Sharks get ready for training camp
The San Jose Sharks had a horrible training camp last season.
They won only one of their six preseason games. None of the rookies made a strong impression on management or the coaching staff. The roster was thin, and the chemistry that had helped carry the Sharks to the Western Conference final four months earlier had evaporated.
The poor camp bled into the season. When the pandemic shut things down for good in March, the Sharks had the worst record in the Western Conference.
Avoiding a repeat of that, any and all of that, will be the focus when training camp opens Thursday at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Arizona. The players will need to adapt to the coaching staff’s way of doing things, as Bob Boughner takes over after serving 37 games as interim coach last season. He and GM Doug Wilson also need to find some less-experienced players who can contribute at the NHL level.
All while trying to stay safe and healthy in the midst of a pandemic.
Here are the Sharks’ top questions going into camp. 1. CAN THEY GET THROUGH CAMP WITHOUT AN OUTBREAK? >> MLB had its share of issues with the coronavirus after it started its season in July and the NFL continues to have problems every week. Heck, the Warriors had issues recently with both Dray mond Green and James Wiseman missing most of camp for COVIDrelated reasons.
With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine the NHL not experiencing similar problems, especially in the early going.
Before Christmas, the Sharks were still figuring out protocols and what they could and could not do once camp began. It is fair to assume, though, they will be in a fairly restrictive environment, with most — if not all — of their days spent either at the rink or their nearby hotel.
It’s obviously critical that the Sharks adhere to these rules. Not only for their physical well-being, but to get the most out of this time before the Jan. 14 opener vs. the Arizona Coyotes. The last thing they can afford is to have groups of players sitting out for days at a time for COVID-related reasons. It stands to reason that if every player can stay healthy and eligible during camp, then the Sharks will have a better chance of getting off to a good start once the season begins.
2. CANTHE GOALTENDING BE FIXED? >> We start the onice questions here because without solid goaltending, all of the coaching and personnel changes the Sharks have made during the long offseason won’t matter. They will have no chance of making the playoffs if Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk are unable to improve on their numbers from last season.
Jones had a .891 even strength save percentage in 41 games last season, 57th and last among all goalies who played at least 20 games. Dubnyk wasn’t much better with an .899 even strength save percentage.