San Jose Sharks Lose to Nashville as Rebuild Struggles Continue

The San Jose Sharks fell 3-2 to Nashville, extending their rebuild struggles despite a late comeback attempt. With a record of 17-40-9, the game marks another frustrating loss in their rebuilding season.

Game Recap: Late Push Not Enough

In the first period, neither team scored. For 40 minutes, the Sharks also remained scoreless. Despite outshooting the Preds 19-17 after 40 minutes, Team Teal remained down 2-0.

Then, Patrick Giles, acquired in the Vitek Vanecek trade, got his first goal as a Shark. His wrist shot, set up by Carl Grundstrom, cut Nashville’s lead to one.

Less than 20 seconds later, Collin Graf tied it 2-2, scoring his second NHL goal off a feed from Will Smith. Smith has five points in his last five appearances, with three assists and two goals.

But just minutes later, Kieffer Bellows put Nashville back in front. Filip Forsberg provided the assist. The Sharks could not recover, continuing a season-long trend of falling just short.

Roster Shakeups and Injury Updates

San Jose announced multiple roster updates as of March 10. Defenseman Henry Thrun is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Center Tyler Toffoli is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Forward Noah Gregor was unavailable for Tuesday’s game due to immigration paperwork delays, per Rotowire.

Gregor, recently acquired from Ottawa with Zack Ostapchuk and a 2025 second-round pick, was unable to debut Tuesday. He could be ready for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The trade sent Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Senators.

For Gregor, it’s a return to familiar territory. After two seasons with Toronto and Ottawa, he rejoins the Sharks club. In 281 games Gregor has tallied 69 points (36 goals, 33 assists).

New Goalie Signed

On March 7, Sharks General Manager Mike Grier announced the signing of goaltender Gabriel Carriere to a one-year, two-way contract. The 24-year-old played most of the season with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, posting a 14-9-2 record. He held a .922 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average in 25 games. Carriere originally joined the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the Barracuda, in April 2024.

Only One “Lund” Left

The Sharks’ latest moves leave just one “Lund” on the roster: William Eklund. The team has moved on from Mikael Granlund, trading Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars in February. Now, Fabian Zetterlund, previously thought to be part of the rebuild, has been dealt to the Ottawa Senators.

In the Locker Room

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky sent a clear message to the locker room, per Curtis Pashelka. Warsofsky told players, “There’s jobs to be won here for the future of this organization. If you don’t realize that, you’re in the wrong business. You’ve gotta get your head above water here a little bit. So there’s a lot of jobs to be won. We’re looking around. We’re watching every time you practice, every time you skate, in our games, in our meetings, if you’ve paid attention. Are you part of the solution here in the future?”

It could be difficult to build team chemistry with the constant line changes. Warsofsky, 37, is in his first season as an NHL level coach. The Sharks have won six games in their last 30. While San Jose remains deep in a rebuilding rough patch, there have been flashes of brilliance and compete this season.

As the season winds down, Team Teal continues a long homestand that runs through March 29. With 16 games ahead, they still have opportunities to build chemistry, proving who will be part of the team’s future.

San Jose’s next matchup is against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

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Featured image courtesy of San Jose Sharks on NHL.com  

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