San Jose Sharks

Founded:

1991

Stadium:

SAP Center at San Jose

The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The franchise is owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises. Beginning play in the 1991–92 season, the team initially played its home games at the Cow Palace, before moving to its present home, now named SAP Center at San Jose, in 1993; the SAP Center is known locally as "the Shark Tank". The Sharks are affiliated with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. The Sharks were founded on May 9, 1990, after the owners of the Minnesota North Stars sold that team and purchased an expansion team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. They were the first team to be based in the region since the California Golden Seals relocated to Cleveland in 1976. The Sharks have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final once, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. They have won the Presidents' Trophy once, as the team with the league's best regular season record in the 2008–09 season. They have also won six division titles as a member of the Pacific Division since 1993.