Sharks players hold private meeting after loss to Kings

The San Jose Sharks find themselves in a precarious position just over a month into the 2026-27 NHL season. Currently sitting in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a 7-9-1 record, the club is struggling to replicate the progress made during their rebuild last season. According to NHL.com, the team finished last season four points behind the second wild-card spot, and they currently rank 28th in goals per game (2.53) and are tied for 27th in goals against per game (3.53). This follows a 2025-26 season where the team made significant progress, finishing with a 39-35-8 record.

The Associated Press reported that the Kings’ power play proved decisive, converting on three of five opportunities. Erik Haula and Joel Armia also scored for the Kings, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves. For San Jose, Macklin Celebrini and Ivar Stenberg contributed power-play goals, with Erik Gustafsson assisting on both. Yaroslav Askarov recorded 20 saves in the defeat, which also marked the NHL debut for defenseman Eric Pohlkamp.

Frustration mounts within the locker room

It’s got to change. We can’t let it seep into our game, but I mean, we got to be frustrated and not happy with the way we’re playing, Celebrini said, as noted by NHL.com. While the team held a private players-only meeting, Celebrini declined to disclose the specifics of the discussion, reiterating only that the group must identify solutions to their current slump. We know what we have in this room, and we believe in each other. We’re a team first and foremost, he added. Obviously, things aren’t going well right now, so we got to figure it out.

The team’s struggles extend beyond mere statistics, with Luke Sherwood pointing toward a lack of cohesion. Just work. When you work, things open up, (the) game slows down a little bit, Sherwood told reporters. We show bits and spurts of that, and we have a lot of good players, but it’s about being a good team right now. I think it’s a mindset. It’s a maturity that we need to get going here.

Players face tough leadership challenges after defeat

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky acknowledged the leadership efforts of his players, noting that the collective frustration is a shared sentiment throughout the organization. That’s up to them. It shows that we’ve got some leadership in here, and we’re all frustrated, Warsofsky said. The intensity of the rivalry was on full display during the Wednesday loss, with Sherwood specifically citing the conduct of the opposition during the game. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and do something about it, Sherwood stated. (The Kings were) up 6-2, put their top power play out. (Artemi) Panarin’s blocking shots, celebrating to his bench. It’s disrespectful. Until we do something about it, things aren’t going to change unless we man up and do something about it.

Panarin finished the night with four assists, while Kempe’s performance marked his 37th multigoal game with the franchise, moving him past Dustin Brown for ninth place in team history. The Sharks have little time to dwell on these grievances as they continue a challenging road trip. The team is scheduled to face the Minnesota Wild on Friday before traveling to take on the Dallas Stars on Saturday.