SAN JOSE -- Exactly 150 days after the Sharks' previous season ended, a new one opens Wednesday night at SAP Center when they host the Anaheim Ducks.
The Pacific Division rivals last saw each other in April, when the Sharks swept the Ducks out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. San Jose and Anaheim will ice different lineups than the last matchup nearly six months ago, but for entirely different reasons.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson will play his first meaningful game for the Sharks after a blockbuster trade on the eve of training camp brought him to the Bay Area. So, too, will rookie center Antti Suomela, who led the Finnish league in scoring last season and will skate between Evander Kane and Joonas Donskoi. Newly shaved Joe Thornton will return to his spot down the middle of the first line in his first regular-season game since he tore his ACL and MCL on Jan. 23.
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The Ducks, meanwhile, are dealing with injuries of their own. Ryan Kesler is working his way back from offseason hip surgery, as is Patrick Eaves from a shoulder injury. Ondrej Kase has a concussion, Corey Perry is out five months after knee surgery, and Nick Ritchie still is unsigned. In their place, “at least five” Anaheim rookies will suit up, coach Randy Carlyle told reporters.
The usual suspects, Martin Jones and John Gibson, will start in goal for the Sharks and Ducks, respectively.
Here are the projected lines and pairings for the season opener.
San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
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Timo Meier -- Joe Thornton -- Joe Pavelski
Tomas Hertl -- Logan Couture -- Kevin Labanc
Evander Kane -- Antti Suomela -- Joonas Donskoi
Marcus Sorensen -- Barclay Goodrow -- Melker Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Erik Karlsson
Joakim Ryan -- Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon -- Justin Braun
Martin Jones
Anaheim Ducks (H/T Eric Stephens and Daily Faceoff)
Rickard Rakell -- Ryan Getzlaf -- Troy Terry
Maxime Comtois -- Adam Henrique -- Jakob Silfverberg
Andrew Cogliano -- Sam Steel -- Pontus Aberg
Ben Street -- Carter Rowney -- Kiefer Sherwood
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Montour
Cam Fowler -- Josh Manson
Marcus Pettersson -- Luke Schenn
John Gibson