Editing San Jose Sharks (section)

===Early success and rebuilding (1993–1997)===
[[File:HP Pavilion.jpg|thumb|The Sharks moved into their new home, the San Jose Arena (now the [[SAP Center]]) in 1993.]]
For their third season, [[1993–94 NHL season|1993–94]], the Sharks moved to their new home, the [[SAP Center|San Jose Arena]], and were placed in the Western Conference's [[Pacific Division (NHL)|Pacific Division]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Mike |last=Weaver |title=Sharks Make Debut at S.J. Arena Tonight: Players Eager to Get Feel of Their New Home|work=Mercury News |location=San Jose, California |page=1F |date=September 30, 1993}}</ref> Under head coach [[Kevin Constantine]], the Sharks pulled off the biggest turnaround in NHL history, finishing with a 33–35–16 record and making the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]] for the first time in team history with 82 points, an NHL record 58-point jump from the previous season.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Jody |last=Meacham |title=Despite Success, San Jose Still Fighting for NHL Respect|work=Mercury News |location=San Jose, California |page=1E |date=April 14, 1994}}</ref> They were seeded eighth in the Western Conference playoffs and faced the [[Detroit Red Wings]], the top-seeded Western Conference team and a favorite to win the [[Stanley Cup]]. In one of the biggest upsets in Stanley Cup playoff history, the underdog Sharks shocked the Red Wings in seven games. In Game 7 at [[Joe Louis Arena]], [[Jamie Baker (ice hockey)|Jamie Baker]] scored the game-winning goal in the third period after goaltender [[Chris Osgood]] was out of position and the Sharks won 3–2.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Ann |last=Killion |title=YES! Amazing Upset Complete – Sharks Head for Toronto|work=Mercury News |location=San Jose, California |page=1A |date=May 1, 1994}}</ref> In the second round, the Sharks had a 3–2 series lead over the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]], but lost the final two games in [[Toronto]], including an overtime loss in Game 6.

In [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95]], the Sharks earned their second-straight playoff berth and again reached the second round. [[Ray Whitney (ice hockey)|Ray Whitney]] scored a goal in double overtime of Game 7 of the conference quarterfinals against the [[Calgary Flames]]. Key Sharks players included goaltender Arturs Irbe, defenseman [[Sandis Ozoliņš|Sandis Ozolinsh]] and forwards [[Igor Larionov]] and [[Sergei Makarov (ice hockey, born 1958)|Sergei Makarov]]. Despite their success against Calgary, round two would prove to be a disaster for the Sharks, when they lost in a four-game sweep to Detroit (in a rematch of the previous year) without even holding a single lead in all four games. However, the 1995 season also saw the only rainout in the history of the NHL, when the [[Guadalupe River (California)|Guadalupe River]] flooded its banks in March 1995, making it impossible for anyone to get into the San Jose Arena for a game between the Sharks and the Detroit Red Wings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=474660 |title=San Jose Sharks – Seagate Technology's "In the Crease": The Weird Factor – 16 October 2007 |publisher=National Hockey League |date=October 16, 2007|access-date=May 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529065326/http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=474660 |archive-date=May 29, 2010}}</ref>

In [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96]], the Sharks finished last in the Pacific Division and failed to make the playoffs. The team also underwent major changes: during the season, they traded Ozolinsh and Larionov, and Irbe, who had suffered an off-ice injury, was released at the end of the season. The team began rebuilding, acquiring forward [[Owen Nolan]] from the [[Colorado Avalanche]], as well as several other players. Constantine was fired midway through the season and replaced by interim coach [[Jim Wiley]].