Megan: Imagine paying an eighteen-point-eight million dollar average annual value for one player, and that player is only twenty years old. That is not a typo. That is the new reality in San Jose.
Steve: And Macklin Celebrini didn't just sign it; he said he would take less to help the team. He chose the franchise over the maximum market value. That is a level of loyalty we rarely see in modern hockey.
Megan: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, America’s number one daily sports podcast! I’m Megan, and this is your daily dive into the NHL. I’m joined by Steve, who is still trying to process the math on those contracts.
Steve: I’m processing it, but I’m also looking at the roster construction around him. It’s a fascinating puzzle. We have eleven centers on the depth chart, including Collin Graf back on a three-year deal, and a blue line that looks like it needs a haircut.
Megan: Exactly. Today, we are doing our official Power Rankings update for the Sharks. Here is what we are covering: First, where do they actually stand in the brutal Pacific Division? Second, with all that cap space tied up in Celebrini, what are their real strengths and glaring weaknesses? And third, can we still stick by our prediction of ninety-eight points, or has the ceiling changed?
Steve: We’ve been tracking this closely since last week when we talked about the crowded center ice situation. Now, with the extension officially locked in, let’s look at the division picture.
Megan: Let’s start with the standings. The Sharks are currently sitting fifth in the Pacific Division. For a team with so much hype surrounding Macklin Celebrini, being fifth feels... well, it feels underwhelming, doesn't it?
Steve: It does, but you have to contextualize the Pacific. This is arguably the deepest division in hockey right now. Being fifth means you’re on the bubble. You’re not out of the hunt, but you’re certainly not leading the pack. The margin for error here is razor-thin.
Megan: Right. And we know the next game is against Florida on October second. A home opener against a tough opponent. Does that set the tone for a gritty start?
Steve: It sets the tone for survival. If you look at the roster, you have Yaroslav Askarov and Eric Comrie in net. Askarov has been the future, but Comrie provides steady hands. The defense is the issue though. You have Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba, John Klingberg, Nick Leddy, Dmitry Orlov, Sam Dickinson, Nolan Allan, and Michael Kesselring. That is eight defensemen. Who is playing?
Megan: Eight defensemen! Steve, remember our prediction from Tuesday? We said a veteran defenseman would be traded before the deadline. Is Klingberg the one going?
Steve: I think it’s highly likely. You cannot carry eight defensemen through a full season. You need mobility, you need penalty-killing specialists, and you need cost certainty. With Celebrini making eighteen-point-eight million, every other dollar matters. I expect moves. But until those moves happen, the Sharks are stuck in that fifth-place limbo, talented enough to win, but disorganized enough to lose.
Megan: So, fifth place. Not great, not terrible. Let’s talk about what makes them tick. What is the actual strength of this team if the roster is so crowded?
Megan: Before we break down those strengths, I want to pause for a quick moment. If you’ve enjoyed our deep dive into the Sharks’ cap situation and roster chaos, please consider supporting the show. Your contributions keep us free and daily, allowing us to bring you these detailed breakdowns without ads interrupting the flow. Just use the link in the episode description to chip in. It helps us keep the hockey coming.
Steve: Thanks, Megan. Okay, strengths. Number one: Macklin Celebrini. Obviously. At twenty years old, he is already the face of the franchise. He’s on the cover of EA Sports' NHL 27, which tells you everything about his marketability and skill. But more importantly, his two-way game fits the Sharks' system.
Megan: And don’t forget Collin Graf. He came back on that three-year, twelve-point-seven-five million deal. He had twenty-one goals and twenty-five assists last year. He’s a reliable secondary scorer.
Steve: Graf is important because he takes pressure off the top line. But here is the weakness: the center depth beyond the top tier. You have Will Smith, Alex Barre-Boulet, Ty Dellandrea, Alexander Wennberg, Philipp Kurashev, Barclay Goodrow... it’s a mess. Goodrow is a defensive specialist, but can he generate offense? When Celebrini isn't driving play, who steps up?
Megan: That’s a lot of names. Tyler Toffoli is there too, right? On wing.
Steve: Toffoli is a proven goal-scorer, yes. But pairing him consistently requires stability on the wing. You have Mason Marchment, Pavol Regenda, Kiefer Sherwood, Ethan Cardwell, Adam Gaudette, Brett Leason, Ryan Reaves... again, too many bodies. The coaching staff will struggle with line matching. The forecheck will be aggressive, but if the neutral-zone play is disjointed, you’ll give up odd-man rushes.
Megan: So, Celebrini is the anchor, Graf is the reliable second option, but the rest is chaotic. How does that affect their power play?
Steve: The power play could be lethal if they simplify it. Put Celebrini on the point or in the slot, Toffoli on the half-wall, Graf in front. It’s simple, effective hockey. But if they get bogged down in the zone due to poor entries, they stall. The penalty kill is another story. With Nurse and Trouba, you have size, but speed kills big defensemen. If they can’t clear the crease, they’re in trouble.
Megan: Okay, let’s get to the outlook. We predicted ninety-eight points last week. That’s a playoff number. Do we still believe it? Or does the roster confusion tank that projection?
Steve: I’m sticking with ninety-eight, but it’s risky. Why? Because of the goaltending tandem. Askarov is young, but he’s got upside. Comrie is safe. If they get hot saves, they steal games they should lose. That’s how you hit eighty-eight points easily. To get to ninety-eight, they need Celebrini to produce at a thirty-goal pace.
Megan: And the trades? If they move a veteran defenseman, does that stabilize the locker room?
Steve: Absolutely. Clearing out one of Klingberg, Orlov, or Leddy frees up cap space and simplifies the lineup. It shows commitment to the youth movement. If they make that move early, I see them climbing out of fifth place by January. If they don’t, they stay stuck, fighting for a wild card spot instead of a division lead.
Megan: So, my final take: The Sharks are a fifty-fifty team right now. Great star, messy roster. But with Celebrini on the cover of NHL 27, the hype machine is working in their favor. I think they hit the ninety-eight points, but barely scrape into the playoffs as a wild card.
Steve: I agree. It’s a grind. But in the Pacific, you don’t need to be the best to make the playoffs; you just need to be better than five teams. And with Celebrini carrying the load, they might just do that. Ninety-eight points. Wild card berth. That’s the prediction.
Megan: There you have it. The Sharks are fifth in the Pacific, riding the coattails of Macklin Celebrini’s historic contract and hoping the roster clears up before the season starts. We predict ninety-eight points and a wild card spot.
Steve: Keep an eye on those defensemen trades. If John Klingberg goes, the floor rises significantly. If he stays, expect a long, hard season.
Megan: If you enjoyed this power rankings breakdown, please subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you listen. Share this with a fellow Shark fan who needs to hear this reality check. Support the network via the link in the episode description.
Steve: Thanks for listening to the Beatline Podcast Network.
Megan: Go Sharks!