- Editor’s note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
PRAGUE – The Sharks’ preseason is over, but the training camp battles aren’t done yet.
Because the Sharks were allowed to carry 27 players to Europe – four more than the regular season norm – we won’t really know the winners of camp battles until the Sharks play again in North America on Oct. 14. They’ll be down to the normal 23-man roster by then.
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And while Sharks head coach David Quinn had said that Tuesday's exhibition game against Eisbaren Berlin should be a close preview of his line-up for Friday’s season-opener against the Nashville Predators, there’s a rematch on the next day between the two sides.
So who’s to say the Sharks’ Oct. 7 line-up will be exactly like the Oct. 8 one?
That is to say, as long as you’re one of the 27 men on the Europe trip – or you’re injured veterans Alexander Barabanov or Markus Nutivaara, currently recovering in San Jose – you still have a chance to make an impression on this coaching staff and make the 23-man regular-season roster.
Here's how the camp battles are looking.
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Forwards
Ten forwards – Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture, Luke Kunin, Kevin Labanc, Oskar Lindblom, Nick Bonino, Matt Nieto, Noah Gregor, Steven Lorentz – should be safe bets for the 23-man roster.
Nico Sturm and Barabanov should be too, pending their health. Sturm is on the trip, but the German native missed the Berlin contest. He appears to be fully participating in practice, so he should be in line to play in Prague.
Barabanov isn’t trending as favorably. A lower-body injury has sidelined him since the first preseason tilt on Sept. 25. He did skate by himself before practice on Sept. 29.
So let’s include Sturm, but not Barabanov, on our prospective 23-man roster, which should consist of 13 or 14 forwards. That’s likely two, maybe three spots available to Jonah Gadjovich, Evgeny Svechnikov, Jeffrey Viel, William Eklund, or Thomas Bordeleau.
Gadjovich and Svechnikov appear to have the leg up: Both dressed in Berlin, enjoyed strong preseasons, and neither is waiver-exempt.
Between Viel and Eklund and Bordeleau, I thought Bordeleau had the better camp, and he’d be in my NHL line-up. However, top prospects Bordeleau and Eklund are waiver-exempt, while Viel isn’t.
I guess it’s a question of what Quinn wants in the line-up: Bordeleau and Eklund provide obvious offensive upside, but the rookies have their defensive downside. Gadjovich and Viel provide sandpaper, and at least in the preseason, Gadjovich was flashing some offense. Svechnikov is smart, strong, and skilled, just held back by unremarkable skating.
It's worth noting that for their development, you want Eklund and Bordeleau in top-nine roles. Whereas Gadjovich, Viel, and Svechnikov, you can leave on the fourth line.
Bordeleau is my upset roster candidate: He’s creative, should be able to play both center and wing adeptly, and is NHL-strong. He also fits a Sharks’ need: Their second power play unit, especially, could use some more skill.
My guess right now is that Gadjovich and Svechnikov make the 23-man cut, while Bordeleau and Eklund start the season in the AHL. Viel too, if he passes through waivers.
And presuming Bordeleau and Eklund don’t pout and put on a good showing with the San Jose Barracuda, they’ll be back up quickly when the Sharks need – and they will – a shot of offense.
Here’s a stab at how the Sharks might currently see their depth chart, in terms of NHL-readiness:
- Timo Meier
- Tomas Hertl
- Logan Couture
- Alexander Barabanov
- Luke Kunin
- Kevin Labanc
- Oskar Lindblom
- Nick Bonino
- Nico Sturm
- Noah Gregor
- Steven Lorentz
- Matt Nieto
- Jonah Gadjovich
- Evgeny Svechnikov
- Thomas Bordeleau
- William Eklund
- Jeffrey Viel
Defense
The 23-man roster appears to be more cut-and-dry on defense: The Sharks have been consistent with playing Erik Karlsson and Karlsson’s defensive partner, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Mario Ferraro, and Radim Simek and Matt Benning together.
Right now, Karlsson’s partner is the just-signed Scott Harrington, who’s taken the place of the injured Nutivaara.
You would think the 29-year-old Jaycob Megna, who played most of the season with the Sharks last year, would have the head start on the No. 7 defenseman job.
Prospect Nick Cicek was rewarded with a trip to Europe for a solid camp, but he’s waiver-exempt and probably isn’t quite ready for regular NHL duty.
So that could be your seven defensemen on the 23-man roster, easy peasy. I doubt the Sharks carry eight.
The interesting question is if Nutivaara happens to be healthy by Oct. 14? That’s not a given, but a source has indicated to San Jose Hockey Now that it’s considered a possibility.
So if Nutivaara is ready by Oct. 14, who goes?
Karlsson and Ferraro are obviously safe. The Sharks also have good-sized commitments to Vlasic, Simek, and Benning.
The obvious answer for who the Sharks would waive is newcomer Harrington, but it’s interesting that Quinn has given him first shot with top dog Karlsson instead of incumbent Megna.
Both Harrington and Megna are left-handers, and Megna played with Karlsson last season.
So even though Megna has a one-way, two-year contract – as opposed to Harrington’s two-way, one-year agreement – I’m giving Harrington the edge.
Keep in mind, it was interim GM Joe Will who re-signed Megna, and ex-head coach Bob Boughner who promoted Megna – not GM Mike Grier or Quinn.
Potential Sharks' defensive depth chart:
- Erik Karlsson
- Mario Ferraro
- Marc-Edouard Vlasic
- Markus Nutivaara
- Matt Benning
- Radim Simek
- Scott Harrington
- Jaycob Megna
Goaltending
Potential Sharks' goaltending depth chart:
1A. Kaapo Kahkonen
1B. James Reimer
3. Aaron Dell
Here’s my best guess for the Sharks’ 23-man roster on Oct. 14. I’m assuming that Barabanov and Nutivaara remain hurt, and Sturm is healthy.
Forwards (13): Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture, Luke Kunin, Kevin Labanc, Oskar Lindblom, Nick Bonino, Matt Nieto, Noah Gregor, Steven Lorentz, Nico Sturm, Jonah Gadjovich, Evgeny Svechnikov
Defense (7): Erik Karlsson, Scott Harrington, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Mario Ferraro, Radim Simek, Matt Benning, Jaycob Megna
Goalies (2): Kaapo Kahkonen, James Reimer