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Zack Ostapchuk, San Jose Sharks (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sharks Need to Be Patient With Zack Ostapchuk

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Alex Hutton | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 10:25 AM ET

The San Jose Sharks spent most of the 2024-25 season relying heavily on young players to make an impact. Several played an important role, but not all of them have found their place on the team yet — perhaps most notably center Zack Ostapchuk. As the central return player in the Fabian Zetterlund trade, Ostapchuk faces a lot of pressure to produce, but he struggled to establish himself among the forward group. He is still young and developing, and every bit of his time in San Jose has reflected that. As frustrating as the start to his Sharks tenure was, the team can afford to be patient with him if they want to unlock his potential.

Ostapchuk Had a Rough Start to Sharks Tenure

Ostapchuk appeared in 13 Sharks games after the trade, and the numbers from those games simply aren’t very good. He didn’t register a single point and managed just six shots on goal, including none in his first eight games. When including his time with the Ottawa Senators, his overall NHL stats — one goal and three assists in 63 games — aren’t much better. He provides some physicality and shot-blocking on defense, but his offense shows that he isn’t doing enough to stand out yet. Factor in that he was traded for a 20-goal scorer who was a fan favorite and a beloved teammate, and the move becomes even more dubious.

Given his age, Ostapchuk deserves time to adjust to San Jose. Unfortunately for the Sharks, his lack of productivity makes it unclear just how long that adjustment period will last.

Ostapchuk’s Youth Leaves a Lot of Room for Growth

Amid Ostapchuk’s difficult start, the Sharks need to consider just how young he is. A month away from turning 22, he is three and a half years younger than Zetterlund. For another example, he is also several months younger than William Eklund, who was drafted in the same year. Eklund broke out in his age-21 season, but wingers tend to have an easier development curve than centers. Ostapchuk had to adapt to a new team in the middle of the season and take on the responsibility of centering a line with players he’d never skated with before. That’s a difficult task for any center, but particularly for one so young.

Ostapchuk didn’t make the transition out of the juniors until the 2023-24 season, and he is still acclimating to professional hockey. His time in the American Hockey League (AHL), during which he has posted 39 points in 84 games, has been far more successful than his NHL appearances. He needs time to turn into an NHL-caliber player, and the Sharks can give that to him.

Zetterlund Offers Example for Ostapchuk to Follow

In the process of fitting in with the Sharks, Ostapchuk should look to other players who have had to undergo a similar process. One of the best examples comes from the man for whom he was traded.

Zetterlund arrived in San Jose shortly before the 2023 Trade Deadline as part of the Timo Meier trade with the New Jersey Devils. He wasn’t the top prize in that deal, but he was an intriguing winger who didn’t have a clear future in New Jersey. His post-deadline run was unspectacular: he appeared in 22 games, didn’t score a goal and registered just three assists. He didn’t show a lot that suggested he would be a valuable piece of the return package in the trade. During the ensuing offseason, he worked hard to integrate with the Sharks and realize his potential.

The results were a massive improvement — he scored a career-high 24 goals in 2023-24 and looked like a player who was not only worth trading for but also a candidate to become a core member of the Sharks’ rebuild. The events of the following season altered that possibility, but he still proved how a midseason trade acquisition can bounce back from a rough start with his new team.

Ostapchuk’s start to his Sharks tenure was even less productive, and he plays a different position, so the parallels aren’t exact. But he’s also younger now than Zetterlund was at the time of the trade and has a lot of room for growth. He might not see improvement as quickly as Zetterlund did, but he can use Zetterlund as a model for how to find his footing in San Jose.

Ostapchuk Can Still Find Role With Sharks

The Sharks hope Ostapchuk can become their third-line center, and he’ll need to score a lot more than four points to get there. On the other hand, his defensive and physical tools show him to be capable of being a grinding forward who can improve the team’s defense while helping to protect their more offensively skilled players. General manager Mike Grier has repeatedly emphasized the importance of being strong up the middle. Ostapchuk can help the Sharks get there, but he needs to turn into more of an offensive threat to round out his game. He has one year left on his current contract, at which point he will enter restricted free agency. This offseason and next season will be crucial for him, and he could spend time in the AHL to further his development.

When the Sharks traded Zetterlund, they took a big risk, in large part because they were counting on Ostapchuk to eventually develop into a full-time NHL center. They knew his transformation wouldn’t happen right away, and his play after his arrival shows that it may take even longer than they expected. He’s a work in progress, and now that they’ve committed to him, the team has no choice but to be patient.