Sharks owe it to Celebrini, future core to buy and make playoffs

As the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic break looms, the San Jose Sharks have enjoyed a season that even they may not have dreamed of, sitting five points out of the Western Conference Wild Card Playoff spots after 55 games in, with eyes on a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the spring.

While the Sharks front office will turn to cheering on Macklin Celebrini and the rest of their Olympians, the looming NHL Trade Deadline also comes into focus. How could general manager Mike Grier approach it this time around?

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live, guest host Irfaan Gaffar and host Carter Hutton break down what could come. 

Irfaan Gaffar: Look at the San Jose Sharks. They’re a team where you got Macklin Celebrini, and he’s got all the gifts in the world, and then they added Keifer Sherwood. I still think they’re going to be buyers ahead of the Trade Deadline, because they owe it to Celebrini, Will Smith, and these young players to try to make a run, and I’m not entirely sure I want to play them in the first round. If they get into the playoffs, they’re a pesky team… I don’t know how much noise they’re going to make in the playoffs if they get there, but they might make a little bit.

Carter Hutton:  I think there’s value just for a team like San Jose hanging around, and just adding some experience, because that’s something that’s so invaluable in the NHL. The season is a grind, but understanding how to, like, take your game from a regular season level, Tuesday night, when there’s nobody at the game in certain markets, to a Stanley Cup playoff game and the intensity and how every inch matters, I think that’s where San Jose would be at down the stretch. I think this will be a successful season either way.

You can catch the rest of Thursday’s Daily Faceoff Live episode, including the full San Jose conversation, right here…