The San Jose Sharks don't need to win as much while rebuilding, but there is pressure on their goalies and the team to help Logan Couture thrive again.
Mackenzie BlackwoodThe Hockey News’ NHL Hot Seat Radar series is well underway, and we’re now focusing on the San Jose Sharks.
As with any team, we're identifying someone on the 'hot seat' who faces pressure to generate positive results or deal with the fallout. We’re also pointing out someone on the 'cold seat' – an individual very likely to stay with their team for the foreseeable future.
Once in a while – starting with today’s file – we’ll discuss someone who occupies the middle ground between the hot and cold seats as a wild card.
Sharks’ Hot Seat: (tie) MacKenzie Blackwood, G, and Vitek Vanecek, G
As the Sharks continue their full rebuild, there's pressure on some players to earn a spot in the lineup for the long term. In this case, it's the goaltenders.
Blackwood and Vanecek, both former members of the New Jersey Devils, are on the hot seat. Blackwood posted a 3.45 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 44 games for the last-place Sharks, while Vanecek had disappointing numbers (3.18 GAA, .890 SP) on the Devils last season.
The tandem will face an uphill battle in 2024-25 behind a thin Sharks defense, but standing tall would go a long way in helping the team remain somewhat competitive. Blackwood actually had 2.4 goals saved above expected last season, according to moneypuck.com, but Vanecek was minus-11.2 in that regard.
Both Vanecek and Blackwood are only signed through this coming season. If they play well enough, Sharks GM Mike Grier could peddle them to teams needing goaltending depth or offer them nice contracts to stick with San Jose through the end of the rebuild. But if they struggle, there likely won’t be a future for them in San Jose.
The challenge is real and considerable for them, but Blackwood and Vanecek will have every opportunity to write their own next chapter. What they do with it will dictate where they play over the long haul.
Sharks’ Wild Card: Logan Couture, C
The past few years haven’t been easy on Couture, who hasn’t played a playoff game since 2019. He also was limited by injury to just six regular-season games in 2023-24.
Grier told reporters in June it's "absolutely false" he's looking to trade Couture and that any rumors or speculation of it can be put to bed. The Sharks captain also said in February he loves the organization and that he couldn't see himself playing for another team.
Couture also said in May that he loves San Jose and believes in the rebuild, but he did say he misses being in the playoffs, and the clock is ticking to do so.
His contract runs through the next three years at $8 million per season. He has a clause that lets him pick three teams he’d accept a trade to. If the Sharks once again struggle mightily in the win/loss columns this coming year, would the player and team be more receptive to a trade? Stranger things have happened.
In one sense, Couture is on the “cold seat” in that it’s quite possible he remains in San Jose until his contract runs out. But it’s also somewhat possible he will bounce back from his injury, show he can still be an effective NHLer, get tired of the constant losing and work with Grier to see if a move is possible.
There may not be a lot of highlights for the Sharks in 2024-25, but speculation about Couture’s future won’t die down anytime soon. If he is dealt, the return Grier could get for Couture could speed up the rebuilding process.
Sharks’ Cold Seat: (tie) Macklin Celebrini, C, and Will Smith, C
There’s bound to be more significant change to San Jose’s roster in the months and years to come, but one thing is certain – the Sharks are now stacked down the middle with Smith and Celebrini, and they’re set for the next decade-and-a-half at least with two franchise-bedrock players.
The two youngsters should be major-league drivers of play, and the best part may be they’re each on entry-level contracts that will be bargains for all that they bring to the table.
Celebrini’s upside is higher than Smith’s, but don’t kid yourself - just as Celebrini dominated in his one year at Boston University last season, Smith was also a force to reckon with at Boston College. Some teams would love to have just one of these two competitors, but the Sharks have a pair of them, making their past five years of misery in the standings well worth it.
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