The 1995–96 San Jose Sharks season was the Sharks' fifth season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Sharks failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993, finishing with the worst record in the NHL that season.
Offseason
Regular season
On December 2, head coach Kevin Constantine was fired after a 3–18–4 start and replaced by assistant coach Jim Wiley.
On March 6, director of player personnel and effectively co-general manager Chuck Grillo was fired, leaving Dean Lombardi as the sole general manager of the team.
The Sharks allowed the most goals (357), the most even-strength goals (244), the most power-play goals (93), had the lowest penalty-kill percentage (76.57%), the fewest shutouts for (0) and the fewest shots on goal (2,143). On January 13, 1996, Ray Sheppard scored a hat trick as the Sharks defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 10–8 in Pittsburgh. It was the highest scoring game of the NHL regular season.
Final standings
Schedule and results
|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |1||L||October 7, 1995||3–4 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96) ||0–1–0 || |- align="center" |2||T||October 12, 1995||6–6 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1995–96) ||0–1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |3||L||October 14, 1995||6–7 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1995–96) ||0–2–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |4||L||October 17, 1995||2–7 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96) ||0–3–1 || |- align="center" |5||T||October 19, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1995–96) ||0–3–2 || |- align="center" |6||T||October 22, 1995||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1995–96) ||0–3–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |7||L||October 25, 1995||1–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1995–96) ||0–4–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |8||L||October 28, 1995||3–4 || align="left"| Dallas Stars (1995–96) ||0–5–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |9||L||October 30, 1995||3–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1995–96) ||0–6–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |10||L||October 31, 1995||3–5 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1995–96) ||0–7–3 || |-
|- align="center" |11||T||November 2, 1995||3–3 OT|| align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1995–96) ||0–7–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |12||W||November 4, 1995||7–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1995–96) ||1–7–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |13||L||November 7, 1995||3–7 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1995–96) ||1–8–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |14||L||November 8, 1995||2–7 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1995–96) ||1–9–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |15||L||November 10, 1995||1–9 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1995–96) ||1–10–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |16||L||November 11, 1995||2–5 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1995–96) ||1–11–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |17||L||November 14, 1995||3–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1995–96) ||1–12–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |18||L||November 16, 1995||1–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1995–96) ||1–13–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |19||L||November 17, 1995||1–2 || align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1995–96) ||1–14–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |20||W||November 19, 1995||3–2 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96) ||2–14–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |21||L||November 21, 1995||2–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1995–96) ||2–15–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |22||L||November 22, 1995||2–5 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1995–96) ||2–16–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |23||W||November 25, 1995||7–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1995–96) ||3–16–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |24||L||November 29, 1995||3–5 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1995–96) ||3–17–4 || |-