Sharks Face Uphill Battle in 2026 NHL Playoffs

Young San Jose squad has made strides, but daunting matchups await if they clinch postseason berth

Apr. 5, 2026 at 12:56am

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The San Jose Sharks have fought their way back into playoff contention after six straight seasons on the outside looking in. Led by rising star Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks have become a dangerous offensive team. However, a potential first-round matchup against the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche poses a major challenge, and even if they were to upset the Avs, an equally brutal second-round clash with either the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild would likely await.

Why it matters

The Sharks' return to the playoffs would be a significant accomplishment for the franchise, but the path to postseason success appears treacherous. Facing the NHL's elite teams in the opening rounds would test the young Sharks squad and provide valuable experience, even if they fall short of advancing deep into the playoffs.

The details

The Sharks currently sit in the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, tied with the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings in points. However, the Predators hold the tiebreaker with one more regulation win. Saturday's home game against the Predators is crucial, as the winner will have the inside track on the final playoff spot. Led by Celebrini's Hart Trophy-caliber season (40 goals, 65 assists), the Sharks have become a formidable offensive team. But their goaltending duo of Alex Nedeljkovic and Yaroslav Askarov will be severely tested against the high-powered Avalanche, who boast superstars like Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Nathan MacKinnon.

  • The Sharks have 79 points with 74 games played, the same as the Predators and Kings, who have each played 75 games.
  • The Sharks' Saturday night home game against the Predators is incredibly important, as the winner will have the advantage in the standings.

The players

Macklin Celebrini

A young star for the Sharks who has emerged as a potential Hart Trophy candidate in his second NHL season, scoring 40 goals and adding 65 assists.

Will Smith

The Sharks' second-leading scorer with 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points.

Alex Wennberg

The Sharks' third-leading scorer with 17 goals and 34 assists for 51 points.

Tyler Toffoli

A veteran scorer who has netted 18 goals for the Sharks this season.

Alex Nedeljkovic

One of the Sharks' goaltenders who will be tasked with trying to slow down the high-powered Avalanche offense.

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What they’re saying

“While there have been 1-8 upsets in the Stanley Cup playoffs, those usually involve veteran teams that have been to the playoffs before or at least have a number of veteran players that won't be overwhelmed by the situation.”

— Steve Silverman, Author

“Head coach Ryan Warsofsky wants his team to grow, and it can do that by winning one or two games in the series. They can become one of the teams to beat in the future, but coming up with a way to get the best of the Avs in a best-of-7 series appears to be out of reach.”

— Steve Silverman, Author

What’s next

If the Sharks can clinch a playoff spot, their first-round matchup against the Avalanche will be a major challenge. Even if they were to pull off the upset, an equally daunting second-round series against either the Stars or Wild would likely await.

The takeaway

The Sharks' return to the playoffs would be a significant accomplishment, but the path to postseason success appears treacherous. Facing the NHL's elite teams in the opening rounds would test the young Sharks squad and provide valuable experience, even if they fall short of advancing deep into the playoffs.