Our second iteration of the Sharks Sterility Stare asks the serious questions this week. With one third of the season in the books, the San Jose Sharks are only four points out of a playoff spot, even though they have some games in hand. Still, that’s an incredible piece of data to consider when we ask ourselves why we’re even doing this. Remember when San Jose started off the season winless again through nine games?

San Jose current record for 2024-2025: 9-13-5 (.426)
Sharks projected record for 82 games this season: 32-44-6 (.427)
San Jose record last year (2023-2024): 19-54-9 (.287)
NHL record for worst season in 82-game history: 14-57-11 (.238)

Yeah, something is different: not only are the Sharks scoring goals—19 combined in their last three victories—but they also finally have the guy in net they actually want there: Yaroslav Askarov. We will be looking at a few other ideas here in a moment, but things are looking up for San Jose … perhaps a year earlier than expected, which can be both a good thing (free agents will come) and a bad thing (draft spot).

If you remove that 0-7-2 start, the Sharks have been playing good hockey for 22 percent of the season now, already: 9-6-3. That’s over .500 in hockey parlance, and the team has had its share of injuries already, losing No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini for 12 games already. In the 15 games he has played, the rookie has posted 14 points while putting up 19:48 ATOI. He’s only going to get better as the team grows stronger.

But the two skating surprises have been former first rounder William Eklund, who has taken a step up now in his age-22 season. The young left winger has 22 points in 26 games and leads the team in assists (18). After scoring just 45 points in 80 games last season, Eklund has upped his passing game—and as a result his ice time. If he continues to improve at this rate, he can be the All Star he is expected to be very soon.

On the blue line, journeyman Jake Welman is playing the best hockey of his career, suddenly. At age 28, San Jose is the third NHL stop for this former third-round pick who has done nothing distinguished yet. But his 22:32 ATOI is the highest of his career so far, by almost three minutes per game, and it’s paying off with 19 points in 22 games so far. His 5.4 Point Shares so far represent more than a third of his career total.

And there is Askarov, who has only made two starts so far, but the results have been stellar: a .927 save percentage and a 1.96 GAA to go with a 1-0-1 record. At age 22, the former first rounder (2020) came to the Sharks from Nashville in a trade, and he could be in net for San Jose going forward a decade if the talent assessments are accurate. He only has four NHL starts under his belt overall, but the team is high on him.

Ahead, the Sharks have a six-game road trip now, of which it has played one game (November 30 in Seattle). We will check in again when the next five games have passed, to see where San Jose stands then. But in the meantime, it’s fun to watch the team compete again: win or lose, every game on the ice has the potential to be a memorable one. That is what all fans want in the end: to see some memories every time out.