San Jose Sharks Need to Be Patient With Zack Ostapchuk – The Hockey Writers – San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks spent most of the 2024-25 season relying heavily on young players to make an impact. Several played an important role, but not all of them have found their place on the team yet — perhaps most notably center Zack Ostapchuk. As the central return player in the Fabian Zetterlund trade, Ostapchuk faces a lot of pressure to produce, but he struggled to establish himself among the forward group. He is still young and developing, and every bit of his time in San Jose has reflected that. As frustrating as the start to his Sharks tenure was, the team can afford to be patient with him if they want to unlock his potential.

Ostapchuk Had a Rough Start to Sharks Tenure

Ostapchuk appeared in 13 Sharks games after the trade, and the numbers from those games simply aren’t very good. He didn’t register a single point and managed just six shots on goal, including none in his first eight games. When including his time with the Ottawa Senators, his overall NHL stats — one goal and three assists in 63 games — aren’t much better. He provides some physicality and shot-blocking on defense, but his offense shows that he isn’t doing enough to stand out yet. Factor in that he was traded for a 20-goal scorer who was a fan favorite and a beloved teammate, and the move becomes even more dubious.

Given his age, Ostapchuk deserves time to adjust to San Jose. Unfortunately for the Sharks, his lack of productivity makes it unclear just how long that adjustment period will last.

Ostapchuk’s Youth Leaves a Lot of Room for Growth

Amid Ostapchuk’s difficult start, the Sharks need to consider just how young he is. A month away from turning 22, he is three and a half years younger than Zetterlund. For another example, he is also several months younger than William Eklund, who was drafted in the same year. Eklund broke out in his age-21 season, but wingers tend to have an easier development curve than centers. Ostapchuk had to adapt to a new team in the middle of the season and take on the responsibility of centering a line with players he’d never skated with before. That’s a difficult task for any center, but particularly for one so young.

Ostapchuk didn’t make the transition out of the juniors until the 2023-24 season, and he is still acclimating to professional hockey. His time in the American Hockey League (AHL), during which he has…