The NHL's San Jose Sharks are hoping to take a page from what the San Francisco 49ers did several years ago back when general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan rebuilt the franchise from scratch and turned it into a perennial postseason contender.
While the black and teal are in the earlier phases of this, it doesn't mean they can't get some love from their Niners neighbors nearby.
Quite literally. Levi's Stadium isn't exactly far away from the Shark Tank, a mere short drive down the Guadalupe Freeway.
Tight end George Kittle, who recently admitted his massive hockey fandom, was one of several San Francisco players who made the journey down to the SAP Center for the Sharks game against the Calgary Flames.
Joined by quarterback Brock Purdy, Kittle opened the door for San Jose's skaters to make their way out of the tunnel and onto the ice:
George Kittle, Brock Purdy and the 49ers hype up the Sharks as they take the ice 🤝 pic.twitter.com/YIo9gbAUfH
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) December 17, 2025
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"I get to read the starting lineup. I’ve never done it before except for watching 'Shoresy,' so cut me some slack," Kittle joked before the game.
The quarterback-tight end duo was joined by fullback Kyle Juszczyk, quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver Trent Taylor, right tackle Colton McKivitz and center Jake Brendel, and they also spent time with fathers of Flames players, too.
Of course, this isn't the first time 49ers players opened the door for the Sharks. Then-Niners starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo performed the duties back in 2018, and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice has done the same, too.
Under the hashtag #BayAreaUnite, teams like the Niners and Sharks have expressed all kinds of support for each other, particularly during pregame ceremonies. Those festivities have also included other Bay Area teams, like MLB's San Francisco Giants and the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.