Sharks Training Camp Ready To Open With Fierce Competition for Top Six Spot

Sharks Training Camp Ready To Open With Fierce Competition for Top Six Spot

With training camp starting next week, we look into the biggest training camp battles, including who gets the sixth spot in the top six. You’re Locked on Sharks, your daily podcast on the San Jose Sharks, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Hello, welcome to Locked on Sharks, the premier hockey podcast covering your favorite team in the Bay Area. My name is JD Young, caretaker at The Reef, my blog about the San Jose Sharks with a focus on Sharks prospects, uh, as well as the Locked On NHL co-host. I want to thank you for making Locked on Sharks your first listen. Proudly part of the Lockdown Network, where we cover your team every day. If you want to be an everyday, all you have to do just follow along wherever you get podcast. Of course, you can watch on YouTube as well. And today, we’re going to start kind of digging into some of the biggest training camp battles. Uh we’re going to be starting with the top six uh which uh by looking at players who I think are locks to have top six spots, who is competing for these jobs, and then who I ultimately think wins it, and how long are they going to hold on for it. So, uh, let’s start by kind of just getting into like the Sharks roster and who we expect to be top six players, right? Um, and we we have some easy locks, right? Uh, Min Celebriny. Uh, pretty safe to say Min Celebr uh for the Sharks this upcoming season. Of course, Celebriny last year with 25 goals. Uh, led the team in points uh as a 18-year-old rookie. um showed every bit of why he was worthy of the first overall pick and and you know it feel as we’ve talked about before throughout this off season feels like Celabbrini is could be uh knocking the door as as a potential superstar heading um into year two and if he has the season that we hope and expect um he could you know be entering start like super stardom in in the NHL. So pretty safe to say Min Celebrin is going to be a lock as a top six player and if he’s not something has he’s horribly gone wrong right uh for him. So uh and a guy who played basically 20 minutes a season last year like I I don’t see anything changing for Min Cellbrini. Um we you know looking at some of the uh other like wingers for for Celabbrini. Um Tyler Tofoley I think is probably going to be his right winger. You know of course Tofoley as we’ve uh you know joked about a bunch of times as a walking 30 goal uh scorer and I don’t see any difference for Tyler Tofoley this year. like Tyler Tofoley uh is going to have the same role probably playing on Celibbrini’s right wing uh where he’s going to be able to you know continue to uh one help Cabbrini kind of as he navigates his young career but two kind of get to those dirty areas and let a guy like Cabbrini and you know whoever else they play with let those guys kind of generate offense and then Tofoley kind of is is a player who’s really kind of taking advantage of of some of those opportunities and he’s very good at right like you where Tyler to fully scores his goals usually in the dirty areas. Uh and that is no I don’t think any difference uh from there. So third player and I think his position is it’s going to be like he is a lock as a top six but uh William I think he’s going to be kind of an interesting piece that might move around between the top and the second line depending on kind of who else is available and where they kind of fit in. But William Akwin has has established himself as a top six player. Um and you know after last season where he was second on the team in points with his 58 points signs a new contract extension this off season. Um Ekkin could be in a position now where you know he is a you know potentially 70 point type player for the Sharks. And um you know playing these top six minutes you know Ekkin’s going to get power play time as well. um his ability to create offense and generate offense and also play well responsibly defensively. And I think that might be the reason why he plays second line minutes as we’ll uh talk about here in a minute. But um if the Sharks want to add a little bit more kind of balance out their lines a little bit more, uh Equin could be a guy who maybe doesn’t get topline minutes because they want to help protect uh some of the players on the second line. And that goes straight to Will Smith, right? And Will Smith is he’s a lock to play, I think, top six minutes, but uh is he a lock to play at his position, I think, is the big question, right? So, Smith, of course, with the Sharks this year, like the his big question is can he play center? Right? And we know Mike Greer has said like we want him to play center. um like that’s kind of the position he’s going to try to hold this season um is to play center. Assumption is he’ll be the second line center. Um, you know, like I I think uh a guy we’ll talk about here a little bit, Alex Wenberg. Um, you know, you could maybe try to put Wenberg at at 2C, but I think Will Smith is a little bit more uh like his offensive skill set and what he does to help drive play makes a little bit more sense to put him as your second line center as you’re trying to generate offense with your second line. And usually like with your third, like you want to just get Smith on the ice as much as possible, right? And let him continue to do his thing. So, um, if Smith doesn’t win the second line center position, then you’ll have some more then he’ll move to wing and you’ll have some conversations about who the the second line center is going to be. Um, but Will Smith like locked to play top six minutes because uh he’s really good like we saw the second half of last year, right? He’s w really really good. Um, and then I think the final lock, so that gives us four right there between uh Celbrini, Tofoley, uh, Will Smith, William Ecken. That’s four right there. Um, I think the final lock to play top six minutes is Jeff Skinner, who the Sharks signed this off season for a one-year deal at $3 million. And, um, you know, Mike Greer literally said it this off seasonason, the plan is to give Jeff Skinner top six minutes. And Skinner has been a very productive player in the past on pretty bad teams, you know, with the Buffalo Sabres. Um, but he has been a productive player playing those top six minutes. So if if if Jeff Skinner can return to form and continue to play, you know, up to what he was playing in Buffalo and even last year, right, where he had, you know, I think he had what 17 goals playing about 13 minutes a night for the Edmonton Oilers. If you see Skinner up in the 16 17 minutes as you would expect as a topline winner winger, he’s also going to get, you know, more power play time, more ice time. I don’t see why Jeff Skinner can’t be, you know, potential 25 goal scorer for for the Sharks, a guy who has been a kind of perennial 25 goal scorer before the last couple seasons. in again, right? Um, playing third line minutes or with the Oilers, I think the Sharks are going to utilize him and rely on him to be a much, you know, he’s going to have to produce more and and they’re going to give him that opportunity. So, you know, like where where the Sharks are at, I think those those guys are settled like those five are settled as your top six, right? The big question will be again if Will Smith doesn’t win the 2C job and they feel like he’s not ready. The I Alex Winberg I think is your guy who’s your 2C. Um and then that would kind of complete your top six, right? With um some order of like Eklan, Celibbrini, uh to Foley, I would assume. Um because then you’re kind of dealing with left, right, left, right type of thing, but still um something like that. Um and then you would have Smith and Skinner probably playing uh probably playing with Alex Wenberg there. So little bit because uh Jeff SK well uh Will Smith is a right-handed shot, Jeff Skinner is a left-handed shot. So they could make that work uh in that situation there. So you know uh and then Tofo is a right-handed shot who usually plays on the right. Equin plays on the left there. So you could pro that would probably be your top six if if if Will Smith isn’t uh doesn’t win the 2C job. So um and then you’ll have big questions about your third line setter etc. But assuming Will Smith wins the second line center, they’re going to kind of give him some runway to grow into that position. Who else? Who is are the guys kind of competing for that fifth spot uh or for sorry for the excuse me that sixth spot uh to play uh play in the top six? So uh we’re going to get to that here in just one second. 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This is your chance to tell us what you like, what you don’t, and answer questions about our advertising. Go to lockdownpodcast.com/servey to get started. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win one of 10 $100 Amazon gift cards. Again, that’s lockdownpodcast.com/servey. You can also find the link in the show notes. Thanks for helping us out. All right. So, who are the big contenders, right? So, uh let’s start with we’ll kind of go I guess we’ll go alphabetical order by last name of players who I think uh are in contention to be playing in the top six. So, um I’m going to start with uh Adam Goddet uh who I think has an opportunity. And Godet’s one of those players where you can tell me he plays top six minutes. You can tell me he plays on the fourth line and I see an easy path for it. But Goddet is a guy who if you’re looking to add more scoring pop, right, he scored 19 goals last year playing uh basically like 11 and a half minutes a night um with the Ottawa Senators. another guy who can kind of score in the dirty areas and get to in front of the net. Um, so and Godette is a right winger so or like and also just have a little bit of center flexibility. So if you want to kind of protect Will Smith there a little bit and he is kind of known a little bit for his defensive prowess. So if you’re looking at potential Skinner on the left, Will Smith in the middle, Godette as your right winger, you could definitely see something like that. And then again, if Smith needs a little bit of help with faceoffs or whatever, like God, I think is a guy who can draw in and, you know, be be okayish in the in the faceoff dot there. So, and and kind of help protect Will Smith there. So, I think he’s your first candidate there uh with him. I’m And again, we’ll kind of go through who I think wins the job here um in a little bit, but I I think God’s kind of the first guy you look at, at least going again, alphabetical order here. Um Colin Graph is another guy who again right-handed shot. Um if you’re again assuming Skinner’s on the the left wing there. Um Colin Graph is is another player who has shown again a guy who can play in all three zones. You see his defensive prowess and how well he played last year as a rookie, you know, on kind of half a season. Uh the thing I love about Graphright is the puck he’s always in the right spot. the puck always finds him and I think he could be a uh a nice fit there on that second line. The worry though is you’re placing two really young players together, right? And Will Smith and Colin Graph and you might tend to have uh some more kind of unforced errors between just two younger players who are kind of going, you know, Graph’s played half a season and Will Smith played a full season in the NHL. Um, granted you’re you’re you know expecting them to grow and stuff, but I do think that is kind of the case against him is he might be you just may not want to put two young players together there. So, um I think Philip Kersev is another guy to potentially look at as well. Uh Kersev is a left-handed shot. Again, that doesn’t mean like you can’t make things work here. Um, but you know, like he had a really down season last year with the Chicago Blackhawks where he only for scored 14 points in 51 games. But you look at his production before that when he was playing with a guy like uh with Connor Baddard, you know, in the 23-24 season, you know, 75 games, he had 18 goals, 36 assists for 54 points. Um, and was playing way more on, you know, kind of time on ice there. So, Persev, I think, is kind of the the wild card here where I think he could be a player who definitely, you know, if he comes in and has a good camp, I think he could be that a guy who who fits in um into that top six there, right? And especially if you’re you’re trying to push for more offense as his team should be pushing for more offense after finishing dead last in scoring last year. Um, I think Kersev is is a guy who, you know, and he’s 25. He’s got plenty of, you know, of NHL experience under his belt by now. So, um, you know, like he’s played 300 NHL games at this point. Like, you know, I don’t think you have to worry about him with some of the rookie type of mistakes or young player types of of mistakes there. So, um, the next guy who hasn’t officially signed yet, um, but I think, uh, Michael Misa is is kind of your next guy there. Um, and like as much as I as fun as I think it’s going to potentially be, I don’t know if again, like we talked about Colin Graph, right? a guy who’s played half a season. Are you going to put an 18-year-old Michael Misa on the same line as Will Smith to start the season? Maybe. It’d be really fun. Um, but I I think if we’re assuming Michael Misa is going to be on the Will Smith plan of su success, um, starting Misa on the third line, which is kind of what I expect. if you start Miso on the third line with a more kind of veteran center, a guy like Alex Wenberg, uh, and let him kind of grow into his role. Um, that could be an option for the Sharks going forward. And then once Misa kind of gets his feet wet and gets his feet underneath him and feels like he’s ready to, you know, kind of shows that he’s ready to take on a bigger role, then you slide him up to the the second uh line with Smith and maybe, you know, a little bit more defensively responsible guy like an ecklund on that line. But I do think Misa is going to be just fine uh defensively as after he kind of again gets his feet underneath him. So, um, you can also look at some of the young guys who I think are like we’re going to talk more about next about tomorrow kind of some of the younger guys pushing for a roster spot. Uh, guy like Cam L who did play kind of third line minutes last year, but if you want to add a little bit more scoring pop, Lun’s got that shot of his which is uh extremely good also right-handed. So, if you want to play him on on the right wing there, um you do have Igor Sherneshoff, who you know, I think will be pushing for a job as well, but I I think needs some time kind of to spend down in uh in the AHL. Um you also have Igor Aasanv, who the uh left winger, who you know, of course, the Sharks acquired from uh the Aussie Wisebot trade, played over in the KHL, came back this year, and is going to be kind of pushing for a job as well. I think if he makes a team, he feels like he’s making the team probably as a top six winger um there and uh he might be one of those guys who’s maybe he’s keeping the seat warm for Michael Misa type of of player. So um and then Oscar Olison I think is another guy just to kind of throw in the mix there for guys as well as Quinton Musty. Uh, I think Musty, like Musty, Sherneshave, and Lond are guys who probably need to marinate in the AHL a little bit. Not that like I don’t think they’re going to play NHL games this year, but just being realistic and and trying, you know, like with the Sharks where they don’t really want to rush some of these guys, I think all those guys could use some time in the AHL to kind of continue to to to get better and and acclimate themselves to professional hockey. So, um but yeah, so I think out of the group, right, you have um like the realistic realistic candidates for the Sharks, um I think is it’s going to be one of either Godette um Kurishv. Um and then Michael Misa may and then the again assuming Will Smith is your second line center. So I think those are your and Colin graph sorry excuse me I forgot graph. So, I think those are your four guys kind of really fighting for the job. So, who do we think wins or who do I I think how do I kind of handicap it right now? Uh, going into training camp. So, we’ll discuss that here in just one second. Guys, I’ve been meaning to tell you about my new favorite jeans brand, Doer. I’ve been living in their performance denim street and honestly they’ve completely changed the game for me. Uh I love my doer jeans. Uh I wear them all the time to work. They have five times the stretch of traditional denim. They’re antibacterial which means they stay fresh longer so I can wear more and wash less. Uh Derer combines classic jeans style with the uh kind of comfort and performance you get from athletic wear. So you get the best of both worlds. 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So, who wins the third? Who wins this fifth spot or the sixth spot? Sorry, I’m trying to count. Um, I think to start, I do think Kurisha might be the guy who wins the job first, right? Um because you’ve seen Kersev be very productive in those top six minutes before playing with a guy like Connor Baddard. If you do that, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kurv plays on the first line. If you went like Kurv uh celebrating to Foley and then you went like Ekan uh Will Smith, Jeff Skinner on your second line there. That’s kind of how I would do it. One, I think Kersev is 100% a trade candidate because I don’t know what his long-term like. Yeah, he’s only got he only signed a one-year deal at a very easy like very, you know, easy to uh contract at 1.2 million. He’s also an RFA, so he might be an attractive option for a team who is Capstrap looking to add a player who can play probably more like middle six minutes for them. Uh, but it will also be cost friendly for the upcoming season. So, Kersev could be 100% a pump and dump type of player just like Jeff Skinner, right? Where you kind of come in, let him play, let him, you know, uh, maybe score a bunch or, you know, get some production early on and then kind of boost his value as the season goes on and then kind of move him out be, you know, at at some point. I think the whoever like whoever wins it like is 100% just keeping the seat warm for Michael Misa, right? And Misa is a guy who I definitely feel like is by Thanksgiving Christmas at the latest is a guy who’s probably going to you’re going to take the training wheels off and feel confident that he’s going to be more of an impactful player. Right? We know with with Will Smith, right? was about half the season uh that January 20th game that we all circle right of of like the day for Will Smith where everything kind of clicked for him. Um but I think Misa like you know I’ve mentioned a bajillion times on the show but I do think Misa is just a cleaner prospect um than even Will Smith after a year at college. So um and I I just don’t think you’re going to be able to keep Misa down for very long. the other two guys, like I said, Godet and Graph. Um, I’m, as we’ll talk about later this week when we look at kind of the bottom six, I if if the Sharks really want to kind of improve their bottom six, I I think those guys can really help elevate the floor of the bottom six. Now, um, you know, Godette is, you know, if he gets on a hot, like he’s a player who I think could move around a bunch this season, uh, where like if he especially starts to get a little hot, maybe you put him up and let him, you know, kind of keep scoring and then once he cools off, you kind of slide him back down. And I do think Colin Graph is that kind of Swiss Army knife where whatever you need him to do, he’s going to be able to do it and do it very well. Um, so while all those guy like I wouldn’t be surprised if all these guys see top six minutes at some point throughout the season, right? Um, I do I do think Kersha right now I wouldn’t be surprised if he kind of has the inside track because of what he’s played like legitimate top six minutes before and he’s been very effective at it. Um, and last year just kind of fell out of favor with the Blackhawks. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he kind of gets the first crack at that top six here. And then, you know, assuming again that Alex Wber is going to be your third line center. Um, and kind of you whoever is left over, I think is is probably that’s where where you kind of if it’s Godet and Graph on your or I guess Misa would be on your third line and then maybe it’s Graph or God at uh maybe Godette because you want to again kind of give a little bit more veteran presence on that third line. Um, that could be something that you look at that uh Ryan Warovski looks at at doing. But, um, you know, I I think the Sharks do just have much better depth, especially in that middle six here. And, you know, if a guy like I think there’s going to be a shorter leash for whoever that sixth person is, right? If Kersev wins the job right away and but is not doing well with it, like don’t be surprised if the Sharks mix it up quickly and to try to find that right chemistry. Um, and again, whoever he’s if he’s playing with Will Smith or if he’s playing with with Celabbrini, trying to find that right chemistry and find uh those lines that work. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a a fair amount of juggling going on early this season, especially if it’s not clicking right away. So, um, again, we’re we’ll we’ll know kind of see next week when when the lines start to get put together a little bit, but, uh, right now I just I think it’s Kersev is my guess. We’ll see, but I think Kersev probably gets the first crack. Uh, because, yeah, like I said, I think he’s done it before and like I said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sherks want to kind of pump and dump with Kurv here at some point. So, um, that’s going to be it for me today. Uh, real quick though before we finish up, uh, shout out to Aaron Dell, uh, retirement. Um, so, world’s most okayest goalie and then, uh, shout hopefully, uh, Ryan Clo who stepped down as the assistant general manager, um, on Sunday. Hopefully, we we know he’s he’s dealt with a a lot of health issues, uh, you know, after hockey. Hopefully, he’s he’s feeling well and, you know, he wants to spend more time with his family and stuff. So, I’m hoping that’s it. I’m hoping it’s just uh you know a medical thing and like he feels like he you know uh isn’t able to do the job to his fullest ability because of of of medical issues. So that’s what we’re hoping uh with it and you know praying and thinking that he’s you know he’s okay and because Ryan CL is such a great guy. So um but I don’t think it’s going to change much of the day-to-day operations for the Sharks if if CO is not there. I’m sure there’s plenty of people in the building who can who can help out and and kind of wi with it. So, um but anyway, that’s going to be it for me today. We’ll be back tomorrow. We’re going to look at kind of dive into some of these uh young guys who are pushing to make the team, who I think is the most likely, who’s probably got some work to do, all that fun stuff. So, make sure you guys are following along wherever you get podcasts. And of course, you can watch on YouTube as well. Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, uh and Tik Tok at Lockdown Sharks. Follow me on Twitter and Blue Sky Fryhole. Till tomorrow. Bye friends.

Will the San Jose Sharks’ top six forwards spark a scoring surge this season? JD Young analyzes the potential lineup, focusing on locks like Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli while exploring dark horse candidates for the coveted sixth spot.

Young examines the strengths of William Eklund, Will Smith, and Jeff Skinner, predicting their roles in the Sharks’ offensive strategy. He weighs how players such as Adam Gaudette, Collin Graf, and Philipp Kurashev might vie for top-six minutes, balancing their scoring potential against defensive duties.

The host offers bold predictions on who’ll secure the final top-six position and discusses possible line combinations under head coach Ryan Warsofsky. Young speculates on how prospects like Michael Misa could disrupt the lineup mid-season and boost the Sharks’ scoring depth.

Tune in for expert analysis on the Sharks’ forward battles and gain insider insights on how San Jose’s offensive core might evolve throughout the season.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro: Training camp battles for Sharks
3:36 William Eklund’s role in the top six
7:09 Jeff Skinner expected to play top six
11:15 Contenders for final top six spot
20:58 Prediction: Kurashev likely wins sixth spot
24:31 Potential for line juggling early in season
26:33 Ryane Clowe steps down as assistant GM

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