Initial Reactions From San Jose Sharks Training Camp

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?

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.

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.

More from Sharks News

• Norris Trophy odds show Erik Karlsson a step above the rest
• Red hot Couture provides a much needed boost
• Sharks return to SAP in sight
• Ryan Donato shines in his revenge game
• Tomas Hertl is off to a hot start

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.

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.