The San Jose Sharks are reevaluating their leadership after a disappointing 2023-24 season. The Sharks finished the year with a losing record and accumulated 47 points, which placed them last in the Pacific Division. They missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight year. As a result, the team is parting ways with head coach David Quinn, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston.

Sharks move on from David Quinn after two seasons

Sharks general manager Mike Grier released a statement amid the news of Quinn's departure.

“After going through our end-of-season process of internal meetings and evaluating where our team is at and where we want our group to go, we have made the difficult decision to make a change at the head position,” Grier said via NHL.com.

“David is a good coach and even better person. I would like to personally thank him for his hard work over these past two seasons. He and his staff did an admirable job under some difficult circumstances, and I sincerely appreciate how they handled the situation,” Grier added.

David Quinn joined the Sharks in July of 2022 following the service of former head coach Bob Boughner. Quinn leaves San Jose with an overall record of 41-98-25. He did all he could to aid the team's rebuilding efforts, but things did not go smoothly during the 2023-24 season.

The Sharks lost key players to injury including Tomas Hertl (knee surgery) and Logan Couture (hip/groin). San Jose eventually traded Hertl to the Vegas Golden Knights and sent forward Anthony Duclair to the Tampa Bay Lightning before the March 8th trade deadline.

Couture battled his way back and played in late January after missing the first 45 games of the season. Shortly after, the team ruled him out for the rest of the year after he amassed one assist in six games.

Despite the down year, the Sharks look forward to revamping their squad in preparing for an improved showing in 2024-25. David Quinn's efforts have been vital in helping San Jose move closer to addressing their needs. There are now three reasons the franchise has hope after parting ways with Quinn.

Sharks have hope for the future despite turmoil

The first reason the Sharks should be excited about the future is the prospect of bringing in a new coach. Players matter, but coaching can ultimately impact a team's success. David Quinn went through hardships so the franchise's next leader could come and take things to a higher level.

Outside of coaching, there are two other reasons the Sharks should have hope. ClutchPoints' Tristin McKinstry revealed the first of two reasons to be the promising prospects the team possesses.

Forward William Eklund played his first full season in the NHL in 2023-24, and the 21-year-old fared well enough. He amassed 16 goals and 45 points through 80 games. Furthermore, Fabian Zetterlund, 24, also emerged during the season, scoring 24 goals and 44 points in 82 contests.

Lastly, McKinstry noted that the Sharks have quality veteran leadership, an asset that propels them forward. When Logan Couture returns healthy, he will be an important locker room voice. In addition, forward Mikael Granlund can make an impact with his experience and stout production.

All in all, great days lie ahead of the Sharks despite a series of poor showings.