Sharks Surge Ahead in Wild Card Race, Face McDavid's Oilers

San Jose looks to gain ground on Edmonton in Pacific Division showdown

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:58pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of teal, orange, and navy blue.The Sharks and Oilers clash in a crucial Pacific Division showdown, with both teams fighting for playoff positioning.San Jose Today

The San Jose Sharks will host the Edmonton Oilers in a crucial Pacific Division matchup on Wednesday night. The Sharks have won 5 of their last 6 games and sit just 3 points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Oilers lead the division but are coming off a tough overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

Why it matters

This game has major playoff implications, as the Sharks look to continue their late-season surge and catch the Oilers in the standings. Edmonton is led by superstar Connor McDavid, who is chasing another scoring title, while San Jose is paced by the breakout season of 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini.

The details

The Sharks are coming off a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, with goals from William Eklund, Kiefer Sherwood and Will Smith. Celebrini, who leads the Sharks in goals (41) and assists (66), tied Jimmy Carson for the third-most points in a single season by a teenager. The Oilers, meanwhile, squandered multiple leads in their 6-5 overtime loss to Utah on Tuesday, but remain atop the Pacific Division.

  • The Sharks and Oilers will face off on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
  • San Jose has won 5 of its last 6 games.
  • Edmonton is 5-1-1 in its last 7 games.

The players

Macklin Celebrini

A 19-year-old forward for the San Jose Sharks who leads the team in goals (41) and assists (66), and has tied the third-most points in a single season by a teenager.

Connor McDavid

The captain of the Edmonton Oilers and one of the NHL's premier superstars, known for his elite scoring ability.

Ryan Warsofsky

The head coach of the San Jose Sharks.

Kris Knoblauch

The head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

Darnell Nurse

A defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers.

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What they’re saying

“Big two points, we'll look at it, we'll make the corrections and move on.”

— Ryan Warsofsky, Sharks Head Coach

“That was a great all-around play. Good forecheck, and then (Celebrini) made a play down to (Collin Graf) and Graf made a great behind-the-back pass to me.”

— Will Smith, Sharks Forward

“We obviously had a lead and weren't able to maintain it but showed some good composure in the third to find our way to get that one point, but you want the two every night.”

— Darnell Nurse, Oilers Defenseman

“We had a few leads tonight and (Utah) was able to respond very quickly. It was unfortunate. It was nice to see offense was there, we had the goals, but too many chances against.”

— Kris Knoblauch, Oilers Head Coach

What’s next

The Sharks and Oilers will face off again on Wednesday, April 8th, with the Sharks looking to gain ground in the wild card race and the Oilers aiming to maintain their lead atop the Pacific Division.

The takeaway

This late-season showdown between the Sharks and Oilers has major playoff implications, as San Jose tries to catch Edmonton in the standings and secure a wild card spot. The battle between rising star Macklin Celebrini and superstar Connor McDavid will be must-watch hockey as both teams jockey for position in the Western Conference.