Ahead of the 2026-27 season, The Hockey News released their annual Yearbook and projected where each team in the NHL will finish in the standings. The San Jose Sharks are one of the teams expected to take major steps forward, as they were picked to finish fourth in the Pacific Division.
Last season, the Los Angeles Kings finished fourth in the Pacific with 90 points, which was just barely enough to squeak into a playoff spot. With the Sharks’ improvements, specifically to the blue line, over the summer, it seems that they could jump the Kings, and multiple other teams, in the division this winter.
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In the Yearbook, The Hockey News had the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks slotted above the Sharks in the Pacific Division, but as the Sharks showed last season, they’re not far off of competing with those organizations.
If the Sharks finish fourth in the Pacific, they won’t have to just worry about their division rivals. They’ll be battling for a wild card spot, which means they’ll have to beat out a number of teams in the always competitive Central Division, like the Utah Mammoth, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, if they’re going to clinch a berth to the postseason for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
The Yearbook issue also went in-depth with prospects, depth charts, and much more. The e-edition of the issue can be viewed in the THN Archive available here.
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