Four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization will compete in the American Hockey League’s Western Conference Final, three currently play for the Colorado Eagles while there’s one former Shark on the Chicago Wolves.
Starting with Colorado, Jacob MacDonald, Keaton Middleton, and Daniil Gushchin are all set to suit up in the Western Conference Final.
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MacDonald originally joined the Sharks organization in the middle of the 2022-23 season as a part of the deal that sent Ryan Merkley and Matt Nieto to the Colorado Avalanche. Known for his ability to play both on the wing and on defense, MacDonald played 59 games for the Sharks across two seasons. He scored eight goals and had 15 points during his time with the team in teal. When his contract with the Sharks expired, he returned to the Avalanche organization, signing a two-year contract.
Middleton never suited up for the Sharks at the NHL level, spending his entire time as a member of the organization playing for the San Jose Barracuda, often alongside his older brother, Jacob Middleton. The younger Middleton spent two seasons with the Barracuda, playing 102 games with the Sharks’ farm team. He scored 10 goals and has 26 total points during his time with the Barracuda before moving to the Colorado Avalanche organization for the 2020-21 season.
Last but not least, Gushchin, the Sharks’ third round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, spent parts of four seasons bouncing between the Barracuda and the Sharks. At the NHL level, he appeared in 18 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored two goals and had five points. He was much more effective at the AHL level though, scoring 70 goals and 150 points in 182 games.
The Sharks traded Gushchin to the Avalanche this past summer, getting Oskar Olausson in return.
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In the other locker room, there’s just a single Sharks alumnus on the Chicago Wolves, Givani Smith. After spending parts of two seasons in the Bay Area, Smith was traded to the Colorado Avalanche alongside Mackenzie Blackwood ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
During his time with the Sharks, Smith played in 42 games, registering a single goal and four points during that time. He also recorded 50 penalty minutes with the Sharks.
The AHL’s Western Conference Final will kick off this Thursday as the Chicago Wolves visit the Eagles in Loveland, Colorado.
