Who Sharks Did, Didn’t Talk To for Head Coach

Who did the San Jose Sharks talk to for head coach?

Now that the Sharks have hired Ryan Warsofsky to be the 11th head coach in franchise history, it’ll be interesting in the coming years to learn who else they talked to.

As time goes by, you learn interesting things — for example, this past season, San Jose Hockey Now learned that current Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery was a finalist for San Jose’s bench boss in 2022, losing out to David Quinn. Warsofsky, of course, also interviewed then.

Quinn, Carbery Competed Yesterday…And for Sharks Head Coaching Job in 2022

Even right after Warsofsky was announced yesterday, new tidbits were coming out.

On “The Jeff Marek Show” yesterday, Elliotte Friedman reported that Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham “got some love” from the San Jose Sharks for the position.

Friedman also echoed this SJHN report, that the hire came down to Warsofsky or Marco Sturm.

SOURCES: Warsofsky ‘Front Runner’ for Sharks’ Head Coach?

Besides Graham, Friedman had previously reported that Jeff Blashill and Jeremy Colliton were coaches of interest in the search.

SJHN reported the same of Jeff Halpern.

In addition, early in the search, San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier reached out to ex-Sharks bench boss Todd McLellan, but both parties mutually agreed that there wasn’t a fit.

Not confirmed, but SJHN wonders if that was the case too with Boston University (and Macklin Celebrini) head coach Jay Pandolfo.

Multiple sources agreed that the rebuilding franchise wasn’t necessarily the most attractive landing spot for a job, even with top prospects Celebrini and Will Smith incoming.

That’s not a dig at the Sharks — some coaches are aiming to compete immediately, instead of being on the ground floor of a rebuild.

Also interesting is who San Jose didn’t talk to.

SJHN previously confirmed that the Sharks didn’t reach out to University of Denver two-time national champion David Carle.

Not confirmed, but through a variety of sources, SJHN believes that San Jose did not speak with candidates like Dean Evason, Jay Leach, Alain Nasreddine, and Joel Ward.

Anyway, the Sharks start a new chapter for the franchise on Monday, when they officially introduce Warsofsky. But old news is still interesting!