The San Jose Sharks’ recent two road wins show what actually works in generating winning games. With victories against the Boston Bruins (4-2) and the Montreal Canadiens (4-2), the Sharks demonstrated a winning blueprint.
Leaning on their young core, goaltending, and momentum shifts was at the core of their identity. The three road losses also showed areas that still need trust and structure. With more road games to finish out their season, these winning formulas matter.
Not to mention, Team Teal sits just outside the wild card picture with 70 points. The team trails the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings, both at 71 points. Currently holding top spot are the Utah Mammoth with 76 points.
Youth Fuel
Team Teal is at their best when their young core leads the way. Fueling the movement is Macklin Celebrini, Colin Graf, Michael Misa, Will Smith, and William Eklund.
Across the two wins, Celebrini produced four points (two goals, two assists), and controlled puck play in every zone. Eklund logged one goal and two assists, logging heavy minutes in the Montreal game especially (23:57 TOI).
Meanwhile, Graf has continued his emergence as a top-six playmaker, scoring short-handed in Boston and earning three points in Montreal. Coaches consistently trust the 23-year-old, who averaged 17:20 TOI through the five-game road trip.
Misa opened the scoring for the Sharks in the Boston game, with a wrister assisted by Eklund and Tyler Toffoli. The 19-year-old center continues to rise in the lineup, often paired alongside Toffoli and Eklund in the top-six.
Throughout the road trip, Smith played a quieter role, averaging 17:06 TOI across five games. In the most recent loss to the Edmonton Oilers (5-3), Smith was demoted, logging only 13:27 TOI.
With the change in forward balance, coach Ryan Warsofsky moved Misa to the wing alongside Celebrini to cover the gap.
When asked about line shuffles, Warsofsky told the media post-game, “You’ve got to earn your ice from here on out.”
Despite the shuffle, Edmonton’s top lines controlled most of that game, with Team Teal having only one decent period. Celebrini’s nine‑game point streak also ended that night, which added to the impact of the line changes.
Given that players should “earn their ice time,” the Graf-Celebrini-Smith line should remain steady as the Sharks finish their season. With 19 goals and 26 assists, Smith is still the second-leading point scorer, an impact that doesn’t disappear overnight.
Nedeljkovic and the Defense
In both Montreal and Boston, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was solid. Nedeljkovic was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2025 and resigned Mar. 06, 2026. The 30-year-old agreed to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of three million dollars.
Against the Canadiens, Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots and against the Bruins, 39 shots. He maintained a shutout until late in the third as Fraser Minten and David Pastrnak attempted to spark Boston’s comeback. His goals against average is also consistent, remaining at 2.85.
On the blueline, Mario Ferraro and Vincent Desharnais carried the defensive load in both wins. Across both wins, Desharnais blocked seven shots, logging over 20 minutes in each. Ferraro aided in strong penalty-killing minutes, finishing the Montreal win with a goal, two hits, and plus-two.
While Sam Dickinson has been under development, he continues to be paired with Desharnais, supporting in 16-18 TOI. Shakir Mukhamadullin did not play in the Edmonton game, but did see ice time in the two wins.
Defensive Development
San Jose’s matchup against Buffalo revealed slow reactions, poor puck control, and repeated breakdowns. Like some of the Sharks’ core lines, certain players consistently hold their structure together against their opponent’s pace. Ferraro and Mukhamadullin were the only defensemen who did not finish minus in the Buffalo loss.
In a similar story, the Oilers matchup again exposed the team’s defensive breakdown when it came to zone coverage. While Mukhamadullin was scratched for Nick Leddy, Ferraro and Deshsharnais were overloaded with defensive minutes against Connor McDavid’s line.
With 16 games left in the regular season, the Sharks will need more mobility next season. Luca Cagnoni continues to develop in the AHL and remains a future option for the Sharks’ blueline.
Through both wins, San Jose leaned on consistent structures, goaltending, and committed defending, all elements that need to be reliable. Team Teal plays a short gig at home, with their next game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com
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