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Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Sharks Can’t Be Too Aggressive at the Trade Deadline

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Alex Hutton | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 2:35 PM ET

For the first time in years, the San Jose Sharks might be buyers at the trade deadline. They are currently in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and could make the postseason for the first time since 2019. At this point, management must consider adding pieces for a playoff push.

But while they should add small pieces that might propel them into the postseason, an aggressive buying approach to the deadline would be a mistake. They need to remember where they stand in their rebuild, and making too big a move would derail their plan to become legitimate contenders.

Sharks Need to Stay Aware of Their Standings

As exciting as it is for the Sharks to be in a playoff position right now, they also have to be honest about their standing. They hold a wild-card spot by a single point – they are as close to third place in the Pacific Division as they are to dropping out of the playoffs entirely.

Their goal differential is minus-19, despite their 23 wins. They don’t have the talent or ability to compete with, say, the Colorado Avalanche, who they lost to 6-0 in November, or the Vegas Golden Knights, who they’ve lost to by five goals twice.

Though the Sharks admire and appreciate how much Macklin Celebrini is doing, it’s hard to overstate just how important he is. He has more than twice as many points as the second-highest scorer on the team, and in the 10 games he’s gone pointless this season, the Sharks have two points and no wins.

Celebrini has kept the Sharks afloat amid a series of injuries, and if he were to join the list of ailing players, the team could easily become the worst team in the NHL, as many of their underlying numbers imply.

The Sharks are in a fairly tenuous position, and teams in tenuous positions shouldn’t make win-now trades for a single playoff run. They could trade some mid-round picks to push them firmly into the postseason, but their future is so bright because of the prospects and top picks they’ve built up over the last few years. Parting with those assets now for rental players would be a huge mistake.

Sharks Still Need to Trade a Defenseman

Complicating matters is their stockpile of defensemen, which many teams will be looking for at the deadline. Although a couple are injured, the Sharks have nine full-time NHL blueliners. They’ve been shuffling them in and out of the lineup throughout the season and could use more consistency on the back end. So, while the San Jose front office mulls the possibility of buying at the deadline, they must consider selling at the same time.

David Pagnotta: San Jose's in a buy and sell mode, they've got pieces they're willing to sell off, but they're also trying to insulate that roster and give them a good shot at making the playoffs – The Hockey Show (1/9)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) January 13, 2026

Several of their defensemen are veterans on expiring contracts, who will become prime candidates for a good return. Moving any of them would give the Sharks the space to bring in new players and open up more chances for those already on the roster.

Sharks Have a Bright Future After This Season

The Sharks are a year ahead of schedule in terms of their results, but the front office shouldn’t start outpacing themselves because the team is. Their rebuild has succeeded because they have been patient and deliberate and haven’t spent too many of their assets on a single trade.

The team has shown tremendous promise this season and will only improve as their young players mature and they add pieces through the draft and free agency. The key for the Sharks is to let that process play out, enjoy the surprises of this season, and spend the trade deadline gearing up for the future rather than overemphasizing the present.