’ve taken advantage of good draft position to add many exciting prospects, but also acquired a number of veterans and signed a handful of them to extensions. They’re trying to strike a balance between the two, but to have the most success possible, they may have to lean into both at the same time, just in different areas of the ice.
A group of young skaters backed by a veteran goalie might give San Jose the best chance both this season and in the future. This combination puts the most productive players in the lineup while giving everyone involved the greatest development opportunities. That specific identity might not last for many more seasons, but it’s the perfect one for them right now.
