Month: September 2014

140930 – preseason Kings @ Sharks (pregame)

Sharks had Sunday off (CBA mandate).  They’ll have practice Monday, Wednesday, Thursday before finishing their preseason games on Friday and Saturday. Over the weekend, more players were sent to Worcester (roster down to 30, including Torres who will start season on IR and Sheppard).

Sharks players have a couple of bumps and bruises from camp and games, excluding Sheppard and Torres.  The Kings have a longer laundry list of more seriously dinged/recovering guys; but Quick, Doughty and Stoll may be finally ready to take to the ice.

The fans, players, coaches, and teams do not like each other in this rivalry.  And with the February outdoor game, this may be escalating in intensity through the season (with the entire league keeping an eye on the matchups; beside which the Sharks would love to see the Kings fail to win after raising their Stanley Cup banner on the opening day).

McLellan may have a more veteran group on the ice Tuesday, but some of the rookies may be tested against tougher competition.

Kings will have radio coverage for this game.

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

The Gackle Report

Fear the Fin

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP matchup

Sports Network matchup

NBC/PHT

ESPN

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

Los Angeles Kings

Inside SoCal

SBN: Jewels from the Crown

140927 – Ducks @ Sharks preseason game … links and thoughts

Sharks again were dominant on the shot clock.  Barclay Goodrow and Nikolay Goldobin stole the show.  Stalock had a shut out until midway through the third period.

And the Sharks won 3-1 over the Ducks.  Didn’t notice Tarasov or Oleksuk until late in the third period.  Doherty dropped the gloves early in the game.

After Friday’s game, McLellan gave good marks to the blueline.  After Saturday’s game, it was time for the forwards to get some good words spoken.  And in both cases, it was the rookies and prospects making for the good words.

(More perhaps Sunday afternoon)

On Sunday, the Sharks assigned four players to Worcester.

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

The Gackle Report

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP

Sports Network

Hockey Fights

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

Anaheim Ducks

  • x

Orange County Register (paywall)

Los Angeles Times

SBN: Anaheim Calling

  • x

140926 – postgame

The Sharks squad was populated with a lot of rookies and prospects.  There were flashes of brilliance from many, a number of players showing their rust.

But even with a surfeit of shots, the Sharks only managed one goal, on the power play.  They did ensure the fans saw some new rules in place, such as the cleaning of ice before overtime and the swapping of ends into the OT and for the shootout.

Defensively, the team was pretty good.  But if you aren’t scoring, it’s hard to win.  (At least it’s the preseason.)

Sharks 1-2 SO Coyotes

McLellan is talking about the possibility in his post game interview that a few vets might be elsewhere when the season starts as they’ve been supplanted by those rookies.  (Especially on the blueline.)

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

The Gackle Report

Gilroy Dispatch recap

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP recap

Sports Network recap

NBC/PHT

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

SBN: Five for Howling

140926 – preseason Coyotes @ Sharks 7:30pm

The Sharks are ready host their first preseason game against the renamed Arizona Coyotes.

Sharks have skated for a couple of days since the split squad games against Vancouver to work on a few things and do some more analysis of players in camp.  Roster sits at 45, and probably won’t have any more reduction until after this weekend’s pair of preseason game.  (The AHL camp starts on Monday. And the waiver period — to clear players to be assigned to AHL — starts 12 days before start of NHL season, so some could not be sent down until that started.  Thinking there will be a number of names on the waiver wire Sunday.)

But for the game Friday (and Saturday), expect a number of prospects and AHL names on the ice.  Perhaps everyone healthy will be in the lineup, one or the other game.  (CBA rules that at LEAST 8 NHL vets and/or first round picks be in the lineup.)  Sounds like Niemi may get his first start of the preseason on Friday.

Meanwhile, in Glendale, Arizona…. The Coyotes played an early preseason game as part of Kraft Hockeyville against Calgary. They’ve played five (some split squad) games already.

No TV coverage/stream.  And does not appear to be any radio feed either. Twitter for the latest (see lists below).

In the afternoon, the Sharks announced the signing of 2014 first round draft pick Nikolay Goldobin (whose agent is former Shark Igor Larionov), and (finally) announced signing of draftee Julius Bergman.

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

The Gackle Report

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP preview

Sports Network matchup

NBC/PHT

 

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Republic

SBN: Five for Howling

Training camp update 140924

Another day.  Another roster reduction, but not as many as might have been anticipated. (45 remain in camp; 43 under NHL contracts, one AHL deal on TO, one unsigned draftee; including Torres on IR. 4 G; 13 D; 28 F)

The Worcester camp starts on Monday, so today (Wednesday), Thursday and the two home preseason games this weekend will be the last chance for some players to make an impression, or be sent back to juniors or on to AHL camp.

Some great quotes from kids (and vets).  Poor John Scott — had his car totaled (on a carrier) enroute to SJ.  And some other points about who’s practicing with whom and how they haven’t cut down everyone… yet.  Couture comments on his injury (upper body, day to day).

 News of the day….
Videos from camp:
  • Rusanowsky recap
  • McLellan
  • Couture
  • Desjardins
  • Goodrow
  • Goldobin
  • Grosenick
  • Scott

From Mercury News:

From CSN

 

 

140923 – Sharks-Canucks split games preseason/postgame

In the preseason split squad games against the Canucks, each team won one.

In Vancouver, Stalock had 15 saves, but Sharks lost 4-2.  Couture did not skate 3rd period, stayed out for precautionary reasons.

But in Stockton, the Sharks won 5-2, with Thornton notching two goals.  Goldobin had a pretty one as well, named first star. Pavelski and Goodrow had the other two Shark goals.  Former Shark prospect Bonino scored one for the other guys.

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

Stockton Record

KCRA Sacramento

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP/CP

Sports Network

NBC/PHT

Hockey Fights

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Province

Vancouver Sun

140923 Preseason Sharks @ Canucks / Canucks @ Sharks (Stockton) — pregame news/links

And so we will get a first glance into how the Sharks will play against the rest of the league with split squad games against the Vancouver Canucks.

Sharks will be making big cuts after the Tuesday split squad games, so it may be the last chance for junior players, rookies and some vets, to make a good impression to stick around for the rest of camp (and perhaps the NHL season opener).

Vancouver is coming off of a very disappointing season, not even making the playoffs.  First year coach Tortorella didn’t make it to a second year, replaced by Willie Desjardins who coached the AHL Texas Stars to win the AHL Calder Cup last season. Vancouver had their early training camp in Whistler, so this will be the first opportunity local Vancouver fans will have to see their team.

Check out the links below for how the teams will split their squads between the two venues for the games.

Sharks will have neither radio nor TV coverage.  Game in Vancouver joined in progress on NHL Network US.  (Unclear if there is any Vancouver radio coverage)

 

Initially posted circa 9/22 11:40pm.  Will be updated through day as news breaks.

(I apologize for any missing/bad links — and blame the felines of the house)

Sharks Centric News

Sharks twitter list

Sharks news

San Jose Mercury News

CSN Bay Area/California

Stockton Record

Neutral Centric News

NHL

AP/CP

Sports Network

CBS Sports

Yahoo Sports/Puck Daddy

Opponent Centric News

Twitter list of opponent news

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Province

Vancouver Sun

Sportsnet Pacific

  • 3m

    Desjardins – Goalies will be split 30/30 in tonight’s games. #Canucks

Training camp day three

Videos from today

Todd McLellan

Nikolay Goldobin

Tyler Kennedy

Matt Nieto

John Scott

Mercury News: Curtis Pashelka summaries the day’s scrimmage on blog, noting Nieto’s speed, Tarasov’s mentoring of Goldobin, and Scott’s defense of enforcers/how he sees his role.  He also taps 3 stars for vets and prospects.  And article on the day that was — scrimmage, Scott and more.

CSN: Kurz summarizes the scrimmage with quotes from McLellan, Tarasov and Goldobin. And chats with Scott about his role on the team, to patrol the ice and protect the team.

NBC: O’Brien continues Kurz’s examination of Scotts role and looks at his impact last season with Buffalo.

 

Who has been impressing me at camp?

Mirco Mueller is way above the other rookies. He seems to be well positioned in scrimmages and takes care of his defensive responsibilities.  Does help that he’s more familiar with many of the NHLers having participated in the pre-camp captain skates, so gotten a bit used to the skill and speed of his teammates.

Nikolay Goldobin is showing some nice offensive moves, and hockey sense.  But IMHO lacks the size to compete this season in NHL.

Melker Karlsson is another that spent some time early in SJ in the captain skates.  Good show of hockey sense.

Good to see Julius Bergman playing after being on the receiving end of a nasty hit from juniors (that resulted in a suspension for the hitter).

John Scott does have some decent hockey sense, positioning.  May surprise a few folks.

Tyler Kennedy seems to be fitting in much better this season than last.

Tye McGinn may be the heir apparent to Torres’ roster spot, perhaps for the season.  Honest player who’s enjoying his time, thus far in San Jose.

I would love to see more creativity to try out some new combinations in the top two lines (rather than Pavelski-Thornton-Hertl and Nieto-Couture-Marleau), and through out the line up.  Now is a chance to try out some different things to discover the best combinations, without consequences of lost points.

Day two of camp and links.