Rookie forwards William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau will not play in the San Jose Sharks’ exhibition game today with Eisbären Berlin and likely won’t dress in the regular season opener on Friday, either.
Bordeleau, Eklund, winger Jeffrey Viel, and defenseman Nick Cicek are expected to be among the healthy scratches for today’s game at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, as the Sharks start a lineup that will closely resemble the one they plan to have on the ice Friday in Prague against the Nashville Predators.
Eklund, taken seventh overall by San Jose in 2021, and Bordeleau, taken 38th overall in 2020, each have NHL experience, earned kudos from coach David Quinn in camp, and are considered the Sharks’ top two rookie prospects.
Quinn, though, said Eklund and Bordeleau still need to earn their way into the lineup. The Sharks also play Nashville on Saturday to finish the Global Series event at O2 Arena.
“They need to continue to improve and do the things that we’ve addressed with them that will allow them to be successful NHL players,” Quinn said of Bordeleau and Eklund before Tuesday’s game. “We’re really happy with their progress. This is not in any way, shape, or form saying that we’re disappointed with them.
“It’s a tough league. It’s a hard league for young players to play in and they’re certainly continuing to make strides and being the players they need to be.”
The Sharks also need to get their roster down from 27 to 23 players prior to Friday’s game, and Eklund, Bordeleau, and Cicek do not require waivers.
It’s possible that the Sharks waive Viel before Friday and keep 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goalies on the active roster for this weekend.
By doing that, the Sharks would not have to expose defensemen Jaycob Megna, goalie Aaron Dell or forwards Evgeny Svechnikov and Jonah Gadjovich, who all require waivers to be taken off the roster.
Alexander Barabanov and defensemen Markus Nutivaara are both injured and did not make the trip. For now, the Sharks have Luke Kunin taking Barabanov’s spot on the top line with Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, and Scott Harrington taking Nutivaara’s spot alongside Erik Karlsson.
“I think one of my strengths is being able to play up and down the lineup,” Kunin said. “Right now that’s with Tommy and Timo and just want to do whatever I can to help those guys, help out any way offensively but also be reliable in all areas.”
“Just trying to show a new team what I’ve got and keep improving and keep trying to get comfortable playing with different guys,” said Harrington, who signed a one-year deal with the Sharks on Friday. “It’s been fun playing with Erik. Obviously, he’s a great player, so I’m just trying to build chemistry as quick as I can, keep things simple and try to communicate a lot.”
Other Sharks forward lines, per reports, have wingers Oskar Lindblom and Kevin Labanc on Logan Couture’s line, Matt Nieto and Noah Gregor on the third line with Nick Bonino, and Steven Lorentz centering the fourth line with wingers Gadjovich and Svechnikov.
Sharks lines at practice …
28-48-11
23-39-62
73-13-83
42-16-10
72-7-17-634-65
44-38
51-5
24-59— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) October 3, 2022
Nico Sturm is injured and will not play Tuesday, but is expected to play Friday, Quinn said. Sturm was injured in the Sharks’ preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.
TELEVISION/AUDIO: The game is being shown locally on NBC Sports California live at 11 a.m. Tuesday, and will be on NHL Network for those outside the Bay Area. The game is also being broadcast on the Sharks’ Audio Network.
Source: www.mercurynews.com