With Kellman waived, what are the options?
The Sharks placed center Joel Kellman on waivers Sunday, possibly opening the door for another forward in the organization to make their NHL debut in the next few days.
Other teams have 24 hours to claim Kellman but if he clears, he would be placed on the Sharks’ taxi squad or report to the Barracuda for their training camp.
Perhaps the move shouldn’t be a surprise. Kellman was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s loss to the Arizona Coyotes, and Sharks coach Bob Boughner indicated earlier this week there would be a short leash for some players. Kellman had one shot on goal in 12 minutes of ice time in the Sharks’ 4-3 shootout win over the Coyotes on Thursday.
Against the Coyotes, Patrick Marleau replaced Kellman at center on the fourth line with Marcus Sorensen and Stefan Noesen on the wings.
“We want to be as patient and let guys have a chance, but that rope is short, that leash is short,” Boughner said Friday. “We have to make sure that whoever’s in is playing well and playing hard because there’s a lot of guys waiting and knocking on the door to get in.”
The move might allow Dylan Gambrell, who has been a healthy scratch the past two games, to make his season debut this week when the Sharks play the St. Louis Blues tonight and Wednesday. Gambrell, 24, is a righthanded shot and has played 61 games for the Sharks over the past three seasons.
The Sharks could also dip into their taxi squad, or just keep the trio they had together Saturday, although their possession numbers were not strong.
Considering the Sharks’ faceoff struggles in their first two games, Fredrik Handemark, 27, could be a candidate to play as San Jose’s fourth line center. The Sharks are 48 of 111 (43.2 percent) on draws through two games and Handemark, in his first season in North America, is thought of as a faceoff specialist.
Sasha Chmelevski, 21, is another option. Chmelevski, now in his second full season as a professional, impressed Boughner and the Sharks during training camp and was added to the taxi squad after the season began.
Chmelevski had 27 points in 42 games with the Barracuda last season, including three goals and eight assists in his last 12 games before the AHL suspended its season in March. Neither Chmelevski or Handemark have played an NHL game.
On the Sharks’ taxi squad as of Sunday were Handemark, Chmelevski and fellow forward Jeffrey Viel, defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk and goalie Alexei Melnichuk. IRONMAN STREAK INTACT >> After it appeared earlier this week that he would be a healthy scratch to start the season, Florida defenseman Keith Yandle instead played in his 867th consecutive game Sunday night when the Panthers hosted the Chicago Blackhawks.
Yandle, 34, had reportedly fallen out of favor with the Panthers, and it’s unclear whether he’ll now stay in the lineup long-term or if his status is more game-to-game. For now, anyway, he remains the NHL’s leader in consecutive games played. The Sharks’ Patrick Marleau is second with an 856-game streak. BACK IN ACTION >> Forward Maxim Letunov is out of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and practiced with the Barracuda on Saturday. Letunov had been out of action for the majority of training camp and remained unavailable to practice or play at the start of the season.