Zack Ostapchuk (born May 29, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who plays for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the second round, 39th overall, of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Early Life
Ostapchuk is the only child of Charlene and Dennis Ostapchuk of St. Albert, Alberta. His father passed away in 2017, before Ostapchuk turned 14.
Playing Career
Amateur
Ostapchuk was selected by the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. He made his major junior debut during the 2018–19 season, appearing in six games. The Giants advanced to the WHL championship finals that season, where they lost to the Prince Albert Raiders; Ostapchuk made two playoff appearances.
In the 2019–20 season, he recorded 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points in 44 games before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, he posted 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 22 games.
During the 2021–22 season, Ostapchuk scored 26 goals and 17 assists for 43 points in 60 games with the Giants. He was named team captain in March 2022. The Giants made the playoffs as the eighth seed and upset the top-seeded Everett Silvertips in the first round before falling to the Kamloops Blazers in the second round. Ostapchuk recorded 7 goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 12 playoff games.
In the 2022–23 season, Ostapchuk began with Vancouver, registering 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in 21 games. On January 8, 2023, he was traded to the Winnipeg Ice — the top team in the WHL — along with four players and four draft picks. He added 21 goals and 17 assists for 38 points in 34 games with the Ice. Winnipeg advanced to the WHL championship finals, where they lost to the Seattle Thunderbirds in five games. Ostapchuk recorded 9 goals and 6 assists for 15 points in 18 playoff games.
Professional
On September 29, 2021, Ostapchuk signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators. He was assigned to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2023–24 season. On March 12, 2024, he was called up to Ottawa and made his NHL debut that day against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He appeared in 7 games with the Senators, recording no points, and 28 points (17 goals, 11 assists) in 69 AHL games with Belleville.
Ostapchuk began the 2024–25 season with Belleville but was recalled by Ottawa in October. On October 29, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by Noah Gregor in an 8–1 win over the St. Louis Blues. On January 20, 2025, he scored his first NHL goal in a 2–1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. He finished his tenure with Ottawa that season with 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 43 games.
On March 7, 2025, Ostapchuk was traded to the San Jose Sharks — along with Noah Gregor and a 2025 second-round pick — in exchange for Fabian Zetterlund, Tristen Robins, and a fourth-round pick. He was assigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) before being recalled on March 14. He made his Sharks debut on March 15 against the Washington Capitals. He appeared in 13 games with San Jose in 2024–25, recording no points.
In the 2025–26 season, Ostapchuk played 59 games for the Sharks, setting career highs with 4 goals, 3 assists, and 7 points. He posted a 51.6% face-off win percentage and ranked third on the team with 140 hits. On April 2, 2026, he recorded his first career multi-point game (1 goal, 1 assist) against the Toronto Maple Leafs. On June 27, 2026, the Sharks re-signed Ostapchuk to a four-year contract worth $2.35 million AAV.
International Play
Ostapchuk was a member of Team Canada's gold medal-winning teams at the IIHF World Junior Championships in both 2022 and 2023. In 2022, he recorded 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points in 7 games. In 2023, he recorded 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 7 games.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 44 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 14 |
| 2020–21 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 22 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 26 |
| 2021–22 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 60 | 26 | 17 | 43 | 58 |
| 2022–23 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 21 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 20 |
| 2022–23 | Winnipeg Ice | WHL | 34 | 21 | 17 | 38 | 26 |
| 2023–24 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 69 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 47 |
| 2023–24 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 15 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| 2024–25 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 43 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 26 |
| 2024–25 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| 2025–26 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 59 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 45 |
| NHL Totals | 122 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 90 |
Personal Life
Ostapchuk stands 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) tall and weighs 212 pounds (96 kg). He shoots left-handed. His surname is pronounced "oh-STAHP-chuhk."
