Hockey History
Sharks Locker Room: Toffoli Joins Select Company With 30th Goal
Tyler Toffoli will need one more stop to match an NHL record.
Toffoli scored his 30th goal of the season on Sunday night, in a 5-2 San Jose Sharks’ loss to the Calgary Flames.
It was the fourth different team where the veteran sniper has reached that milestone: The Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16, the Flames in 2022-23, the Winnipeg Jets last year, and now, the Sharks.
Toffoli's 3rd-straight 30-goal season!
What's remarkable about that, the 32-year-old has had 4 30-goal seasons, the first one at 23 years old, the last three in his 30's
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 14, 2025
When we sing Toffoli’s praises, of course, it’s not just about the scoring.
“He’s been outstanding for our group. The goal-scoring is one thing, but what he does for our dressing room as a leader, helping these young players,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Toffoli. “As much as Toff wants to score, he wants to win, and that’s what we need around here. We need guys that want to win and love to win more than they hate to lose. And that’s what Toff is all about.”
Alternate captain and 2014 Stanley Cup champion Toffoli has been a big brother to teen Sharks Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, a guy who connects everybody in the locker room, and a good example of winning.
Only one player has scored 30-or-more goals for five NHL teams, Hall of Famer Mike Gartner with the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Phoenix Coyotes.
Toffoli’s achievement is still a special one: He’s one of just 13 players in league history, along with Gartner, to score 30-or-more for four NHL teams.
The 32-year-old sharpshooter might be hard-pressed to match Gartner’s feat though. Toffoli signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Sharks over the summer, that comes with a complete No-Trade Clause in the first three years.
He’s going to be in San Jose for a while…which is exactly what the Sharks want.
Ryan Warsofsky
Warsofsky, on the difference tonight for the San Jose Sharks:
We just got a little out of structure [in our neutral zone forecheck] in that third goal. We hand them two goals early in that obviously, in that first period, after having a really good period, you just can’t do that in this league.
Warsofsky, on Thomas Bordeleau’s performance:
Did some good things. Obviously, it’s a big jump. The pace of the game here [from] the American League is a lot.
Thought he got better as a game went on, the game slowed down for him a little bit.
See the full interview here
Jan Rutta
Rutta, on one thing that the San Jose Sharks need to do next year to turn these close games into more wins:
Probably consistency. It’s really hard for us to put together a solid 60 minutes. We’re always missing pieces, whether it’s special teams or breakouts or forecheck. Just got to dial it in and be more consistent.
Tyler Toffoli
Toffoli, on Dustin Wolf’s open net save on him:
It was a rolling puck. Just tried to whack at it, and unfortunately, whacked it towards the middle of the net, he made the save.
See the full interview here
Other Players Who Have Scored 30-Plus on 4 Teams
Ivan Boldirev (Chicago Black Hawks, Atlanta Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings)
Dino Ciccarelli (Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning)
Geoff Courtnall (Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues)
Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars)
Bill Guerin (Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks)
Marian Hossa (Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks)
Pierre Larouche (Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers)
Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs)
Brendan Shanahan (New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings)
Pierre Turgeon (Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues)
Pat Verbeek (New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars)
Not to nitpick but are we talking 30 goals with a franchise in a season or just the 30th goal, specifically? Of Toffoli’s 33 goals last season, 26 came with New Jersey and only 7 with Winnipeg. I also believe Bill Guérin only scored like 8 goals with the Sharks and had 28 with St. Louis before the trade to San Jose.
Just 30 goals. If a player scored that with 2 teams over the course of a season, I credited the team that he scored the 30th goal on, like Toffoli with Jets and Guerin with Sharks
Noticed a loooot of mistakes from Thrun. I know he’s battled some injuries this year, and that he’s historically played better at the NHL level than the AHL, but he was waivers-exempt to start the season. He could have stood to earn his minutes a bit more, particularly back when we weren’t so depleted on the backend. One more year of him and then another RFA decision but I’m starting to feel the way about him that some feel about Bordeleau/Gushchin.
Agreed. He feels more and more like a stopgap. My guess is he loses his roster spot next season.
Right now he’s probably the LHD5 in the best case. He’s a classic AAAA guy and ideally an organizational depth piece going forward who has a career with the Cuda. The Sharks want to win Cups and there is no way Thrun holds down a job on any of those pairings on a Cup contender
You’re not wrong. I’m curious how he progresses this offseason. Thought he made a good jump last offseason so I think there’s hope. Seems motivated to improve and recognizes his weaknesses. Unlike Bordeleau.
Agreed. He’s shown stretches where he was downright serviceable. Not a first liner but not a seventh defenseman either. He did not take the step forward we’d hoped for this year – in fact, if anything, he stepped back – but he seems like a smart kid with some tools. Here’s hoping he makes the most of the offseason.
He’s just not an NHL caliber defenseman. His skating is so bad for an average/below average sized defenseman. Watching him have to skate forward to get speed going when the other team is rushing the puck at him because he can’t get up to speed skating backwards is so frustrating. It’s like watching Squirt hockey.
Grier needs to go into 2025/2026 with Thrun as a depth defenseman or even down to the AHL. He cannot be one of our 6 opening day defenseman.
No his skating was better earlier in the season. I think he’s playing injured. Best case is he turns out to be Ceci 2.0. Hoping for Shak, Dicky, Schaefer and maybe Cags on the left side though.
His skating hasn’t improved at all. He’s a well below average NHL skater in combo with being an average/below average sized defenseman with very little offensive skill. The Ceci comp just doesn’t make any sense. Ceci is both bigger and a much better skater than Thrun. He’s also a RHD which has pushed him up in the lineup his whole career. It’s much more difficult to stick as a LHD. Thrun just isn’t good. He hasn’t made any sizable improvement through 100+ games. People can lie to themselves and say Thrun was better this year but that’s just not true.
I have to agree. I think Thrun’s improvements are in line with the overall improvement we’ve seen with the team. I don’t view it as a large leap for him. The skating is definitely an issue. You could work around it, maybe, if he made a great first pass, or was intensely physical. Without any standout quality to compensate for it, the skating is always going to be a limitation.
He’ll have to call tongue to get stronger to get more physical. He’s mentioned this in interviews.
Good grief.
“He’ll have to continue to get stronger to get more physical “.
Who knows, maybe there’s a trainer named Tongue? 😕🤣🤣
Cal Tongue is the absolute best in the business, if anyone can get Thrun where he needs to be, it’s Tongue.
Pretty sure Ceci and Thrun are the same height. Edit: Ceci is an inch taller, they’re the same weight. Just age and development difference. Yes Ceci is a better skater. My comparison was more about being a bottom pairing defensive defenseman. Not that they’re exact same. His skating middle of the season was serviceable as an NHL defenseman. Go back and watch. To be clear I’m not advocating they keep him or that he’s part of the core. Easy to come on here with recency bias and tear the guy apart. My memory is longer than that.🙂
Yeah, recency bias is certainly a factor at the moment – I’ve been wondering if I should replace Thun with Ferraro in my predicted LD3 spot for the coming years, and then I remind myself that Thrun did outplay Ferraro for stretches this season, and that prior to recently, I’ve looked at Ferraro’s style of play and concluded there’s no way his next contract doesn’t become a boat anchor once all those blocked shots catch up to him. Mukh, Thrun, Ferraro – gonna be a big offseason, the longest a pro hockey player can have – they need to get… Read more »
If Ferraro can continue the recent run of play maybe he’s an option on the 3rd pair? Just not sure he’s contender level D though. Thrun certainly isn’t even at his best this season. But I think he was paired with Walman after Ceci was traded and they were great together. Gotta give Thrun a healthy body, more strength and a puck moving partner and then maybe he’ll be a good guy to have. But yes his skating has regressed from the middle of the season and he played terrible last night. Too young and too green to make a… Read more »
Giles is a better player than OstapChuck and Graf was one of our better players for the past 3 months. I don’t think it’s in the spirit of sportsmanship, and is a disservice to paying fans, and to the teams fighting for a playoff spot to not do everything possible to win a hockey game and not dress the best players available. We are going to have bad juju for it and the hockey gods won’t let us win the lottery for it.
You just can’t get how an organization works. Dude this is one of your dumber comments. Thought we were making progress with you. Cmon buddy. Think it all thru. You’re pining for Giles? WTF? That’s your new hill? Buddy..,
You don’t think there is any obligation to the teams fighting for a playoff spot to try to win every game?
The active roster players for that game need to play their best to win that game. That’s it.
Ok I’m just a believer in competition at the highest level, I HATE! That Graff isn’t being rewarded for his play. Competitively and financially. Lacing it up and putting an NHL sweater on is a sacred thing.
Bro, a real competitor would want to play PLAYOFF games, regardless of the money.
Of course when the season is over. I think it’s an interesting debate on how sacred playing in the NHL is for these guys and the obligation to be competitive for the other teams fighting for playoff spots. I would like to know Shengs opinion?
Sheng thinks yer nutz.😜🤣🤣
The Sharks are still playing reasonably-deserving players out there. So it’s no issue. I understand what you’re saying about playing the best possible team, but that’s not the reality of the business. And we’re talking about all players within the same margin, really. You might think Giles is more deserving than Ostapchuk, but there really isn’t that big a difference between the two. I actually like what I’ve seen from Ostapchuk recently. As for Graf, same thing, he’s been fine with the Sharks, but he’s not like a bona fide top-six NHL’er or anything. Like no doubt Graf is better… Read more »
I see your point, my thing is mostly about Graf, he’s an Ace penalty killer and an awesome defender. Given the comments by Toffoli I would say he deserves big time minutes. And also I like Graf a lot lol so I’m kinda impartial and I want my guy to get his bag. I think it’s a fair to question why you would demote arguably your best Defensive forward when the team is struggling so mightily defensively.
Upvote this post if you would rather see Sheng in net than Georgiev.
I’d get the team to last year’s -150 Goal Differential in one period
Yeah you’re still back at this. It’s a dumb point of view. The Sharks are out of the playoffs and the organization wants the Cuda to be in the playoffs for the youth there to gain that experience. It’s that simple. Guys who they have higher expectations of or are absolutely necessary, O-chuck at 3c, are in the NHL developing.
The Sharks have been trying all season in terms of the actual effort on the ice. But the org needs to do what is best for the eventual Cup contending goal. Graf and the rest need to play as much hockey as they can play and that’s with the Cuda this week and through the playoffs
What are you even talking about? Which team is there an obligation to? Like I said, it’s all about development.
They did a far more egregious version of this same thing last season and won the draft lottery, so I think the hockey gods are fine with it. Getting Graf into playoff games is obviously more important than doing everything possible to win a game for all 18 paying fans.
Won it 3 times actually. ;P
Grier did well to add Toffoli. It’s a tough balancing act for the GM on a rebuilding team to add veterans in a smart way. Chicago added Taylor Hall on a similar theory and that move didn’t work out. Hopefully, Grier will keep adding smart this summer.
I think the definition of smart has changed drastically. Last year, Toffoli and Wennberg were great additions. This year, the smart additions aim much higher. Like as high as they go. Marner, Pionk, Ekblad, etc… Grier needs to have his fingers in every pie. I’m convinced that the difference between a successful rebuild and one that lands in the mushy middle is if the team doesn’t pick the right time to go big or go home. Franchise center? Check. Massively talented sidekick? Check. Lots of talent knocking on the door? Check. It’s time. Let’s do this. Everyone in the league… Read more »
Agreed. They have money to spend. Time to kick this thing up multiple notches.
I’ve been watching a lot of Leafs games down the stretch and Marner is a great player, but he profiles too much like Will Smith for me to feel comfortable throwing big money and term at him. He could be a redundant player by year two or three of whatever deal he signs. I think whoever Grier brings in for the long term, especially UFAs making huge money, really needs to bring missing elements to the table. Elements that aren’t on the current roster or anywhere in the system, or are present in small quantities that need reinforcement. IMO, that’s… Read more »
I think Marner with Celly and Toffoli or a power forward type could be a dominant 1st line. Celly and Marner would be your best defensive line too. Just can’t pair Marner with Smith. I think Smith will get stronger and faster and become the 2C the team needs. His desire to improve and his “clutchiness” could be enough to separate him from Marner IMO. Smith and Musty already have good chemistry too. Maybe… Marner-Celly-Chernyshov Musty-Smith-Toffoli That being said, there are a couple other forwards I would be fine with on shorter term deals. I like Bennet, Nelson, Boeser, Kane,… Read more »
Don’t get me wrong, I think adding Marner would pretty much make the Sharks an automatic playoff team next season with even modest upgrades on defense. I just don’t love the fit long term, but I could also be completely wrong. He and Celebrini are both so defensively aware, they’d be a nightmare to play against in all three zones. It would be a blast to watch.
That’s my thinking. Who wouldn’t want to be paired with potentially the next Crosby style player.
Find me a way to get a player as good as Marner on this team who will be great or at least good for the majority of the contract and we can explore those options. He isn’t perfect, but he’s the best chance we will get in the next two years and we shouldn’t make the perfect the enemy of the good. Smith will be the 2C and Celebrini, Marner and a bigger wing, probably Toffoli to start, would be absolutely devastating on the top line. The second line could be Smith, Eklund, and a guy like Chernyshov who has… Read more »
I guess that’s my point. I don’t know which players may or may not become available in the next 1-2 seasons and I think the Sharks can wait to find out while they also figure out what they have in house and, more importantly, what they don’t. Making the first truly big splash in free agency a winger gives me some anxiety, even if it is an elite player like Marner. Maybe Smith ends up a great 2C, but maybe he ends up an elite first line winger instead and there’s actually an organizational hole behind Macklin. Let’s say, hypothetically,… Read more »
I agree the RHD especially on a shorter term overpay is a no brainer. Let’s see where the pick lands. If it’s 1OA and they can get what they want or even hold Chicago over a barrel and still get Schaefer, or whether they get Misa, it could tell us what direction they might want to go.
With Marner, I just think if they can sign him and he’s a bird in the hand and he jolts this whole thing into high gear, I do it and I don’t look back
I watch a lot of Leafs games because my wife is a Leafs fan. First, I doubt Marner will come here (both because he won’t want to and Grier is too smart give him the kind of contract that will change his mind.) Second, if Marner does come here, you will regret it.
He is a great player having a great season, but you will want him gone by year 3…except he will have a full no move clause and an unmoveable AAV.
Mmm-hmm. I’ll just say Grier has done very well by resisting natural pressure from fans to rush the process and above all, make splashy big moves as a cure-all.
I still recall a lot of Sharks fans declaring win win win at both the Erik Karlsson trade and big extension.
My comment came across more negative than I inrended. I agree Grier has to add and need to be more aggressive. But getting sucked into a Marner bidding war will be counterproductive. Pionk is more interesting. I question whether Ekblad will want to leave Florida but that may be interesting too.
My point is you don’t want to handcuff yourself to a contract for one superstar. Filling needs and mentor type players are still more important.
It can only be 7 years and it only takes him to age 34. He’s the most age appropriate guy to be stupid with. The Sharks need to tell the league they are serious and nothing says you’re serious like spending a stupid amount of money
We will agree to disagree. But this is why arguing is fun 😊
the only reasons the EK65 think didn’t work was his injury and a once in a lifetime pandemic.
To be fair the Hall thing was working initially but he was injured early and missed most of last season.
I’m not ready to throw the towel in on Thrun, as many are it seems. Let’s see how next season goes first.
I don’t think he’s a useless player or anything, but the math isn’t working in his favor anymore. If the Sharks want to improve their defense and work young players into the lineup, they have to find those minutes somewhere. Guys like Cagnoni and Dickinson will make mistakes and have their bad moments, just like Thrun does, but they’ll also provide elements he cannot. Ferraro and Mukhamadullin are already ahead of him on the NHL depth chart. And that’s without a single offseason signing or trade accounted for. Feels like a real uphill battle for Thrun, but one that indicates… Read more »
Yup.
For sure. His upside is solid third pair defense so it’s not a big deal either way but he seems like a good dude so I’ll root for him to get there. He was doing pretty well before he got hurt. I don’t think people here quite appreciate how bad Cody Ceci is. If a team with Cody Ceci can get to the Cup Finals then Henry Thrun as a third pair defenseman isn’t going to be the thing that keeps the Sharks from making it. He can also have some trade value. Like, if the Sharks are making a… Read more »
He could definitely be a sweetener for someone like Dobson if they go that way.
That team has McDavid and Draisaitl, so it’s not like any team with Ceci could make it
Damn. Cooch is calling it a career. I wish he could have done it on his terms. Makes 2016 hurt all over again, he should be retiring with a Cup and a Conn Smythe.
Like, calling it in the sense that he’s not gonna be taking up a LTIR spot and collecting his money while “rehabbing” for two more years? That’s awesome, if so.
I hope he gets the money. Probably insured anyway.
I don’t think he was technically on LTIR since the team has the space anyways, but I could be wrong
Brutal. So sorry for him.
What are the cap implications of this? I assume the Sharks still have to pay him for 2 years? Frankly he deserves the money. But if he’s on LTIR, isn’t there a penalty the team has to pay as the season goes on?
This does solve the awkwardness of needing that C back though.
Couture was a great Shark, I salute him. But the timing of this is right
I believe because he was injured while under contract, he can formally retire and remain entitled to his paycheck. So the contract comes off the books, but Logan gets his money. Probably paid out through an insurance company.
That would be beyond ideal