Plenty of new faces as Sharks prepare for a new season
Youth and promise have prevailed in the Sharks’ training camp.
San Jose continued its roster reset as it prepares for the regular season by favoring new blood — especially at forward — in the hopes of becoming relevant again after consecutive non-playoff finishes.
Seven of the 15 forwards on the Sharks’ roster who appeared in at least one preseason game have 15 or fewer games of NHL experience. Four, including William Eklund, Jonathan Dahlen, Jasper Weatherby and Adam Raska, have yet to make their NHL debuts.
Meanwhile young vets Noah Gregor, John Leonard, Joel Kellman, Sasha Chmelevski and Joachim Blichfeld were assigned to the American Hockey League’s San Jose Barracuda. And Dylan Gambrell, who cleared waivers Sunday, was assigned to the Sharks’ AHL affiliate.
“I don’t know if we drew it up this way, but we said coming in, it would be a competitive camp,” said Sharks head coach Bob Boughner, whose 23-man roster is due at 2 p.m. Monday. “And we’re going with the guys who had good camps and deserved it.”
Eklund, the seventh overall draft pick in June who turns 19 on Tuesday, led the Sharks in preseason scoring with six points. He scored his first goal during San Jose’s preseason finale on Saturday, a 4-0 win over Vegas. Eklund was on a line with Tomas Hertl and Rudolfs Balcers.
“I really tried to adapt to North American ice,” said the native of Sweden. “I don’t know if I surprised myself. I had high hopes coming in here.”
“Eklund, playing the way he is, that would be a no-brainer,” Boughner said. “He looks good out there, he’s adjusting every day, and he’s earned it.”
Dahlen, who’s also a Swede, is the son of ex-Sharks winger Ulf Dahlen. Jonathan Dahlen capped a strong camp with his first goal Saturday. Dahlen skated on the right wing alongside top-liners Logan Couture and Timo Meier.
“I thought this was for sure my most comfortable game,” Dahlen said. “I added some offense, made some passes and was more involved. I’ve done my best; now we’ll just see what happens.”
Weatherby, 23, and Raska, 20, are expected to provide size and sandpaper on San Jose’s reformed fourth line.
The defense could get younger, too, with the camp emergence of 20-year-old Finn Santeri Hatakka, a Sharks’ sixthround pick in 2019. A lingering and unspecified injury to last year’s rookie surprise, Nikolai Knyzhov, has provided an opening on the blue line. Hatakka appeared in five of the six exhibitions, and was paired with Erik Karlsson on Saturday.
Boughner, too, was pleased with goaltending as newcomers Adin Hill (1.00 goals-against average, .958 save percentage) and James Reimer (2.18 GAA and .915) provided far better numbers than San Jose has received in the recent past.
“It was a bright spot for the last few preseason games,” Boughner said. “They’ve pushed each other, come up with saves at the right times and it gives the team juice. It’s good to see them both end camp on a high note.”
The Sharks are one of two teams — Calgary is the other — who won’t play their season opener until Saturday; the NHL begins with two games Tuesday. The Sharks are off Monday and Tuesday before returning for three practices in preparation for Winnipeg’s visit to SAP Center on Saturday.
“It’s been a good training camp, and the guys deserve a few days to sort of relax,” Boughner said. “It’ll give the guys who are banged up a chance to get healthier. You can only practice so much. It’s a good week to reset.”