Sharks Shift Misa to Wing in Lineup Change
San Jose moves its top prospect off center as it looks to shore up scoring and defense during a 7-9-1 season.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Hockey
The San Jose Sharks have placed Michael Misa on the wing alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, with Collin Graf and Ty Dellandrea taking over at center in the top nine. Filip Bystedt will be scratched as the team looks to reverse a skid in which it has lost five of its last six games.
Why it matters
The Sharks have scored the fewest 5-on-5 goals in the NHL and have allowed the seventh-most goals, making the lineup change a bid to improve on both ends. The move also tests how Misa, normally a center, fits on the wing at 19 years old.
The Sharks sit at 7-9-1 after losing five of their last six, while Michael Misa has three goals and seven points across his last eight games. Whether Misa's production holds on the wing has not yet been tested over a larger sample.
The players
Michael Misa
Misa is a 19-year-old forward who is normally a center and has been moved to the wing for San Jose.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are an NHL franchise based in San Jose, California, and the team is working to snap a recent losing stretch.
The details
Misa was moved from center to wing to play with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, while Graf and Dellandrea take over in the middle of the top nine. Filip Bystedt will be scratched, and Alex Wennberg's upper-body injury has been upgraded to day-to-day.
Timeline
Tonight: Sharks game with the revised lineup and Askarov starting.
Saturday: Alex Wennberg could return at the Dallas Stars.
Season Trajectory
With the fewest 5-on-5 goals in the NHL, the Sharks are using a forward reshuffle to address a documented offensive gap during a 7-9-1 start. How the move affects their position in the standings will depend on whether the wing shift translates into more even-strength scoring.
Fantasy managers tracking Misa should note his shift to wing, which changes where his production is counted and how he fits alongside Celebrini. Wennberg's possible return Saturday could also reshape ice time for the team's depth forwards.
The takeaway
Lineup experiments like this one often reveal whether a team's problem is personnel or structure, and the Sharks' next few games will show which it is. Watch the 5-on-5 scoring totals, not just the results, to judge whether the change is working.
What happens next
Alex Wennberg could play Saturday at the Dallas Stars, which would show whether the team's middle-six depth has recovered.
Further reading
Follow more San Jose Sharks coverage in our Hockey section for how the lineup changes play out.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Jose Hockey Now.
