Vegas Golden Knights scouting report on a division rival with the San Jose Sharks

It's no secret that the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks hate each other. There are numerous moments within the rivalry, including a cross-checking minor that was a major in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs first-round matchup. It's culminated in both fanbases trading jabs at one another. One side mocks the other for blowing a 3-1 series lead, while the other brags about their Stanley Cup.

But things have drastically changed from that fateful first-round matchup in 2019. While the Golden Knights have won a Stanley Cup, the Sharks have gone into rebuilding mode. They've traded away numerous key pieces, including Tomas Hertl to Vegas. The mission is to become a prominent playoff team in the future and reclaim the Pacific Division.

But now, the goal is to get the younger players more ice time and NHL experience. That includes the newest player, Macklin Celebrini. The first-overall pick in this year's NHL Draft will be the focal point of the offense, doing whatever it takes to get San Jose its first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

So what should the Golden Knights watch for from their "historical" rival? What should have fans on the edge of their seats heading into the 2024-25 season? There might not be much meat to the Sharks overall. However, a rival elevates their play when they see the other team on the schedule. Here's what Vegas hockey fans can expect from their adversaries this upcoming season.

The state of the San Jose Sharks and how the Vegas Golden Knights can beat them

Since October 24, 2022, the Vegas Golden Knights have a record of 6-1-1 against the San Jose Sharks. They've dominated their weakened adversaries, putting a stranglehold on the rivalry. The only two losses came on November 15, 2022 (a 5-2 loss) and March 30, 2023 (a 4-3 overtime loss).

That's the price a team pays when their franchise age, with pieces like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, and Logan Couture not getting younger. Eventually, you must replace this talent with younger players, where this group can lead the franchise to glory. That's where Celebrini comes in, for he's the building block for a young Sharks team.

Currently, there's nothing that fans should be excited about with San Jose. Last season, they were bad at everything, whether it was goals percentage (last in the NHL with 34.49%), expected goals (last in the NHL with 41.35%), or shot attempts % aka Corsi % (31st in the NHL with 43.82%).