Sheng Peng
What’s the next step for Fabian Zetterlund?
Zetterlund, 24, enjoyed a breakout campaign last year for the San Jose Sharks.
The stout 5-foot-11 winger led the Sharks with 24 goals, a surprise considering that he went scoreless in 22 games in teal to close the 2022-23 season, after coming from the New Jersey Devils in the Timo Meier trade.
Here are four questions that Zetterlund will answer in 2024-25.
Ex-San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn, Zetterlund, and an NHL scout not with the San Jose Sharks supplied answers.
What Must Zetterlund Improve?
This is how Quinn answered the question in April, before he was let go.
“Sometimes he gets a little bit, I don’t want to say lost, but he tries to do too much instead of just playing the position from a defensive standpoint,” Quinn said. “Whether he’s the low guy or strong-side winger, just do what you’re supposed to do.”
Focusing on Zetterlund’s defense instead of his offense is sensible, considering the last-place Sharks surrendered 326 goals, third-worst in the salary cap era.
“He and I’ve talked about it, in the open ice, he has a tendency to kind of overplay the puck a little bit,” Quinn said. “Being a little bit more under control will put him in a position to cause more turnovers and be on the right side of the puck a little bit more.”
Here’s an example from last season of Zetterlund (20) losing Zach Hyman (18) in the slot:
Zetterlund, when asked in April, didn’t disagree with Quinn’s assessment: “Be strong on pucks in the D-zone. Know where I am all the time. Be aware of the top players on the other team too. Read the play a little bit better. Be on the right side. Don’t let too easy goals.”
In fairness to Zetterlund, he was also equally a victim of the poor defensive group around him. The youngster, naturally, would try to do too much at times.
And he’s certainly got the right attitude to become a strong two-way winger, which is half the battle.
“He’s always trying to do the right thing,” Quinn said. “Shift in and shift out, you’re getting your all from him, physically and most [of the time] mentally. That’s something that a player needs to have as part of his make-up.”
Frankly, on the cellar-dwelling Sharks, not everybody had that attitude last year.
How Much Will Zetterlund Score in 2024-25?
When a 24-year-old scores 24 goals, it’s often safe to assume that he’s on an upward trend.
But the scouting community isn’t necessarily convinced of that with Zetterlund.
“Probably not going to be a [great] finisher,” Scout #1 predicted recently.
That’s taking nothing away from Zetterlund’s quick and hard shot, his 24 goals last year, but his accuracy has always been a question mark.
This is what an ex-NHL head coach told San Jose Hockey Now about Zetterlund last summer.
“When you’re just playing this, can I belong in the league in your head? You’re not sure. And you’re trying to establish yourself. You’re just more concerned with putting the puck and hitting the net,” he said. “Eventually, those things come along, where you start picking corners, you have more practice now. You have confidence now.”
24 goals later, Zetterlund is certainly a more confident player this summer than last.
But has Zetterlund’s finish improved enough for him to be a perennial 20, 30-goalscorer? And on a better team?
There’s no doubt that Zetterlund benefited from being the San Jose Sharks’ go-to winger. From Nov. 10, he was their second-most used forward, after Mikael Granlund.
All that playing time helped him pile up a team-leading 204 shots.
But Zetterlund may not be the go-to guy anymore on the Sharks, be it 5-on-5 or power play, after the acquisition of sniper Tyler Toffoli.
Will Zetterlund produce with less opportunity?
To his credit, Zetterlund has proven scouts wrong before.
When San Jose acquired him in Feb. 2023 for Timo Meier, a different NHL scout said, joking not joking, to SJHN, “My initial reaction is the Sharks just traded a 35-goal scoring power forward for a collection that doesn’t include anyone projected to score 10-plus goals in the NHL.”
Can Zetterlund do it again?
Is Zetterlund Core Piece of Sharks’ Future?
Look, Fabian Zetterlund is a legit NHL player with real talent.
He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s got a good shot, and he really cares.
I’m not trying to take him down — I’m trying to paint a more accurate picture of him.
After he went 0-fer for his San Jose Sharks’ debut, there weren’t a lot of people outside of the organization singing his praises.
But as the Sharks climb out of the cellar, we’ll learn if he’s a bridge player or a core piece.
“For me, he’s more of a third-line energy type,” Scout #1 said recently. “He plays hard, but I don’t see the creative side.”
It’s important to recognize that a playoff-caliber third-line winger is worth its weight in gold.
A third-liner can also be a core piece, especially if he’s got winning intangibles.
But maybe Zetterlund’s offense and defense keep up with the Sharks’ rise?
What Will Zetterlund’s Next Contract Look Like?
Zetterlund is an RFA after the 2024-25 season.
How he answers the first three questions will answer the fourth.