3 questions facing San Jose Sharks

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the San Jose Sharks.

1. How quickly will Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith develop?

Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and Smith, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will each make his NHL debut this season, and much will be expected of the forwards.

Celebrini, who turned 18 in June, had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games with Boston University last season and won the Hobey Baker, voted the top men's player in NCAA hockey. Smith, 19, had 71 points (25 goals, 46 assists) in 41 games with Boston College and led the NCAA in points.

Assistant general manager Ryane Clowe referred to the 2020 NHL Draft Class of the New York Rangers. For three seasons, he was senior adviser and hockey operations adviser to GM Chris Drury and last season, watched Alexis Lafreniere (No. 1), Braden Schneider (No. 19), Will Cuylle (No. 60) and Matt Rempe (No. 165) all make significant strides.

"You've got to have patience, trust and understanding from a development standpoint," Clowe said. "One thing I learned is development is an individual thing, whether it's Will Smith or Celebrini or any of the young guys around the League. This is what we need to dig in on and go from there."

2. Can they count on their goalies?

Vitek Vanecek will compete with Mackenzie Blackwood, his New Jersey Devils teammate in 2022-23, for time in net. Whether the Sharks go with a No. 1 or a rotation, it's critical they remain healthy and produce.

Vanecek, 28, acquired in a trade with the Devils for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on March 8, has yet to play for the Sharks because of a lower-body injury that sidelined him from Feb. 10 to the end of last season, when he was 17-9-3 with a 3.18 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 32 games (29 starts).

Blackwood, 27, went 10-25-4 with a 3.45 GAA, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 44 games (41 starts), also missing time with a groin and undisclosed injury.

"I've read a couple things, and I try not to read this stuff knocking our goalies, and I think it's crazy to me," coach Ryan Warsofsky said. "I don't know where this talk is coming from. We have two really good goaltenders that we're going to lean on a lot, and I think they're going to surprise a lot of people."

3. What should be expected from first-year coach Ryan Warsofsky?

Warsofsky replaced David Quinn on June 17 to become the youngest coach in the NHL at age 36 after two seasons as an assistant and called for new life, energy and some positivity during his introductory press conference June 17.

The Sharks had NHL lows of 19 wins and 47 points in 2023-24, their fewest in a full season since going 11-71 with two ties (21 points) in 1992-93, and were 22-44-16 in 2022-23.

"I would say that (last season) was rock bottom, for sure, for everyone," Warsofsky said. "I think everyone is kind of probably counting us out, but that's all right. We don't get judged by what the media says. That is completely irrelevant in my book. It's us being focused as a group."