The NHL has fined San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky $25,000 for what the league termed “inappropriate conduct” during Saturday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club at SAP Center. The fine, announced Tuesday before the Sharks faced the Winnipeg Jets, will be donated to the NHL Foundation.
While the league did not specify the exact reason for the penalty, Saturday’s game was filled with controversial moments that left both Sharks players and fans frustrated with the officiating. A particularly heated incident occurred in the second period when Utah forward Kevin Stenlund delivered a hit from behind on Sharks rookie center Macklin Celebrini, sending him hard into the boards. Despite the impact, which appeared to be a clear boarding violation, the referees chose not to call a penalty.
Adding to the tension, Utah capitalized on a late power-play opportunity in the third period, scoring with less than a minute left in regulation after Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci was called for high-sticking. The call, which many on the Sharks’ bench questioned, proved decisive as the Sharks fell 4-3.
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As the final buzzer sounded, cameras caught Warsofsky yelling at the officiating crew before heading back to the dressing room. Asked if his fine was connected to his reaction to the officiating, Warsofsky responded cryptically, “I’ll let you make the best guess of that.”
In his postgame press conference, Warsofsky declined to comment directly on the officiating but acknowledged the incident. “It’s my first time through it, so obviously, talked to other coaches through the league about it. But it is what it is,” he said.
Despite the fine, Warsofsky defended his passionate approach to coaching, emphasizing his commitment to his players. “It’s something that I’m trying to get better at,” he said. “At the same time, I’m passionate. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Sometimes, it gets the best of me, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to have our players’ backs, and that’s not going to change.”
He added, “Do I wish I used different words or whatnot? But at the end of the day, we’re all in this together as a group, myself, the coaches, the trainers, the equipment staff, the players, and I’m going to have our players’ backs as long as I’m here.”
This is not the first time Warsofsky has faced discipline for his conduct as a head coach. During the 2021-22 AHL season, while coaching the Chicago Wolves, he was fined an undisclosed amount for disparaging officiating in a postgame interview. Reflecting on that incident, Warsofsky admitted, “There was an issue in one of the games, and I ran my mouth to the media. After a game, I’m a lot more emotional.”
Notably, the Wolves went on to win the Calder Cup that season, demonstrating Warsofsky’s ability to lead his team to success despite occasional clashes with the league’s rules.
The Sharks’ history of head coach fines adds context to this latest incident. In March 2023, former Sharks head coach David Quinn was fined $25,000 for “conduct demeaning the officials” after an expletive-laden outburst during a game against the Washington Capitals. Quinn, who was ejected from that game, later apologized. Warsofsky, who served as an assistant under Quinn for two seasons, succeeded him as head coach in June 2023.
Warsofsky noted that he isn’t the first coach to receive such a penalty, referencing longtime Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella. “A few coaches have been fined, Torts the most, I think,” Warsofsky said, citing Tortorella’s $200,000 in fines over a 23-year NHL career. “It is what it is. Got to move forward.”
The Sharks now look to regroup as they focus on the remainder of their season, while Warsofsky works to balance his fiery passion with the league’s expectations for sideline behavior.
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