- Editor's note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California's Sharks coverage for the 2021-22 season. 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.
Skating isn’t the most important thing.
Sasha Chmelevski’s current stint with the San Jose Sharks is a study in that.
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Chmelevski, along with John Leonard, started Saturday night on the fourth line flanking Scott Reedy. But after the Sharks got down 4-1 in the first period to the Dallas Stars, head coach Bob Boughner elevated Chmelevski next to Logan Couture.
“I thought Sasha’s game was strong. I knew that right off the bat,” Boughner said. “You try and make adjustments as a game goes on and give guys opportunities where they deserve, and I thought he deserved that opportunity to play on that big line.”
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And indeed, the promotion paid immediate dividends, as both Chmelevski and Logan Couture showed how smarts can trump skating.
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