We’re just 63 days away from the San Jose Sharks kicking off their season against the Vegas Golden Knights this October. The number 63 doesn’t have much history for the team in teal, as until this decade, a player had never worn the number. Jeffrey Viel became the first to don the number 63 for the Sharks during the 2020-21 season, when he wore it in 11 pointless games. Known as more of a physical player, he did spend some time in the penalty box though, finishing with 23 penalty minutes. That number would skyrocket the following season, when in 34 games, he recorded 114 penalty minutes and contributed a total of five points. He would make his final appearances for the Sharks during the 2022-23 season, when he suited up for four games. Zack Ostapchuk wore the number for 13 games last season, after he was acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators that saw Fabian Zetterlund heading the other way. Given the amount of competition heading into training camp though, there’s no guarantee he’ll start this coming season on the opening night roster, but he is fairly likely to get playing time at some point during the season.
