Granlund on How Much He Liked It in San Jose, What He Hopes Young Sharks Learned From Him

Mikael Granlund is back!

Granlund spoke with local media before Saturday’s San Jose Sharks-Dallas Stars tilt.

It’s been just one week since Granlund and Cody Ceci were traded to the Stars for a 2025 first and a conditional 2025 fourth (which becomes a third if Dallas makes the Stanley Cup Final).

Statement from Mikael Granlund, on his way to catch his flight to Dallas:

“I really enjoyed my time in San Jose, I think it was the right place at the right time for me and the Sharks. I had lots of fun working with the young core, good group of guys and a really nice community.…

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 1, 2025

Here are some highlights from Granlund’s availability.

Granlund talks about possibly coming back to the San Jose Sharks this summer as a free agent, what he hopes the younger Sharks players got from him in their time together, and why he was so successful in San Jose.

Granlund, on possibly coming back to the San Jose Sharks this summer as a UFA:

I haven’t even thought about it. Let’s play some hockey here. And you know, let’s see when the time is right.

Granlund, on his impact on the San Jose Sharks’ locker room:

I’m glad if it meant something for them, and they got something out of that. That was something I really wanted to do, as an older player, to give a little bit of an example, how you need to work and handle yourself in this league to become a better player. So if they got something out of that, I’m really proud of that.

Granlund, on the one thing that he hopes the younger Sharks got from him in their time together:

I think the biggest thing is you got to be willing to work, and you got to be willing to work [on] the right things. I always told those guys, let’s do a little bit of extra something on the ice, work on your skills.

What I’m really proud also with those guys, when I think about Zetts or Eky or now, when you look at Mack and Will, they’re trying to play the right way.

You can see with Zetts and Eky. Last season, we played a lot together. It was like we got to play the right way. If you want to become winning player, winning hockey team in this league, you got to play the right way defensively, a 200-foot game.

If they get something out of that? It’s a tough situation. You’re losing a lot, but same time, your habits need to be there. You need to do the right things to give you a chance to win in this hockey league.

Granlund, on why things clicked for him in San Jose after a tough season with the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins:

Personally, before I got here, I knew I had a tough season, there was a lot of things going on. So I knew, let’s put everything into this hockey now. And I want to be the player I know I can be.

That summer and since then, I’ve been feeling way better on the ice. I’m able to do the kind of the things I want to do offensively. Always try to do everything [in the] 200-foot game.

But the mindset, how I prepare for the season, that’s by far the biggest thing. I was able to become a player that I knew I could be.

And obviously, you always need opportunity. Here, I got some good ice time. Obviously, I feel like I deserved that. No one is just gonna give you anything.

I really liked my time here.