The San Jose Sharks have announced a new Head Coach. Former assistant Ryan Warsofsky is getting his first chance at being an NHL Head Coach.
Sharks General Manager Mike Grier stated “We’re very excited to announce Ryan as the 11th head coach of the San Jose Sharks. His track record of success at nearly every level of hockey as a head and assistant coach speaks for itself. Ryan knows our existing group well, has the respect of the players who he will be working with, and will be a great teacher for the young players who will be joining our organization.”
The Sharks had the worst record in the NHL this past season with a 19-54-9 record. They managed to win the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery which secured them the top draft pick. They also pick 14th in the 2024 NHL Draft.
San Jose Sharks Made A Great Choice
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While the Sharks’ firing of previous Head Coach David Quinn was unexpected, the hiring of former assistant Ryan Warsofsky was not unexpected. While former San Jose forward and current Ontario Reign Head Coach Marco Sturm was the other strong candidate, Warsofsky was the right choice even if it wasn’t apparent to me at first.
Warsofsky is a former AHL champion as Head Coach of the Chicago Wolves. At 36 he’s the youngest coach in the NHL and has a chance to grow with a young roster. He already has familiarity with the team which helps him out.
This Is a Huge Step Forward For The San Jose Sharks
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The San Jose Sharks have been having the best offseason they possibly could have dreamed of. They signed former top draft pick Will Smith, they won the draft lottery, and they have to spend $15 million just to reach the salary cap floor. The rebuild is certainly underway but every day the sun is shining brighter in San Jose.
Having two picks in the top 15 of the draft also will help with the rebuild. The Sharks are coming off of having the worst record in the league but have a great chance to begin turning things around sooner rather than later.
What Does This Mean for San Jose Sharks Organization?
The Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda are going to be further reshuffled. As older players like Marc Eduard Vlasic and Logan Couture leave the organization, they are going to get even younger. Eventually, they will not have any more retained salaries as well as they have used all of their retained slots after trading Tomas Hertl.
They aren’t close to contention and are finally unafraid of saying they’re rebuilding. They had previously denied it which frustrated fans. They can also continue work on further developing and building the prospect pool.
Ryan Warsofsky Is an Upgrade Over David Quinn
David Quinn isn’t a bad head coach by any means but it became apparent that the team wasn’t responding well to him. They opened the 2023-24 season by almost setting a record for losing. They also almost set a record for most games in a row giving up 10+ goals. The team needed General Manager Mike Grier to step in and give pep talks.
Ryan Warsofsky seemed to be well-liked by the players. His job is to get the most out of one of the youngest rosters as they transition through the rebuild. He’s not a retread hire like other options were which helps him.
Expectations For the San Jose Sharks Next Season
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While the team isn’t going to be anywhere near contention, they will be better than they were last season. They’re going to add Macklin Celebrini with the first pick, and another top pick with the 14th pick. They also will be able to upgrade the roster through free agency which will give them a great chance to make massive strides.
The 2023-24 season was the absolute rock bottom for the San Jose Sharks. This helps begin their climb back up to relevance. They’re building a young roster that has the potential to begin climbing up the ranks of the NHL.
