Hello, Cuda Country! Hope you’ve had a great summer.

I’m officially back from paternity leave and couldn’t be more excited for another season in 2025-26. Hard to believe, but this marks year 10 for me. I want to thank each of you for your support over the years. I never take for granted that I get to live out my dream as a hockey broadcaster, and I couldn’t do it without you. The shine hasn’t worn off, and it never will. Little Nolly, calling games while my twin and I played floor hockey, would be proud. 

Enough about me, let’s get to it. The appetizer for Sharks and Barracuda hockey season has become the NHL Rookie Faceoff. Things will look a little different this year, as only the California teams are participating in what’s now called the Golden State Rookie Faceoff. Last year in L.A., seven clubs were part of the event: Sharks, Avalanche, Ducks, Golden Knights, Kings, Kraken, and Mammoth. Things got a little too big for one facility/team to host, so this year it’s been downsized. Sharks prospects will instead play two games, against the Ducks and the Kings, rather than three games over four days. The Sharks will play Friday, Oct. 12 (6 p.m.) versus the Ducks and Saturday, Oct. 13 (1 p.m.) versus the Kings.

The Sharks announced their roster for the event a couple of weeks ago, featuring eight players who appeared in at least one Barracuda game last season: Filip Bystedt, Igor Chernyshov, Collin Graf, Kasper Halttunen, Quentin Musty, Luca Cagnoni, Jake Furlong, and Braden Haché. Joining them are #2 overall pick Michael Misa, #30 pick Josh Ravensbergen, #33 pick Haoxi Wang, #95 pick Teddy Mutryn, and #150 selection Max Heise from the 2025 draft class. Sharks’ first-round pick from 2024, Sam Dickinson, will also be playing. The rest of the 2025 draft class is either already in college or heading there, making them ineligible. In the case of Ilyas Magomedsultanov, he’ll remain in Russia.

Three invitees will also suit up: Zach Houben, Jake Stuart (son of former Shark Brad Stuart), and Jack Bar. I always keep an eye on these players, as their invitations show at least some organizational interest. Houben is a 6’5”, 18-year-old right-handed forward for the Ottawa 67’s, while Bar is a former Stars draft pick who captained Harvard last season.

I’ll be calling both games and providing some behind-the-scenes content, so keep it tuned to all Barracuda social channels. You can listen on the Sharks Audio Network (@SharksAudioNetwork) and watch on all Sharks digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, X, etc.). Plus, NBC Sports will be carrying the games on their digital platforms.

Training camp for the Sharks begins the following week. Preseason runs from Sept. 21 vs. Vegas through Oct. 1 vs. Anaheim. This will be the last six-game exhibition slate, as the new CBA (beginning in 2026) expands the regular season to 84 games and trims preseason to four.

The Barracuda will play two preseason games against Bakersfield, both at Tech CU Arena:

• Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. Bakersfield (6 p.m., Tech CU Arena)
• Sunday, Oct. 5 at Bakersfield (5 p.m., Mechanics Bank Arena)

While I was away, the Barracuda released the team’s 2025-26 promotional schedule, which might be the best yet. The slate will feature six specialty jerseys, plus a bevy of new theme nights, including R’n’Bay Night, That’s So Fetch Night, Star Wars Night, Wizarding World, Throwback Night, Cuda Olympics, Sensory Friendly, Canadian Beach Party, and more. Last season’s attendance and fan support were the best since the team moved into Tech CU Arena, and this upcoming season will no doubt surpass that. The Reef has become, and will continue to be, one of the best environments in the league. For the full schedule, click HERE!

Misa Mania can officially begin. Michael Misa, whom the Sharks selected second overall this summer, signed his entry-level contract on Wednesday. While he’s too young to play for the Barracuda in 2025-26 per CHL/NHL rules, this opens the possibility that he could play for the Sharks this season. That makes training camp, which starts next week, all the more intriguing. The Sharks begin their exhibition schedule one week from Sunday, Sept. 21, against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center.

In other news, Ryan Clowe stepped down from his assistant general manager role earlier this week. He will be joining the Rangers in the same position. While it’s tough to see Clowey go, it was great having one of the most beloved Sharks back in the organization, even if only briefly. I know this new opportunity will allow him to be closer to his family in Florida. Clowey was outstanding, and I really enjoyed our conversations. I think I can speak for everyone on the Barracuda in wishing him the absolute best in his next career step.

Hopefully, more blogs are coming in the near future, where we’ll break down training camp, highlight the new additions, and look back at the departing faces from last year.

Keep it tuned to SJBarracuda.com for more content, and follow our social channels for up-to-date news.