The San Jose Sharks can become the NHL's second team mathematically eliminated from playoff contention tonight.

The San Jose Sharks can become the NHL's second team mathematically eliminated from playoff contention tonight.

The Sharks sit in 31st place in the NHL but have the least number of wins, with 16.

The Sharks have two games in hand from the Chicago Blackhawks. San Jose's .310 winning percentage is the tiebreaker over the Blackhawks' .300 winning percentage.

As seen above, if the Sharks lose in regulation to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Vegas Golden Knights gain a point, San Jose will miss the playoffs for a team-record fifth straight season. They could also be eliminated if the Sharks lose in any way while Vegas wins in any way.

It is no secret that this was expected to happen this season. GM Mike Grier looks like he has just finished up the biggest teardowns of his rebuild. He has gotten rid of the Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, and Tomas Hertl contracts, giving San Jose cap flexibility they haven't had in a long time. 

Boston University's Macklin Celebrini is the consensus first-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft. He has a history in San Jose: He played for the minor hockey program, and his father works for the Golden State Warriors.

Getting eliminated in early March comes with a slight sting, showing the team has struggled immensely, even with low expectations.

Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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