The San Jose Sharks are eight days away from their season opener against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 7. Peter DeBoer still has some interesting decisions to make regarding his final roster, along with everyone’s favorite question about who will be named captain before the season begins.
The Sharks have one last opportunity in front of their home fans as San Jose hosts their final home game of the preseason when they take on the Vancouver Canucks at 7:30 p.m. tonight. It will be the third meeting between the two teams during exhibition play with Vancouver taking home a 1-0 overtime victory on Sept. 21 and San Jose recording a 4-0 shutout win on Sept. 22.
Here’s how the Sharks lines are expected to look like for tonight’s game via Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News:
#SJSharks lines this AM -- 8-19-82, 12-39-42, 57-48-83, 18-50-13. Looks like Goldobin gets shot on top line
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) September 29, 2015
Of particular note is who DeBoer decided to ice on the wing of Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski, none other than 2014 first-round pick Nikolay Goldobin. DeBoer has had a revolving door of sorts with the final spot on the top line, skating Tomas Hertl, Joonas Donskoi and now Goldobin up front at various points during training camp.
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This could be Goldobin’s big opportunity to make a final statement to DeBoer that he’s ready for NHL action on a full-time basis. While Donskoi appears to have the ability to play all throughout the lineup and Hertl settling into a third-line center role, Goldobin is a creative offensive talent who thrives in a top-six role. If he can prove his worth up front tonight and moving forward, it would go a long way in improving his chances of making the team.
Also, Raffi Torres is back in the lineup and it’s a good sign to see him suiting up in game action. As mentioned on numerous occasions, San Jose desperately needs to keep him healthy throughout the year for the Sharks to be considered serious contenders.
DeBoer is putting out a very strong lineup for this game and could be a tribute to Sharks fans who won’t get the opportunity to see their team play at SAP Center until the home opener on Oct. 10 against the Anaheim Ducks. Martin Jones will get the start between the pipes as the San Jose Sharks continue their preparations for the upcoming season.
As the final roster decisions are made within the upcoming week, it’s time to step up and secure your spot on the roster as the regular season quickly approaches.
Next: San Jose Sharks Potential Final Roster Cuts