SAN JOSE – Thomas Bordeleau’s lower-body harm may have a ripple impact all through the San Jose Sharks’ lineup, significantly within the competitors for one of many workforce’s last few roster spots.
Bordeleau, who was injured in a Sharks’ follow over the weekend, was, or perhaps nonetheless is, competing to start out the season within the NHL, maybe as a third-line winger. Now he’s thought of week-to-week, with the Sharks uncertain if he can begin the common season on time.
Who jumps into Bordeleau’s spot, ought to he must miss the following couple of weeks, may grow to be one of many larger storylines in coaching camp, because the Sharks’ preseason continues with Thursday’s recreation in Anaheim towards the Geese.
On Tuesday, some NHL hopefuls tried to make a case for themselves in what turned a 4-3 loss to the Geese earlier than an introduced crowd of 9,462 at SAP Heart.
Ahead Danil Gushchin had a objective and an help and veterans Jake Walman and Alexander Wennberg additionally scored because the Sharks fell to 0-2-0 within the preseason.
Can Gushchin make a roster push? His offensive abilities have by no means been in query. However can he be accountable on the defensive finish?
Issues determine to get slightly more durable from right here for all gamers competing for a spot on the roster as opposing groups begin to costume extra NHL regulars in video games. Anaheim’s lineup Tuesday primarily featured gamers who will begin the season within the AHL.
Listed below are three takeaways from Tuesday’s recreation.
SMITH’S PLAY: High prospect Will Smith’s imaginative and prescient and playmaking capacity had been on show within the first two durations, as he arrange winger Tyler Toffoli for high quality scoring probabilities at even power and on the ability play.
Smith completed with over 21 minutes of ice time, had two photographs on objective, and gained 4 of 8 faceoffs.
Smith’s spot on the 23-man roster appears assured, and his offensive expertise determine to land him on the scoresheet in some unspecified time in the future right here. However his greatest development space as an NHL centerman will come within the defensive zone.
Being a Massachusetts native, Smith bought to observe former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, among the finest two-way facilities in NHL historical past, play frequently. Being part of the identical company as Bergeron, the 2 have additionally gotten to know one another off the ice.
“We were supposed to get out and golf before I left (the Boston area), but it got a little busy, having to go to the (NHLPA) rookie orientation,” Smith stated earlier than Tuesday’s recreation. “But he said whenever I want to reach out, it’ll be good.”
Having a six-time Selke Trophy winner a telephone name away figures to be a fairly useful useful resource for an offensive wizard like Smith, who confronted questions on his two-way recreation in his draft 12 months. He additionally is aware of it’ll be a piece in progress as he begins to compete towards a number of the greatest facilities on the planet, significantly within the Pacific Division.
“He obviously started in the league pretty young,” stated Smith of Bergeron, who performed 71 NHL video games through the 2003-04 season as an 18-year-old.
“He’s touched on there’s going to be ups and downs — everyone has said that to me — and it’s a tough league for a reason, the best one in the world, so you’ve got to be there for the ups and the downs.”
IDENTITY PLAY: Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky stated after Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights that the workforce wanted to start out taking part in nearer to its desired identification: taking part in with tempo and having numbers across the puck all recreation.
“We want to be on top of the opponent,” Warsofsky stated. “We had two or three guys doing it. We didn’t have four or five guys doing it. And we want to just play a little bit quicker, coming out of own end a little bit cleaner.”
The Sharks began off effectively with objectives from Gushchin and Wennberg within the first 11:59 of the opening interval. Anaheim, although, managed issues within the second interval, and a number of the Sharks’ defensive breakdowns that bit them Sunday cropped up once more Tuesday.
MAKING A STATEMENT: Similar to throughout Sunday’s recreation when Givani Smith went after Kaedan Korczak after the Golden Knights defensemen hit Macklin Celebrini, a number of Sharks went at Geese ahead Jansen Harkins after cross-checked Smith.
That’s a non-negotiable this 12 months for the Sharks. If opposing groups take liberties with the Sharks’ greatest younger gamers, there needs to be a response. No questions requested.
FIRST ACTION: Goalie Vitek Vanecek performed the primary half of Tuesday recreation and stopped 11 of 12 photographs. It was a step in the proper route for Vanecek, who had his 2023-24 season finish prematurely with a groin harm in February.
Initially Revealed: September 24, 2024 at 9:38 p.m.
