San Jose Sharks
BREAKING: Sharks Hire Warsofsky To Be Head Coach
The San Jose Sharks are hiring Ryan Warsofsky to be their next head coach.
“His track record of success at nearly every level of hockey as a head and assistant coach speaks for itself,” GM Mike Grier said in a team statement. “Ryan knows our existing group well, has the respect of the players who he will be working with, and will be a great teacher for the young players who will be joining our organization.”
“This is an organization that has a rich history of winning, and I can’t wait to get to work on coaching a team that our fans can be proud of,” Warsofsky said.
It’s a promotion for Warsofsky, who has been a Sharks assistant coach for the last two years. However, on Apr. 24, San Jose fired head coach David Quinn, leaving Warsofsky’s status up in the air.
San Jose Hockey Now reported last week that Warsofsky was a “front runner” for the head coach position. It appeared that he and Marco Sturm were the top candidates.
Warsofsky, 36, interviewed for the top job in the summer of 2022 before Grier chose Quinn. Under Quinn, Warsofsky oversaw the Sharks’ defense and penalty kill.
In 2022-23, Warsofsky helped Erik Karlsson find his Norris Trophy form. Karlsson scored 101 points, the first time since 1991-92 that a defenseman had crossed the century mark. The last time that Karlsson was a Norris finalist was 2016-17 with the Ottawa Senators.
San Jose’s penalty kill was also eighth in the NHL.
This past season was more of a struggle, though admittedly, Warsofsky didn’t have Karlsson, traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and other pieces to work with anymore.
The last-place San Jose Sharks stumbled to a -150 Goal Differential, the worst in the salary cap era. The 28th-ranked penalty kill also scuffled.
Regardless, Warsofsky was thought to be one of the brightest head coaching prospects around two years ago, after taking the Chicago Wolves to the 2022 Calder Cup. He also led the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays to the 2017 Kelly Cup Final.
He also interviewed for the New Jersey Devils’ head coaching job this summer, a job that eventually went to Sheldon Keefe.
Warsofsky will be formally announced in a press conference at SAP Center on Monday.