San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks represent Silicon Valley from SAP Center, the Shark Tank, where teal-clad fans have created one of the NHL's most distinctive and passionate environments since the team's 1991 arrival. The Sharks have built a devoted fanbase in a region that had no NHL tradition before their expansion, with San Jose embracing hockey and making the Shark Tank one of the league's loudest venues. San Jose's tech-industry wealth and diverse population have supported the Sharks through decades of competitive hockey, though the franchise has yet to win a Stanley Cup. The Sharks are rebuilding after the Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau era, developing young talent while honoring the legacy of teams that reached the 2016 Finals. The Shark Tank's unique atmosphere—from the shark head entrance to the chomping motion—has become iconic in NHL hockey.

Founded in 1991 as an expansion team, the Sharks struggled initially before building competitive teams that made the playoffs consistently from the late 1990s through the 2010s. Joe Thornton's arrival in 2005 transformed the franchise, with his playmaking brilliance and Patrick Marleau's goal-scoring making San Jose a perennial contender for over a decade. The Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016, losing to Pittsburgh in six games, in what remains the franchise's deepest playoff run and closest brush with a championship. The 2019 playoffs featured the infamous hand pass no-call that cost San Jose a game against St. Louis, adding to the Sharks' history of playoff heartbreak. San Jose's consistent competitiveness without ultimate success has created a loyal but frustrated fanbase that continues to support the team through its rebuild.