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.
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- Sharks’ power play hopes to avoid power outage without Dan Boyle
- Sharks goalie Niemi likely to get start Friday in home exhibition opener
- WTC: For Sharks’ Freddie Hamilton, the “time is now”
- 10:05am via Twitter Web Client Based on game notes, probably #SJSharks lineup for tonight: Pavelski, Brown, Thornton, McGinn, Hannan, Buris, Mueller, Fedun, Vlasic (1/2)
- 10:06am via Twitter Web Client Hertl, Tierney, Abeltshauser, Wingels, Braun, Oleksuk, Tarasov, Schwartz, Hayes, Goldobin Burns. Niemi, Grosenick in goal. (2/2)
- 10:10am via Twitter Web Client And based on that same source, Mike Smith not making the trip for ARZ for #SJSharks home exhibition opener.
- PollakOnSharks 12:31pm via Twitter Web Client Win matters, but so do auditions when #SJSharks face ARZ in home exhibition opener tonight, McLellan says. mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_2661…
- 1:09pm via twitterfeed #sharks #hockey Wins matter even in exhibition season, McLellan says, as Sharks face Arizona — plus a few word... bit.ly/Yl5KYa
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