Now that the San Jose Sharks‘ preseason is underway, the staff’s new-look roster is extra tangible than ever earlier than. An thrilling mixture of veterans and younger gamers who ought to both be a part of the opening-night roster or attain the NHL quickly will make them a really attention-grabbing staff. However earlier than reaching that time, the preseason will nonetheless supply a number of attention-grabbing narratives up and down the roster to assist decide how the Sharks will look at first of the common season, and presumably additional as properly. Right here is one subject to observe for every place group because the Sharks proceed their exhibition video games.
Forwards: Which Veterans Pair With Which Younger Gamers?
The San Jose ahead group consists of an intriguing mix of established gamers and highly-scrutinized prospects. Skaters such because the newly-acquired Tyler Toffoli and reigning Sharks factors chief Mikael Granlund present a mandatory steadiness to earlier high draft picks Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. With so many forwards probably making their NHL debuts or receiving their first prolonged NHL runs this season, the teaching employees ought to give cautious consideration to which veterans function their linemates, and the work to resolve the specifics has already begun.
For the remainder of the preseason, the Sharks will probably combine and match all kinds of veterans and children on varied strains. This experimentation acquired off to a very good begin of their preseason-opening loss towards the Vegas Golden Knights, during which Celebrini scored a aim and assisted Toffoli on one other.
The highest strains could include their high prospects, however there are veteran and younger forwards all through the lineup, so all 4 strains shall be value monitoring. The younger gamers will clearly profit from good begins to their careers, and teaming up with the proper linemates can play an enormous position in that. If Celebrini, Smith and others play as much as their expectations this season, we may look again on their work with the staff’s extra skilled gamers through the preseason as a place to begin.
Defensemen: Do Any Prospects Power Their Approach Onto the Roster?
The blue line is essentially the most nebulous group for the Sharks and offers essentially the most alternative for an surprising flip of occasions. This is able to almost certainly present itself by means of a younger defenseman having such a very good preseason that he offers administration no alternative however to place him within the NHL for opening evening.
Associated: Sharks’ Commerce for Ceci Reveals Their Protection Is Nonetheless a Work in Progress
The San Jose protection nonetheless isn’t absolutely mapped out for the beginning of the season. A couple of guys shall be common elements of the rotation, however the final couple of spots really feel open. There’s room for a younger prospect to affix the underside pair, or at the very least grow to be the seventh defenseman. The Sharks skilled the same phenomenon final season of their ahead group when William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau turned in wonderful preseasons and compelled the hand of the teaching employees and entrance workplace. The ahead group is probably going too crowded for that to occur to them once more this season, nevertheless it may shift to the blue line as an alternative.
A couple of defensemen stand out as alternatives for a shock roster spot. Shakir Mukhamadullin can be the main candidate if he can get wholesome, given his temporary NHL stint final season and his standing as a high prospect. Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni are much less probably as a result of their youth and the truth that neither has even performed within the American Hockey League (AHL), however they each deserve at the very least a look. All of their performances will go a protracted technique to figuring out their locations inside the Sharks group, and one among them may go even increased than anticipated.
Goalies: When Does Yaroslav Askarov Make the Leap?
Regardless of being San Jose’s greatest offseason commerce acquisition, Yaroslav Askarov begins the season as the staff’s number-three goaltender. Veterans Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek take priority, and since one of many two will probably be on the staff after this season, they deserve an opportunity to show themselves worthy of a brand new contract. Askarov will probably open the marketing campaign within the AHL, however he’ll get an NHL look sooner or later this season, and the preseason may assist resolve how rapidly that second arrives.
If Askarov shakes off the lower-body damage that has left him day-to-day and performs properly within the exhibition contests, he can reveal his NHL readiness and doubtlessly speed up his timeline. Relying on whether or not Blackwood and Vanecek excel or wrestle, they may delay or expedite Askarov’s transfer to the NHL, or enhance the probability of a commerce to open up a spot for the 22-year-old.
The Sharks have spent a number of seasons in search of their goalie of the longer term, and Askarov is the closest they’ve needed to that title. The upcoming video games earlier than the common season would be the first indicator of simply when that future would possibly start.
Sharks Preseason Video games Maintain Which means
Preseason video games are sometimes seen as insignificant or not value watching. That’s not true for the Sharks this season. With their giant variety of younger gamers, new acquisitions and a brand new head coach, they’ll use the preseason to begin what may very well be a troublesome season on the proper notice. They’ve loads about their staff nonetheless to be decided, and people questions exist all through their lineup. The video games could not rely within the standings, however that is likely to be the proper alternative to attempt plenty of completely different combos and put all of the gamers in the most effective positions potential to succeed.
