As the 4 Nations Face-Off continues this week, the San Jose Sharks are not represented at the tournament. Their trade of Mikael Granlund to the Dallas Stars lost them their sole player appearing in the competition, making them one of just two teams with no one on any of the four rosters.
San Jose’s absence brings disappointment for the franchise, as it lessens the excitement around the Face-Off for Sharks fans and highlights their current low standing and negative perception in the NHL. However, the team’s lack of presence actually has some benefits that could help them in the final weeks of the season. If they capitalize on the time off, they can end what has been a difficult campaign on a positive note and carry momentum into the future.
Sharks Get Physical Break for Final Stretch
Hockey is a brutal, full-contact sport, and the NHL’s 82-game schedule takes a toll on players. Even those who are not missing games with ailments get worn down by the season and might not be playing to their maximum ability as it goes on. So while the Sharks would love to play for their countries at the Face-Off, they should appreciate the opportunity to rest. While other teams’ best players add even more games to their grinding schedules, the Sharks can use the tournament as a recovery time. Playing more games also increases injury risk, and the Vegas Golden Knights have already seen one key skater, defenseman Shea Theodore, suffer an upper-body injury that could impact his ability to contribute to their playoff push.
Related: Guide to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
These factors don’t matter as much to San Jose as they might to a contending team, but they still hold value. The Sharks have had a difficult campaign, improving their play but not enough to gain significantly more wins than last season. If they can close the season by increasing their rate of winning, they will give themselves a lot to build on and go into the summer trending upwards. This break allows them to rest, get their bodies back to the best physical shape possible, and compete with as much effort as possible to finish the season the right way.
Sharks Can Focus on Mental Health
Unlike the physical aspect, the mental break the Sharks get might be more important to them than it would be to a team playing well. While a contender might want to keep playing winning hockey and not slow down the positive energy, San Jose gets a respite from a difficult period that is affecting their mentality.
The Sharks have just four wins since the start of 2025, and that sort of constant losing is psychologically challenging for players. Showing up to the rink every day, only to almost always leave with a loss, takes a lot of joy out of a sport they love and in which they have invested a large portion of their lives. By getting away from that slog, they can clear their minds and return refreshed when NHL play resumes.
A mental reset is especially important for the Sharks when considering how many young players they have. For instance, Macklin Celebrini is in his first professional season and isn’t used to losing this much at any point in his hockey career. While San Jose’s veteran players have the experience and perspective to navigate difficulties, he and other up-and-coming players are simultaneously adjusting to the NHL and dealing with volumes of losing. That can’t be easy for him, but he’s taking advantage of the break to have fun and derive positivity from hockey. Most notably, he used his time off to travel to the East Coast and watch his alma mater Boston University win the Beanpot tournament. He clearly enjoyed himself, and now he hopes he and his teammates can carry that zeal into the rest of the season and turn it into wins.
Sharks Can Find Reasons for Optimism at End of Season
The 4 Nations Face-Off is drawing increasingly more attention to the NHL and the sport of hockey as it goes on, and the Sharks would love to be part of it. However, they can get a lot out of not being involved as well. As a struggling team, they can recharge both physically and mentally, gearing themselves up for one final push to end the season headed in the right direction, holding positive results for the entire roster. Weirdly, if they can provide an uplifting conclusion to their season, their lack of participation in the tournament could be a major reason why.
