The San Jose Sharks haven’t gotten off to a good start in each of the last two seasons. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky and the new leadership group know that the team can’t get ahead of itself.
“Our start is critical. We know that. Everyone in the meetings knows it. Our players aren’t stupid,” Warsofsky said. “We can’t really focus on what’s happened in the past. We can’t really focus on next week against the Carolina Hurricanes. Focus on our practice today, and we’ll get to tomorrow. We’re going to execute our game plan and win a hockey game.”
The Sharks will catch a Vegas Golden Knights team on the second half of a back-to-back to open their season. There will be energy in the SAP Center, an energy that is filled with hope and promise. A feeling that hasn’t been around the Sharks in some time.
Macklin Celebrini enters year two with more motivation to be better. Like Warsofsky, the San Jose Sharks franchise center isn’t looking at past results.
“It’s been right from training camp. We want to get off to a good start here,” Celebrini said. “The message in our room has just been looking forward, not looking back at the last couple of years, because we have a completely new team. Completely new set of guys. I don’t think we’re looking at past years. Just looking to tomorrow and then just worry about that game. We’ll see where we go from there.”
One question does remain for Thursday’s lineup. Do Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson play?
As it stands, it doesn’t seem likely. Both rookies have been part of the extras during line rushes. While their achievement of making the NHL roster is good, their NHL debut might have to wait.
Ty Dellandrea had an excellent preseason and training camp, which earned him the spot as the third-line center. Misa, who wouldn’t fit as a fourth-line player, could be scratched due to Dellandra’s place in the lineup.
For all the coverage on the Sharks this season, read on Hockey Hot Stove and Sharks Hockey Digest.
