Teal Chronicles #2: A Tale of Two Seasons

2025-26 was a breakout season for the San Jose Sharks.

Nineteen-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini tallied a franchise-record 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists), and Team Teal finished with 86 points in the standings — not enough for a playoff berth, but certainly their best campaign since last qualifying for the postseason in 2019.

One thing that Sharks team struggled to do, however, was close games in October. In a small sample size, the 2026-27 roster is already showing more resilience in those critical moments. Whether it's improved depth, a better blue line, the maturation of young talent, or some combination of the three, it's been exciting to witness.

The Painful Flashback

Opening Night — October 9, 2025

The Sharks led Vegas 4-3 in the final frame. With 1:34 remaining in regulation, Jack Eichel dumped in a puck from the neutral zone that somehow beat Alex Nedeljkovic to knot the score. In overtime, Nedeljkovic failed to win a foot race, and Reilly Smith capped the Golden Knights' comeback victory.

Game 2 — October 11, 2025

This time, the Sharks led Anaheim 6-4 in the third period. The Ducks kept battling, and Chris Kreider ultimately beat Yaroslav Askarov with 51 seconds on the clock to force another overtime. In 3-on-3 action, Macklin Celebrini skated into traffic, turned the puck over, and Leo Carlsson sealed a 7-6 victory for our Orange County rivals.

A Fresh Start

Opening Night — October 1, 2026

The Sharks led Florida 3-0 early and watched their entire lead evaporate. Eetu Luostarinen and Matthew Tkachuk scored 17 seconds apart for the Panthers to tie the game. The Sharks bent but didn't break, and Luca Cagnoni won it in overtime with the first goal of his NHL career.

Game 2 — October 3, 2026

Once again, the Sharks found themselves with some breathing room, leading the rival Kings 4-2 midway through the final period. Unfortunately, Erik Haula and Artemi Panarin struck less than five minutes apart to force overtime, and Los Angeles seemed to be dominating play.

Unrattled, San Jose skated down the ice, Celebrini fed Igor Chernyshov, and he absolutely wired his second goal of the night to seal another overtime victory.

Where Does It Lead?

The difference between a 2-0-0 start and an 0-0-2 start can be razor-thin. Those extra two points in October aren't going to make or break a season on their own. Yet a young team learning how to finish games isn't an overnight process, and it's great to see Team Teal's resilience on display from the jump of the 2026-27 season.

Last year's Sharks found ways to lose games they should have won. Through two games, this year's Sharks have found ways to win games they could have lost.

We've also seen seven different players score for San Jose, while Captain Celebrini has amassed five assists in just two games. Look for him to finally light the lamp tonight, when the Sharks take on the Dallas Stars in the Lone Star State.