Update: Nikolay Goldobin has signed an ELC with the Sharks. This could be a hint to the Sharks leaning towards giving the talented Russian his 9 game trial in the regular season. Julius Bergman also inked an entry level deal.
The Sharks are at home tonight to take on the Coyotes in their second game of the pre-season. The game starts at 7:30p.m. PDT(10:30 EST). Here is the Sharks lineup for the game:
Forwards
Joe Pavelski Joe Thornton Tye McGinn Mike Brown Adam Burish Tomas Hertl Chris Tierney Tommy Wingels Travis Oleksuk Danill Tarasov Rylan Schwartz Eriah Hayes Nikolay Goldobin
Defense
Marc-Eduoard Vlasic Konrad Abeltshauser Scott Hannan Taylor Fedun Mirco Mueller Justin Braun Brent Burns
Goalies
Antti Niemi Troy Grosenick
*****
- Nikolay Goldobin is doing everything he can to force Todd McLellan and Doug Wilson to keep him in San Jose. There is a logistical problem with one-way contracts but if Goldobin keeps impressing people the way he has been there’s a real shot for this kid to make the team.
- Chris Tierney is in a battle for a roster spot as well. The young center has been excellent for the Sharks so far in camp but has it tough competing against the injured James Sheppard, Andrew Desjardins and Freddie Hamilton for a spot down the middle in the bottom six. I can't see the Sharks shifting Tierney to the wing so his shot is at center.
- It could be the last look we get at Travis Oleksuk, Danill Tarasov, Rylan Schwartz and Eriah Hayes. None of the four project to be on the final roster and could be a part of the next round of cuts that could come as early as tomorrow.
- Tonight’s top six could look like this:
Hertl-Thornon-Pavelski Wingels-Tierney-Goldobin
- I’d really like to see what Goldobin could do lined up next to Thornton. I think it’d be a great opportunity to see into his hockey sense, picking up pucks from one of the game’s best passers.
- Vlasic and Braun should be paired together again tonight and it will be interesting to see if McLellan sticks with the Burns-Hannan line or mixes up the veterans with the kids. Fedun, Abeltshauser or Mueller should be paired in some fashion tonight.
- Mirco Mueller has had a few struggles during camp so far but the Sharks intend on giving him every opportunity to crack the lineup. Many believe he’s ready to take the jump and he just has to settle down and prove it on the ice, although another year in junior wouldn’t hurt if that’s the final decision by the staff. I think that you at least need to get him into every pre-season tilt and gauge where he’s at by the end of it to get any true reading with the young defender.
- Konrad Abeltshauser is an oft-forgotten defender in the Sharks system. He's a pretty skilled player who had a good season in Worcester last year and has leadership tools from being captain of the Halifax Mooseheads during their dominance playing alongside Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon. He's a long shot to make the Sharks right now but you never know what happens when injuries come up.
Thanks for reading.
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