5 Thoughts Following the Sharks’ First 5 Games

The Hockey News' William Espy evaluated the San Jose Sharks after their 3-2-0 start to the 2026-27 NHL season. While noting their positive record, Espy argues that the team faces underlying issues, particularly in net. He suggests head coach Ryan Warsofsky should give veteran goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic the majority of starts over Yaroslav Askarov, who struggled in recent outings against the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers.

Espy also argues that rookie Michael Misa deserves increased ice time and suggests rotating veteran Barclay Goodrow out of the fourth line. Additionally, the writer highlights defenseman Sam Dickinson's positive development while warning that San Jose's poor expected goals metrics at 5-on-5 could make their early success unsustainable without system adjustments.