 the san jose sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in san jose, california, united states. they are members of the pacific division of the western conference of the national hockey league (nhl). they play their home games at the sap center at san jose, known locally as the shark tank.  ==history== ===bringing hockey back to the bay area=== the oakland coliseum arena was home to the california golden seals of the nhl from 1967 to 1976. gordon and george gund iii became minority owners of the seals in 1974, and were instrumental in their move to cleveland in 1976 and a 1978 merger with the minnesota north stars, which they purchased that year. they had long wanted to bring hockey back to the bay area, and asked the nhl for permission to move the north stars there in the late 1980s, but the league vetoed the proposed move. meanwhile, a group led by former hartford whalers owner howard baldwin was pushing the nhl to bring a team to san jose, where a new arena was being bu
Ice_hockey_teams_in_California Pacific_Division_(NHL) San_Jose_Sharks Sports_clubs_established_in_1991 Sports_teams_in_San_Jose,_California