How The Sharks' And Ducks' Blueline Could Decide Their Playoff Fate

In the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season, the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks are likely going to be fighting for third place in the Pacific Division.

The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights project to be the Pacific’s top two teams, leaving a wide open battle for what could end up being the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

How the Ducks and Sharks are constructed on the defensive side of the puck could end up being the deciding factor in which one ends up putting together a more successful regular season.

Both groups of blueliners have undergone significant change this summer, and that’s where the similarities end. As it stands, defensemen on these two California clubs could deliver vastly different results.

With the departures of veteran John Carlson and youngster Olen Zellweger, the Ducks’ D-core is significantly worse than they were last season. Carlson signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning after his UFA rights were initially acquired by the Carolina Hurricanes, while Zellweger was traded to the Buffalo Sabres.

Anaheim later added former Ottawa Senators veteran Nick Jensen, but also lost two veteran blueliners of their own in Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. That’s a lot of experience out the door, and that could directly impact the team's results.

With a core that includes defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov, it's clear the Ducks have a capable D-core. They do have other prospects, but Verbeek swung for the fences when he acquired Carlson from the Washington Capitals last season. By not managing to retain his services, there's a clear hole that needs to be filled.

It’s possible that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek’s vision for his defensemen pays off, but there are still a few questions that need to be answered before  with the blueliners helping keep Anaheim in the playoff mix in 2026-27.

Meanwhile, the Sharks added three veteran defensemen in Trouba, former Oiler Darnell Nurse, and former Sabres D-man Michael Kesselring.

It’s also possible that one of the Sharks’ first-round draft picks this past year – Keaton Verhoeff, taken ninth-overall – also plays his way onto San Jose’s roster. 

The Sharks may bring along Verhoeff slowly, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with that approach. However, with veteran Dmitry Orlov and youngsters Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni on board, there should be very healthy competition for jobs on the team's bottom-two pairings.

Certainly, the Ducks and Sharks have defensive issues as they prepare for next season. The Sharks had the league’s third-worst goals-against average last year, with a 3.54 goals-against average (GAA), while the Ducks were the fourth-worst team in that department, with a 3.51 GAA.

There’s no quick-and-easy fix to what ails either team on the back end, but there’s no question the Ducks and Sharks have exciting young defensemen to help build around for the long-term.

With Verhoeff and Dickinson, San Jose has some considerable skill and potential. The same goes for Anaheim with LaCombe and Mintyukov. Although, it looks like the Sharks' back end is better prepared to make the stronger impact in the short-term.

Keep an eye on the Ducks’ and Sharks’ defensemen this coming season. They’re composed differently, but both teams’ defense corps will have intense pressure to deliver the team into the playoffs. 

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