Sharks takeaways: Stepping up after Bordeleau’s injury, Smith gets a taste and Vanecek returns
SAN JOSE – Thomas Bordeleau’s lower-body injury could have a ripple effect throughout the San Jose Sharks’ lineup, particularly in the competition for one of the team’s final few roster spots.
Bordeleau was injured in a Sharks’ practice over the weekend and was, or is, competing to start the season in the NHL, perhaps as a third-line winger. Now he’s considered week-to-week, with the Sharks unsure if he can start the regular season on time.
Who jumps into Bordeleau’s spot, should he have to miss the next couple of weeks, might become one of the bigger storylines in training camp as the Sharks’ preseason continues with Thursday’s game in Anaheim against the Ducks.
On Tuesday, some NHL hopefuls tried to make a case for themselves in what became a 4-3 loss to Anaheim before an announced crowd of 9,462 at SAP Center.
Forward Danil Gushchin scored and added an assist, and veterans Jake Walman and Alexander Wennberg also scored. But the Sharks fell to 0-2-0 in the preseason, thanks mainly to a sloppy second period when San Jose allowed four unanswered goals.
“We’re going to have to peel some scabs back from the last couple of years and understand that to win in this league, you have to do it shift after shift after shift after shift,” Sharks coach Ryan Warosfsky said. “There’s guys in there that have won Stanley Cups and have won a lot of hockey games in this league, and I’m going to rely on those guys quite a bit to drive that home.”
Can Gushchin make a roster push? His offensive talents have never been in question. But can he be responsible on the defensive end?
“Good first period, and just like everyone else, not a good second period,” Warsofsky said of Gushchin. “I thought he bounced back in the third and showed some moments. Another young guy who needs to find his way a little bit, and he has a lot to work on.”
Things figure to get a little tougher from here for all players competing for a spot on the Sharks roster as opposing teams start to dress more NHL regulars in games. Anaheim’s lineup Tuesday mainly featured players who will start the season in the AHL.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s game.
SMITH’S PLAY: Top prospect Will Smith displayed his vision and playmaking ability in the first period, as he set up winger Tyler Toffoli for a quality scoring chance on the power play. Smith finished with over 21 minutes of ice time, had two shots on goal, and won 4 of 8 faceoffs.
“I thought he was pretty good,” Warsofsky said. “He handled some things, he got inside ice, played with some pace. Obviously, there’s some things he needs to work on, but I liked his game tonight.”
Smith’s spot on the 23-man roster seems assured, and his offensive skills figure to land him on the scoresheet at some point here. However, his biggest growth area as an NHL centerman will be in the defensive zone.
Being a Massachusetts native, Smith watched former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, one of the best two-way centers in NHL history, play regularly. Being a part of the same agency as Bergeron, the two have also gotten to know each other off the ice.
“We were supposed to get out and golf before I left (the Boston area), but it got a little busy, having to go to the (NHLPA) rookie orientation,” Smith said before Tuesday’s game. “But he said whenever I want to reach out, it’ll be good.”
Having a six-time Selke Trophy winner a phone call away is a pretty valuable resource for an offensive wizard like Smith, who faced questions about his two-way game in his draft year. He also knows it’ll be a work in progress as he starts to compete against some of the best centers in the world, particularly in the Pacific Division.
“(Bergeron) touched on there’s going to be ups and downs — everyone has said that to me — and it’s a tough league for a reason, the best one in the world,” Smith said, “so you’ve got to be there for the ups and the downs.”
IDENTITY PLAY: After Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights, Warsofsky said the team needed to start playing closer to its desired identity: playing with pace and having numbers around the puck all game.
“We want to be on top of the opponent,” Warsofsky said. “We had two or three guys doing it. We didn’t have four or five guys doing it. And we want to play a little bit quicker, coming out of own end a little bit cleaner.”
The Sharks started off well with goals from Gushchin and Wennberg in the first 11:59 of the opening period. Anaheim, though, controlled things in the second period, and some of the Sharks’ defensive breakdowns that bit them Sunday cropped up again Tuesday.
“My biggest takeaway is probably a lot of guys trying to get used to each other and getting used to a new system,” Sharks defenseman Jake Walman said. “It was scrambly at times, but (we’re) trying to kind of set the standard of working hard and skating.”
MAKING A STATEMENT: Just like during Sunday’s game when Givani Smith went after Kaedan Korczak after the Golden Knights defensemen hit Macklin Celebrini, a host of Sharks went at Ducks forward Jansen Harkins, including Barclay Goodrow and Fabian Zetterlund, after he and Smith exchanged cross-checks. Harkins received a penalty, and Smith did not.
That’s a non-negotiable for the Sharks this year. If opposing teams take liberties with the Sharks’ best young players, there has to be a response. No questions asked.
“I think we’ve touched on being connected, and obviously, those guys have my back there,” Smith said. “Feels nice when you’re going out there knowing your two linemates are going to be there for you.”
FIRST ACTION: Goalie Vitek Vanecek played the first half of Tuesday game and stopped 11 of 12 shots. It was a step in the right direction for Vanecek, who had his 2023-24 season end prematurely with a groin injury in February.
“He was outstanding,” Warosfsky said. “I thought he was really good. You could tell he was dialed in from the start, made some big saves. But he looked comfortable, confident. He was good tonight.”
Vanecek said he’ll take as much game action as the Sharks coaches give him to help him prepare for the season.
“February was the last game,” he said, “so it’s a long time.”