The San Jose Sharks rebuild is off to a great start because of Macklin Celebrini and the other top-five picks in recent years. The success of the American Hockey League in the coming years will define how successful the rebuild ends up becoming. The San Jose Barracuda can give the Sharks key depth pieces down the road, with this season being a true test of whether their farm system can provide that. 

The Barracuda were a good team last season, finishing the season in the middle of the Pacific Division. That said, their series against the Henderson Silver Knights, ending with a 5-1 Game 2 trouncing, showed how far they are from establishing a winning culture and the weaknesses they must address. 

Stats From 2025-26: 

Record: 40-28-2-2 (6th in Pacific Division, 8th in Western Conference & 13th in AHL)

Offense: 3.37 goals per game (4th in AHL)

Defense: 3.19 goals against per game (21st in AHL)

Last season, the Barracuda were fast, they were fun to watch, and they could pile up the goals. They didn’t have enough depth and defense, which showed in the second half of the season and the playoffs. 

They made plenty of moves to address this. Yes, the Barracuda lost Colin White in the summer but they more than made up for it, signing four veterans to two-way contracts and Roland McKeown for the defense. The Barracuda won’t run into the same issues that they had when they fell apart down the stretch. 

While the veteran presence is there, the prospect pool, while great, isn’t as talented as it’s been in the past. It’s largely because many of the prospects are now in the NHL, which is something they’ll be willing to take. It’s also something that will hold them back. 

Add it all up, and the Barracuda will be a better team than they were last season. That said, they remain in the middle of the pack. They won’t overwhelm anyone by any measure, and they also won’t fall apart. 

It’s mostly because of the free agency class, which includes signing three key players from the Colorado Eagles. Kyle Keyser and Tye Felhaber will add depth, while Alex Barre-Boulet, whose 70 points were second-most in the AHL last season, will lead the top line. 

Along with the Eagles they signed, the Barracuda also brought in Brett Leason from the Hershey Bears. The winger scored 14 goals and added 30 assists last season and will be a steady middle-six presence. 

The questions are still on the defensive end. The Barracuda play a fast-paced, high-flying system that results in goals the other way. It’s why a prospect like Luca Cagnoni, improving and becoming a complete defenseman, can make all of the difference. 

The other is that the prospect pool is still one of the best in hockey. The Sharks are looking at a few of them as future depth pieces on their NHL roster, and if they can play that way, this Barracuda team will be one of the best in the AHL. 

Quinton Musty scored 21 goals and added 24 assists in his rookie season with the ‘Cuda. He’s the player to watch in the AHL if he’s not on the Sharks. At 200 pounds, Musty is developing into a power forward who can take over games at the AHL level and provide a change of pace to the NHL team. 

Speaking of power forwards, Filip Bystedt is developing into a dynamic one with the Barracuda. The 210-pound skater scored 60 points in 65 games last season, and at 22-years-old, he’s starting to look a lot like a middle-six forward who the Sharks want in their lineup. 

The Sharks took three players in the first round of the 2026 draft with Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoff, and Ryan Lin. None of them will be in the AHL next season. More accurately, Verhoff and Lin are heading to college while Stenberg, whom they took with the second overall pick, is NHL-ready and will likely be on Celebrini’s wing from day one. 

The other big name to watch is Luca Cagnoni, who had 43 points last season and has made significant strides with the Barracuda in recent seasons. The big key for him is to work on his defensive game since that will get him to the NHL. The Sharks need a two-way defenseman who can do it all. They also need more stay-at-home defensemen, and the hope is Cagnoni can become one.