It's a quick turnaround for the San Jose Sharks. After a 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars last night, Team Teal is on the road to the Gateway to the West, where the St. Louis Blues will provide the opposition for the Sharks tonight. They're not what they were when they captured the Stanley Cup back in 2019, but they can score and be dangerous. San Jose has to be smarter defensively tonight.
However, there is some exciting news for the Sharks. After his significant move this summer from Nashville to the Bay, Yaroslav Askarov will make his San Jose Sharks debut tonight. The Russian shot-stopper is one of the best young talents in the position anywhere in the NHL, and with the crease blocked in Nashville by Juuse Saros, he got a move to an organization that needs him badly. He will show if he is the future of this organization in the crease.
There are just two changes to the lineup for the team in front of him, both rotational. Will Smith is having a development day, so Givani Smith will take his place. Henry Thrun is getting a rest on the back end, so Jack Thompson is set to jump in for him. Both Mikael Granlund and Jake Walman are okay after being dinged up last night in the defeat to Dallas.
Projected Lineups
San Jose Sharks
William Eklund - Mikael Granlund - Fabian Zetterlund
Barclay Goodrow - Macklin Celebrini - Tyler Toffoli
Ty Dellandrea - Alex Wennberg - Klim Kostin
Givani Smith - Luke Kunin - Carl Grundstrom
Jake Walman - Cody Ceci
Mario Ferraro - Timothy Liljegren
Henry Thrun - Jan Rutta
Yaroslav Askarov
Mackenzie Blackwood
St Louis Blues
Pavel Buchnevich - Robert Thomas - Jordan Kyrou
Brandon Saad - Brayden Schenn - Jake Neighbours
Zack Bolduc - Dylan Holloway - Mathieu Joseph
Alexey Toropchenko - Radek Faksa - Nathan Walker
Ryan Suter - Colton Parayko
Scott Perunovich - Justin Faulk
Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Corey Schuenman
Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer
Puck Drop
Tonight's game is a 5 p.m. puck drop from St Louis. This Blues team is dangerous but can be exploited in their own zone. San Jose will have goals on offer, and grabbing a few of them would support the netminder making his Sharks debut tonight. Can they win the first Sharks game for Yaroslav Askarov, or will the struggles for this team continue?