Table of Contents
San Jose Sharks
Foundation
George and Gordon Gund were awarded the franchise in 1990 after successfully selling their ownership share of the Minnesota North Stars. 1)
Name Selection
The name “Sharks” was chosen from over 5,000 fan entries, replacing the first-place choice “Blades” to avoid any connotations with local street gangs. 2)
Logo Design
Artist Terry Smith designed the team's iconic original crest, which features a shark fiercely biting completely through a hockey stick. 3)
First Game
The Sharks played their first regular-season NHL game on October 4, 1991, officially debuting with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. 4)
The Cow Palace
During their first two seasons, the team was forced to play their home games at the historic, heavily undersized Cow Palace in Daly City. 5)
First Win
The franchise secured its first-ever victory just a few days into their inaugural season by defeating the Calgary Flames 4-3 on October 8, 1991. 6)
1992-93 Record
In their painful second season, the Sharks lost 71 games, setting an NHL record for the most losses by a team in a single campaign. 7)
First Draft Pick
Right winger Pat Falloon was the very first draft pick in Sharks history, selected second overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. 8)
The First Captain
Veteran defenseman Doug Wilson was named the very first captain in the history of the San Jose Sharks franchise. 9)
Arenas and Team Culture
SAP Center
The team's permanent home arena, originally called the San Jose Arena and now heavily known as the SAP Center, finally opened in 1993. 10)
The Shark Head
During pregame introductions, Sharks players skate onto the ice through a massive, 17-foot open shark head featuring flashing red eyes and fog. 11)
Teal Revolution
The Sharks essentially introduced and popularized the color teal in North American professional sports merchandise during the early 1990s. 12)
S.J. Sharkie Debut
The team's beloved, high-energy mascot, S.J. Sharkie, made his first official appearance at a home game in January 1992. 13)
Sharkie's Stunt
In 1999, S.J. Sharkie famously got stuck suspended by wires high above the ice before a game, requiring a delayed puck drop to carefully rescue him. 14)
AHL Neighbors
The Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, play in the exact same city at the Tech CU Arena. 15)
Levi's Stadium Outdoor Game
In 2015, the Sharks hosted their bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Kings, in an outdoor NHL Stadium Series game at Levi's Stadium. 16)
Global Series in Prague
The Sharks traveled to Prague, Czechia, to globally open their 2022-23 regular season with back-to-back games against the Nashville Predators. 17)
Kelly Hrudey's Bandana
Veteran goaltender Kelly Hrudey was famous for wearing a bright blue bandana under his mask while playing for the Sharks in the late 90s. 18)
Franchise Legends and Records
Patrick Marleau's Loyalty
Drafted second overall in 1997, Patrick Marleau spent the vast majority of his incredible 23-season career wearing a San Jose Sharks uniform. 19)
Breaking Howe's Record
In 2021, Marleau officially broke Gordie Howe's all-time NHL record for the most regular-season games played in league history. 20)
First Retired Number
Patrick Marleau became the first player to have his jersey number (12) officially retired and raised to the rafters by the San Jose franchise. 21)
Joe Thornton Trade
The Sharks acquired superstar center Joe Thornton in a franchise-altering November 2005 blockbuster trade with the Boston Bruins. 22)
Jumbo Joe's MVP
Thornton won the Hart Trophy in 2005-06, becoming the only player in NHL history to win the MVP award during a season in which he was traded. 23)
Nabokov's Dominance
Evgeni Nabokov holds nearly every major goaltending record in Sharks history, heavily leading the franchise in all-time wins and career shutouts. 24)
Cheechoo's Rocket
Jonathan Cheechoo won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy during the 2005-06 season by leading the entire NHL with 56 goals. 25)
Burns Wins the Norris
Fan-favorite Brent Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's absolute best defenseman following an incredible 2016-17 season. 26)
Doug Wilson's Tenure
After retiring as a player, original captain Doug Wilson served as the Sharks' General Manager for 19 continuous years from 2003 to 2022. 27)
Memorable Moments and Playoff Runs
The 1994 Upset
In their first-ever playoff appearance in 1994, the heavily outmatched eighth-seeded Sharks shocked the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings in seven games. 28)
Jamie Baker's Heroics
Forward Jamie Baker etched his name in franchise history by scoring the iconic series-winning goal in the third period of Game 7 against Detroit in 1994. 29)
Calling His Shot
At the 1997 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose, Owen Nolan famously pointed at the net before scoring a hat-trick goal on legendary goalie Dominik Hasek. 30)
Presidents' Trophy
The Sharks secured their first and only Presidents' Trophy by posting the NHL's absolute best regular-season record during the 2008-09 campaign. 31)
Hertl's Four Goals
In just his third NHL game in 2013, rookie Tomas Hertl scored four goals, perfectly capping the night with a spectacular between-the-legs shot. 32)
The 2016 Final
The 2015-16 season marked the Sharks' first and only appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, where they ultimately fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 33)
Couture's Scoring Spree
Logan Couture led all NHL players in postseason scoring with 30 total points during the Sharks' historic 2016 Stanley Cup run. 34)
Jones' 44 Saves
Goaltender Martin Jones made a spectacular 44 saves in Game 5 of the 2016 Final to single-handedly stave off elimination against Pittsburgh. 35)
The 5-Minute Major Comeback
In Game 7 of the 2019 playoffs, the Sharks rallied from a 3-0 third-period deficit by scoring four goals on a single five-minute major penalty against Vegas. 36)
Goodrow in OT
Barclay Goodrow completed the miraculous 2019 Game 7 comeback against the Golden Knights by scoring the series-clinching goal in overtime. 37)
Notable Trades and Drafts
Acquiring Owen Nolan
The Sharks traded highly skilled defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh to the Colorado Avalanche in 1995 to acquire power forward Owen Nolan. 38)
Late-Round Gem
Joe Pavelski, who would eventually become team captain and a franchise pillar, was famously drafted in the seventh round (205th overall) of the 2003 draft. 39)
Pavelski's Playoff Prowess
Pavelski developed into an elite scorer and holds the all-time NHL record for the most career playoff goals by an American-born player. 40)
The Karlsson Blockbuster
In 2018, San Jose executed a massive, multi-player trade to acquire two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators. 41)
Karlsson's Historic Season
During the 2022-23 season, Erik Karlsson became the first NHL defenseman in over 30 years to score 100 points, earning his third Norris Trophy. 42)
Will Smith Pick
Kicking off a major franchise rebuild, the Sharks selected highly touted offensive forward Will Smith fourth overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. 43)
The First Overall Pick
In 2024, the Sharks drafted Macklin Celebrini first overall, marking the very first time in franchise history they held the number one pick. 44)
Mike Ricci's Grit
Acquired in 1997, Mike Ricci's missing teeth, long hair, and relentlessly gritty two-way play made him one of the most beloved cult figures in Sharks history. 45)