The San Jose Sharks hired 36-year-old Ryan Warsofsky as the team's 11th head coach in franchise history.
The San Jose Sharks hired 36-year-old Ryan Warsofsky as the team's 11th head coach in franchise history.
The San Jose Sharks hired 36-year-old Ryan Warsofsky as the team's 11th head coach in franchise history.
Warsofsky, at 36, becomes the youngest head coach in the NHL. Washington Capitals bench boss Spencer Carbery, who is six years older, is the second youngest coach in the league.
So why did GM Mike Grier bring in a first-time NHL head coach to help develop young talent? Simply put, he's gotten the results everywhere he's been a head coach.
Warsofsky has won two Calder Cup Trophies, one as an assistant coach and the other as the head coach of the Chicago Wolves.
The Wolves had the AHL's best regular-season record, 50-16-5-5, in 2021-22. Warsofsky and the Wolves finished their season as the 2022 Calder Cup champions. Chicago had a record of 14-4 during the AHL playoffs.
During his first season behind an NHL bench, Warsofsky helped Erik Karlsson have a career offensive season with 101 points. The Sharks penalty kill has been solid despite a lack of talent. Over the course of two seasons, San Jose's penalty kill ranks 18th at 78.8%.
San Jose has acquired young defensemen via trades, drafts, and waivers. Henry Thrun looked like he took a step in development this season, and the claim of Ty Emerson shows that there are some quality pieces on the blue line.
Shakir Mukhamadullin played three games in the NHL but didn't look out of place. If he is to make the NHL club this season, working with Warsofsky seems to benefit him more.
Warsofsky's success in developing young players at the ECHL, AHL, and NHL levels shows he's ready for this chance. San Jose is entering arguably the most critical part of a rebuild, and Grier has tasked Warsofsky to galvanize and develop the new core of young talent.
Now that Warsofsky runs the bench, how will the forwards respond?
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