San Jose Sharks Rediscover Belief in Winning Every Game

After six straight seasons of missing the playoffs, the Sharks have regained their confidence and now expect to win every time they take the ice.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a San Jose Sharks hockey game, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of teal, black, and white, conveying the team's newfound confidence and determination.The Sharks' renewed belief in their ability to win every game is a crucial step in their journey back to the top of the NHL.San Jose Today

The San Jose Sharks have rediscovered their belief that they can win every game, a crucial mindset shift after missing the playoffs for six straight seasons and being the worst team in the NHL the last two years. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic have emphasized the power of belief, saying it's an essential step toward returning to a championship standard. The Sharks have gone from just hoping to hang in games and avoid blowouts to now expecting to win every time they take the ice.

Why it matters

The Sharks' renewed belief in their ability to win is a significant development for a team that has struggled mightily in recent years. Regaining that winning mentality is crucial for rebuilding a championship-caliber squad and ending their playoff drought. This shift in mindset could be the catalyst the Sharks need to start climbing back up the standings.

The details

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky noted the Sharks have "come a long way" from the start of the season, when the goal was simply to avoid getting blown out. Now, the expectation is for the team to win every game. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic contrasted the Sharks' current belief with past locker rooms where players would wonder "What are we gonna do? How are we gonna do this?" Warsofsky emphasized that when a team believes in itself and each other, it can make significant strides and find success.

  • The Sharks have missed the playoffs for six straight seasons.
  • The Sharks were the worst team in the NHL the last two years.

The players

Ryan Warsofsky

The head coach of the San Jose Sharks who has emphasized the importance of the team's renewed belief in their ability to win.

Alex Nedeljkovic

The San Jose Sharks goaltender who contrasted the team's current belief in winning with past locker rooms where players doubted their ability to succeed.

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What they’re saying

“That's the biggest thing that I've taken so far from this year. We've come a long way from day one, where we wanted to just hang in games, and sometimes not get blown out. To the point where the expectation is for us to win the game [now]. That's a big jump, in my opinion, of where we've come this year.”

— Ryan Warsofsky, San Jose Sharks Head Coach

“I've been in locker rooms where you go into a game and you're like, 'What are we gonna do? How are we gonna do this?'”

— Alex Nedeljkovic, San Jose Sharks Goaltender

The takeaway

The Sharks' renewed belief in their ability to win every game is a critical step in their journey back to becoming a championship-caliber team. After years of struggle and disappointment, this shift in mindset could be the spark the team needs to end their playoff drought and start climbing back up the standings.