The San Jose Sharks will face the Florida Panthers in a key National Hockey League matchup on Monday evening. The Panthers enter this contest as favorites at home, while the Sharks look to upset them in Sunrise. Here, I break down this inter-conference matchup in the NHL on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and you will find my Sharks vs Panthers prediction below.
Our Sharks vs Panthers Pick
| Pick: | |
| Confidence: | 3/5 |
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: San Jose Sharks vs Florida Panthers
- Date & Time: Monday, January 19, 2026, 6:00 PM ET
- Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form: San Jose enters this game with a 24-20-3 record and has won three of its last five games, including a 3-2 comeback over the Capitals that highlighted their ability to score in bursts. However, they dropped their most recent outing to Detroit by a 4-2 margin and will try to avoid a second straight loss here. Florida sits at 24-19-3 and has posted wins in three of its last four games. Though the one loss during that span was a 9-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Panthers are playing well for the most part lately.
Goaltending: The Sharks are anticipated to start Yaroslav Askarov, who this season has a record of 16-12-1 with a save percentage of .891 and a goals-against average of 3.53. Florida’s projected starter is Sergei Bobrovsky, who carries a 19-13-1 record with an .875 save percentage and a 3.09 goals-against average. Both netminders have battled inconsistencies, but Bobrovsky’s edge in experience and him playing at home should give a slight edge to the Panthers.
Key skaters: San Jose’s offense revolves around Macklin Celebrini, who has been a breakout star with over 70 points this season. He leads the Sharks in goals and assists and is capable of impacting games at both ends. For Florida, Sam Reinhart has been a steady offensive contributor and has received support from Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett.
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Sharks won 3-1 in their first meeting with the Panthers this season in San Jose.
- San Jose is 31-16 in the puckline market going into this contest.
- Florida is 17-30 on the puckline entering Monday night’s action.


