Although it was expected that the rebuild would continue in 2023-24 for the San Jose Sharks, probably no one thought it would be this bad for this iteration of the roster. Not only were the Sharks the National Hockey League's worst club, they were one of the weakest teams of the 21st century.
The Sharks didn't get their first win until game No. 12, starting the year 0-10-1 and never recovering from the miserable start. They finished 19-54-9 and looked to be out of playoff contention before the calendar even flipped to November. And with Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture spending most of their time on the injured reserve - and Hertl being shockingly moved to the Vegas Golden Knights at the trade deadline - it was truly a nightmare campaign for this California club.
After spending the season in the league's basement, the good news is that there's nowhere to go but up for the Sharks. But the front office, led by general manager Mike Grier, need to make a few key decisions this summer to ensure that 2024-25 is a step forward in the rebuild.
The first move the team must make is the easiest. San Jose won the NHL Draft Lottery, and thus the right to select No. 1 overall come the end of June. And that decision will be simple: selecting Boston University phenom Macklin Celebrini. The 17-year-old is fresh off tearing up the NCAA and winning the Hobey Baker as college hockey's premier player.
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