Celebrini, Toffoli, Wennberg, Goodrow among those joining Sharks rebuild

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2024-25 regular season, which starts Oct. 4. Today, the San Jose Sharks:

2023-24 season: 19-54-9, eighth in Pacific Division; missed Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Macklin Celebrini, F: The 18-year-old and No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sharks on July 6. Celebrini had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games as a freshman at Boston University last season, and at 17 years old became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top NCAA men’s player. He was second in points per game (1.68) and goals, and third in points. … Tyler Toffoli, F: The 32-year-old signed a four-year contract July 1. Toffoli had 55 points (33 goals, 22 assists) in 79 games for the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets last season, including 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 18 games after he was traded to the Jets on March 8. … Alex Wennberg, F: The 29-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1. Wennberg split last season between the Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers. He had 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 79 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in 16 playoff games. … Barclay Goodrow, F: The 31-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Rangers on June 19, returning to where he signed as an undrafted free agent March 6, 2014, and played parts of his first six NHL seasons. He had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 80 regular-season games and eight points (six goals, two assists) in 16 playoff games last season. … Ty Dellandrea, F: The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract July 4 after being acquired from the Dallas Stars on June 19. Dellandrea had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 42 regular-season games for the Stars last season and one goal in six playoff games. … Carl Grundstrom, F: The 26-year-old signed a two-year contract July 4, one week after he was acquired for defenseman Kyle Burroughs in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings. Grundstrom had 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 50 regular-season games last season and no points in five playoff games. … Jake Walman, D: Acquired on June 25 with a second-round pick in the 2024 draft from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations, Walman had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 63 games last season. … Ryan Warsofsky, coach: He replaced David Quinn on June 13 to become the youngest coach in the NHL at 36 years old. Warsofsky was a Sharks assistant coach for two seasons, overseeing defensemen and the penalty kill.

Key departures

Kevin Labanc, F: The 28-year-old became an unrestricted free agent after he had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 46 games last season, one curtailed by injuries. Labanc has 225 points (82 goals, 143 assists) in 478 regular-season games and 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 30 playoff games, all with San Jose. … Kyle Burroughs, D: The 29-year-old had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 73 games last season, his only one with the Sharks. … David Quinn, coach: He was fired April 24 after going 41-98-25 in two seasons.

On the cusp

Will Smith, F: The 19-year-old and No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft led the NCAA with 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) as a freshman at Boston College. Smith set a program scoring record for a first-year player and helped the Eagles reach the title game, a 2-0 loss to the University of Denver. … Shakir Mukhamadullin, D: The 22-year-old made his NHL debut Jan. 27, playing 19:21 in a 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, and had one assist in three NHL games last season. Mukhamadullin had 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) in 55 games for San Jose of the American Hockey League last season, his first full professional season, and was selected for the AHL All-Star Classic. … Filip Bystedt, F: The 20-year-old joined the AHL following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season with Linkoping HC of the Swedish Hockey League. Bystedt, chosen in the first round (No. 27) of the 2022 NHL Draft, had seven points (four goals, three assists) in eight AHL games and 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 47 SHL games last season.

What they still need

Patience and time, which Ryane Clowe emphasized one week after he was named Sharks assistant general manager. Celebrini and Smith are high-end prospects who will develop at their own pace, something Clowe saw unfold with Alexis Lafreniere, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, in three seasons as senior adviser and hockey operations adviser to Rangers GM Chris Drury. The Sharks have a long road ahead after starting last season 0-10-1 and finishing with 19 wins, tied for third-fewest in franchise history. They’re hoping 35-year-old forward Logan Couture can return sooner than later; Sharks GM Mike Grier said June 24 that the captain was training, and the plan was for him to begin skating in July. Couture was limited to six games last season because of a hip and groin injury.

They said it

“I know the players that are here. We just went through two really tough years. I know what they need. They’re beat up a little bit. We need new life, we need some energy, we need some positivity. Now we have some hope with our prospects that are coming up. This is a really exciting chapter in this franchise.” -- coach Ryan Warsofsky

Fantasy focus

The Sharks have two of the projected top four rookies in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings, Celebrini and Smith, who are each expected to not only make the jump to the NHL this season, but quickly earn time in the top-six forward group and on the first power-play unit. The Sharks remain in a full-blown rebuild but now have this rookie duo and sneaky offseason additions Toffoli and Walman joining the productive Mikael Granlund (60 points in 69 games last season), suddenly giving them a bunch of appealing fantasy options attainable outside the top 100 overall. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Tyler Toffoli -- Macklin Celebrini -- Fabian Zetterlund

William Eklund -- Mikael Granlund -- Will Smith

Thomas Bordeleau -- Alexander Wennberg -- Luke Kunin

Barclay Goodrow -- Nico Sturm -- Ty Dellandrea

Mario Ferraro -- Ty Emberson

Jake Walman -- Jan Rutta

Henry Thrun -- Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Mackenzie Blackwood

Vitek Vanecek