Toffoli Talks ‘Tough Love’ for Young Sharks, Perhaps Being Next Captain

After signing the largest contract the San Jose Sharks have ever given an outside free agent last summer, four years and $24 million, Tyler Toffoli has been worth every penny so far.

Not just on the ice, where the 32-year-old had a team-leading 30 goals, plus a third-best 54 points. Toffoli was a valuable leader, earning an “A” on his sweater and mentoring Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith throughout their rookie campaigns.

The 2014 Stanley Cup winner has been a playoff fixture throughout his career and wants the Sharks to get back there soon.

In his exit interview, Toffoli talked about the atmosphere surrounding the team, his goal-scoring longevity, and mentorship of young San Jose Sharks in his exit interview.

Here are the highlights:

Toffoli, on his biggest takeaway from the season:

There’s got to be frustration for everyone. Obviously, we knew the position that we were in and all that, but we were in a lot of games. And I thought we should have won a lot more games, personally. Like I said, [I’m] definitely frustrated. But at the same time, you’ve got to take it and use it as motivation [during] the summer and do whatever you think you need to do to get yourself better and be ready for next season. At the end of the day, have this feeling in your stomach and know that you don’t want to have this feeling again.

Toffoli, on the good vibes surrounding San Jose as opposed to other rebuilding teams:

At the end of the day, I don’t necessarily want to say, “I don’t want to have fun.” But, I’d rather be winning more games than having fun off the ice. And that’s what our job is. Like I said, we have a responsibility within ourselves. The teams that I’ve been on that have been successful are really close-knit groups, and I think we’re on the path of doing that. It’s just a matter of committing ourselves to it and getting the job done.

Toffoli, on the positives from the season:

We were in a lot of games. I thought we beat some really good teams, some teams that might win the Stanley Cup. Whenever you can do that, that’s a positive. But at the end of the day, we didn’t win enough games, and we ended up being in the position that we’re in.

Toffoli, on putting up three 30-goal seasons in the last four years:

I got asked the other day too. I’ve been put in a position to succeed, and I try and take advantage of the situation. I feel like I’m playing at my best when I’m confident on the ice. And for the most part, I felt really confident in being able to make plays. Obviously scoring, but making plays all over the ice. It was just one of those seasons, again, where things kind of went my way. And kudos to the guys that I was playing with and the position I was in this team.

Toffoli, on potentially being named San Jose Sharks captain:

I haven’t thought about it to be honest. I haven’t spoken with [Mike Grier] either. There’s a lot of guys that came in here and [did] a great job for this team. It’s one of those things where I’m looking forward to the summer and trying to get myself better and help lead this team, honestly, in any way I can. What I’ve done in the past is nothing, it’s one of those things where next year’s a new season, and we’ve got to turn this thing around.

Toffoli, on having a sense of security this offseason with a no-movement-clause:

My stuff’s not in storage. (laughs) And I can come home to my house whenever I feel like, and not be worried about what house I’m going to be renting next.

Toffoli, on how he was mentored in Los Angeles versus how he mentors Celebrini and Smith:

The league’s definitely changed from when I came in. I did my best to try and be as hard on guys as possible without going over the edge and pushing them away.

I feel like I did a relatively good job. I didn’t have any “F- You’s” with anyone this year.

Thought about it with [Smith and Celebrini] a little bit. (laughs)

I think at the end of the day, there’s got to be that tough love. Like I said, it’s different. I came in the league playing for Darryl Sutter and Dean Lombardi was in charge. There’s a lot of tough love there, so it’s different. But at the end of the day, I think it’s good, I think it’s needed. When there’s that healthy competition in [the] room, I think that makes guys better and teams better.