Barracuda Clinch Playoffs for 1st Time Since 2019

The last time that the San Jose Barracuda were really in the playoffs, John McCarthy was still playing.

After a 4-1 victory over the Ontario Reign on Friday night, the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate clinched a playoff spot, for the first time since 2019.

The Barracuda did compete in the COVID-spawned 2021 Pacific Division Playoffs, but so did every other Pacific team.

In 2018-19, McCarthy was the captain of the Roy Sommer-helmed squad, that dropped its first-round match-up with the San Diego Gulls.

McCarthy was forced into retirement the next year because of a heart condition, and from 2019 to 2022, was a Cuda assistant and development coach, before taking the reins from Sommer before the 2022-23 campaign.

McCarthy hasn’t had the easiest time as Barracuda head coach, dealing with undermanned rosters and off-the-ice controversies.

But now?

“Fun to be in that atmosphere again,” McCarthy said of getting back into the big dance.

Of course, the work’s just beginning for the Barracuda, who start the post-season with a three-game series against a yet to be determined opponent. For them, it’s five rounds to hoist the Calder Cup.

With three games to go in the regular season, the Cuda seem most likely to finish from fourth to sixth in the Pacific Division. The top-seven teams make the playoffs. Fourth or high, and San Jose will have home ice advantage in the first round. The Coachella Valley Firebirds, Calgary Wranglers, Abbotsford Canucks, or Ontario are probable opponents.

The Barracuda’s last regular season contest is Apr. 20 at Calgary.

As for the rebuilding San Jose Sharks, the work’s just beginning for them too. But the first real Barracuda playoff appearance in six years could be a sign that better days are ahead for the big club, which also hasn’t seen the post-season since 2019.

“From a development standpoint, you’re going to develop your players better with AHL playoff games,” McCarthy said. “It’s not an NHL game, but it’s closer than an AHL regular season game. It gives these guys that experience, these young players that are playing for us.”

Yaroslav Askarov, Luca Cagnoni, Collin Graf, Filip Bystedt, Ethan Cardwell, Quentin Musty, Igor Chernyshov, Jack Thompson, Danil Gushchin, Thomas Bordeleau, Noah Beck, and Zack Ostapchuk are among the San Jose Sharks prospects who could benefit from a long Barracuda playoff run.

This is Gushchin’s fourth year with the Barracuda, so it’s fitting that he scored the goal to seal the deal.

Gushchin, who's been here through a lot of lean Barracuda years, scores a sensational goal to perhaps seal a Cuda trip to the playoffs pic.twitter.com/1cIEEVFdFw

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 12, 2025

“Been here, like third year,” Gushchin said. “So pretty excited to clinch playoffs.”

“We’ve come a long way,” alternate captain Scott Sabourin, who was here last season, said, “and we’re excited to go on a playoff run here.”