The 2025 World Championships have come to a close, with Team USA winning gold after a 1-0 OT win against Switzerland in the gold medal game.
This was a big moment for Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, who was at the helm of Team USA. The Sharks coach led the US to their first World Championship gold since 1933.
In addition to Warsofsky, it’s also a big moment for the Shark's young star, Will Smith. Smith had a productive tournament, posting 7 points in 10 games, all of which were assists. This is a great step for Smith, who was representing the US at the World Championship for the 2nd time. Smith also gained key experience in a playoff-like environment that will only help his development into a more impactful player next season.
Updating other Sharks at the tournament, Alex Wennberg helped Sweden capture the bronze with a win over Denmark. This was undoubtedly a big moment for him as the tournament was taking place in his home country. If you're wondering why Denmark is in the bronze medal game, they completed a shocking upset against Macklin Celebrini and Canada in the quarter-finals. The Danes were aided by ex Sharks Alex True and Joachim Blichfeld.
It was obviously a tough moment for Celebirini, but it was not all for naught. He got to play on a line and learn from a great like Sidney Crosby, and even at times, he formed a line with both Crosby and Mackinnon. This experience should be invaluable for Celebrini to learn from and grow as a hockey player.
Overall it was a fun tournament and had a lot of storylines for Sharks fans to follow. It was disappointing we never got to see Celebrini vs Smith at an international tournament but my gut tells me we will cross that bridge at some point in the future.