Initial Reactions From San Jose Sharks Training Camp

SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Erik Karlsson prepares to enter the ice for morning practice at Solar4America on September 19, 2018 in San Jose, California (Photo by Brandon Magnus/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Erik Karlsson prepares to enter the ice for morning practice at Solar4America on September 19, 2018 in San Jose, California (Photo by Brandon Magnus/NHLI via Getty Images)
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 28: Hockey pucks wait for practice to begin on the ice during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Philadelphia Flyers on November 28, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia PA. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 28: Hockey pucks wait for practice to begin on the ice during the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and the Philadelphia Flyers on November 28, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia PA. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The San Jose Sharks kicked off their 29th season in the National Hockey League with training camp festivities beginning over the weekend.

Everyone remain calm. San Jose Sharks hockey is back with the start of training camp ominously starting on Friday the 13th.

Picking this particular day might not have been a coincidence considering this a team with a history of taking risks. And this season is no different for San Jose. They’ll be betting a lot on this talented yet unfinished roster heading into the 2019 – 2020 campaign.

The start of training camp always has a sense of optimism for almost every team. The fresh ice, smiling players, and general buzz surrounding the franchise never fails to stoke hope into a fan base. This should definitely be the case for a Sharks squad looking to compete in a loaded western conference again this season.

At the same time the Sharks have some questions heading into next year. The front end of the roster is going through a bit of an overhaul. This off-season San Jose lost Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi, and Gus Nyquist to free agency. Instead the front office decided to allocate their cap space to skaters such as Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier, and Kevin Labanc.

Losing this much talent is a heavy burden to carry, however it provides new opportunities for players on the current roster and within the farm system to take the next step in their development at the professional level.

San Jose invited 61 players to camp but sent Mitchell Brewer, Zach Emond, Zach Gallant, Jake Gricius, Jake Lee, and Hudson Wilson to their respected junior clubs after just one day of practice. But with 55 players remaining for the Sharks there is still lots to sort through before the start of the regular season on October 2nd against the Vegas Golden Knights.

IRVINE, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Lukas Parik #33 and Aidan Dudas #87 of the Los Angeles Kings put pressure on Jake Gricius #96 of the San Jose Sharks during the Anaheim Rookie Faceoff Tournament at Great Park Ice on September 10, 2019 in Irvine, California. (Photo by Foster Snell/NHLI via Getty Images)
IRVINE, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Lukas Parik #33 and Aidan Dudas #87 of the Los Angeles Kings put pressure on Jake Gricius #96 of the San Jose Sharks during the Anaheim Rookie Faceoff Tournament at Great Park Ice on September 10, 2019 in Irvine, California. (Photo by Foster Snell/NHLI via Getty Images) /

It’s no question that health is a major factor for the San Jose Sharks if they want success this upcoming season. Especially when it comes to their most important player on the ice.

Erik Karlsson got hampered by injuries for most of the 2019 calendar year. Despite only playing in 53 games EK65 posted a career high 1.9 assists per 60 rate. Adding to this the Swedish blueliner racked up the most points among all defenders during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 21.

Following the Sharks disheartening exit from the Western Conference Finals Erik Karlsson underwent successful surgery to repair the groin injury that hindered the 29-year-old for the last half of the season. Now with a full summer of recovery under his belt it appears that he could be at full strength entering the 2019 – 2020 campaign.

According to Chelena Goldman of NBCSN Bay Area notes that Coach Pete DeBoer was pleasantly surprised by the progress that EK65 has had made on his road to recovery.


Another Sharks blueliner whose health is vital to the team if they want to stay competitive is Radim Simek’s. The impact of the Czech defender can not get ignored. He plays a steady defensive game and provides a physical presence that is necessary in the rugged pacific division.

The almost 27-year-old played in 41 games last season only to get knocked out by a gnarly MCL/ACL tear which required surgery. With all that behind him, Simek is aiming towards a return sometime in the near future. Don’t get too excited however according to Mercury News Curtis Pashelka who caught up with DeBoer and noted that the Sharks aren’t in a rush to bring him back.


Other than the two blueliners it seems that the Sharks are at full-strength. With nearly a full deck to work with how exactly will this roster shake out with all the questions up facing the forward group?

SAN JOSE, CA – SEPTEMBER 19: San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane (9), left, talks with Logan Couture (39), right during practice at Solar4America Ice in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – SEPTEMBER 19: San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane (9), left, talks with Logan Couture (39), right during practice at Solar4America Ice in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images) /

The Sharks are a little thin when it comes to NHL proven forwards, specially the right-wing. After losing Pavelski, Donskoi, and Nyquist Team Teal has a lot of their internal depth to sort through in order to find a suitable top six skater.

A lot of the hype is surrounding the players making their way up the prospect pipeline. However the Sharks brought in few veteran skaters hoping to make waves in the NHL. San Jose signed Jonny Brodzinski this summer and are giving him every opportunity to succeed on Team Teal.

Kevin Kurz of The Athletic is observing training camp on the ground and tracking which line combinations the Sharks coaching staff had in mind at the start of training camp.

It’s far too early to think of these as being definitive. Nevertheless, you get the sense that the Sharks believe in Brodzinski’s potential considering he’s getting a shot as the trigger man along future Hall-of-famer Joe Thornton.

This also signals that San Jose is leaning towards Dylan Gambrell in the top 6 at that start of camp. But this doesn’t mean that other forwards can earn a shot that those minutes. With 6 preseason games and a couple of weeks remaining in camp there is still plenty to sift through.

Other players to watch while these few weeks transpire are Alex True, a 6’5 center who led the Barracuda in scoring in 2018 – 2019, sniper Joachim Blichfeld, centerman Noah Gregor, Sasha Chmelevski, and last years pre-season darling Ivan Chekhovich.

This is THE story line to track throughout training camp especially with so much riding on these “gambles” made by Sharks front office.

DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 06: Head coach Peter DeBoer of the San Jose Sharks watches as his team plays the Colorado Avalanche in the first period during Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on May 6, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – MAY 06: Head coach Peter DeBoer of the San Jose Sharks watches as his team plays the Colorado Avalanche in the first period during Game Six of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on May 6, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

The Sharks responded to Joe Pavelski’s departure by announcing a newly configured leadership core centered around new captain Logan Couture. The assistants are now Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Joe Thornton.

Pavelski’s influence on the Sharks squad can not be measured. Not only will they miss his consistently lethal scoring output, they’ll also lose out on the 35-year-old’s stoic presence on and off the ice.

The former captain isn’t the only skater whose absence is taking its toll on the Sharks. As reported by Sheng Peng San Jose is still reeling from the trade that sent Justin Braun to Flyers earlier this summer.

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Nevertheless, the Sharks are transitioning into a new era where they will have to adapt if they are want to keep pace in the Pacific division next season. Losing veterans of Pavelski’s and Braun’s caliber is difficult to overcome, but it could work out a little easier for a team full of veteran skaters like San Jose.

This new(ish) leadership core will guide a team that expects to have a few more fresh faces on it than years prior. Much of the younger skaters success relies on the play and attitudes of these veterans.

Related Story. 3 Ways the Sharks can Offset the Loss of Pavs. light

The Sharks are in the midst of transition period while simultaneously still trying to stay Stanley Cup relevant in 2019 – 2020. These two factors make for a highly intriguing list of story lines to track throughout this years campaign.

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