Sharks training camp might be out of S.J.

San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher said the team will need to hold its training camp outside of Santa Clara County if local health officials do not allow players to skate in large groups at Solar4america Ice in San Jose.

Becher said Friday the Sharks right now are able to skate in small groups at the facility, but would need approval from the county’s public health department to skate in larger groups during training camp, which could start next month.

“We do not yet have permission to do that,” Becher said. “We’re hoping to hear back from the county next week in order to open that up, which then would allow scrimmages and practices to start in early December. That’s one of questions we do not have an answer to just yet.”

Becher said holding training camp outside of the county would be “a last resort for us, but if the season is going to start in January and we can’t train here, we would have to train someplace else. That is a backup plan.”

Contacted Friday by this newspaper about the Sharks’ status, a spokesperson from the county’s department of public health hoped to provide more information next week.

Coronavirus cases are surging to frightening levels in Santa Clara County, which was placed in the purple tier, the most restrictive, by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.

Friday, the county recorded 407 new cases, the highest single- day number since March. The number of patients hospitalized in Santa Clara County rose from 110 to 166 in the past week.

Becher said the Sharks have been in discussions with other hockey facilities, but would not specify where.