The Sharks wrap up the pre-season tonight against Anaheim but we might not get a solid roster until later this month.
If the injuries to Kennedy and Sheppard warrant placement on injured reserve with Raffi Torres that leaves the Sharks with 27 active players to make their opening day 23-man roster from. If that is the case then there are only four cuts that need to be made, meaning some of the kids could be getting an extended look thanks to the IR list.
The simplest scenario’s both involve sending Fedun and Hayes to Worcester as the first two cuts. Fedun doesn’t require waivers and Hayes will most likely make it to the AHL unclaimed.
Now we’re down to two cuts.
For these two you can pick any of Mueller, Goldobin, Goodrow or Tierney and still not have to worry about losing a player to another team. With Mueller and Goldobin, though, you won’t get them back until next year’s training camp.
If it’s Tierney and Goodrow staying they most likely stay on the third line with Tommy Wingels, a line that has played fantastic throughout the pre-season. The top-six stays as planned in this scenario. If it’s Goldobin staying I think you have to assume that Tierney and Goodrow will be sent down. In that scenario Goldobin, a projected top-six prospect, would flank Thornton while Joe Pavelski takes over third line center duties between Wingels and McGinn until Sheppard returns or Goldobin gets sent to junior.
I don’t like the idea of Pavelski on the third line for the simple fact he scored 41 goals last year, something he’s not doing centering Wingels and McGinn, but maybe Goldobin is worth an extra look before going back to Sarnia.
There are multiple possibilities for McLellan and Wilson but these are the least roster maintenance requiring ones. They also give the Sharks more time to evaluate the four young players that have been raved about since camp opened, giving the Sharks an opportunity that teams normally don’t get. That being said it’s all hinged on the Torres/Kennedy/Sheppard trio opening the year on injured reserve, and it still leaves Taylor Doherty with the Sharks and requiring waivers.
If it was me I’d keep Mueller and Goldobin because I know I can get Tierney and Goodrow later on. That complicates the lines a bit more but it buys the team time to make as much of an educated decision on them as possible. There’s no need to rush Goldobin to the NHL, but there’s no need to send him back to junior before you can see him against full NHL rosters if you can afford it. It’s a special circumstance.
Along with time for extra evaluation it’s also a chance to see if Wilson can move some contracts out to make permanent room for players if they've made that big of an impression. Whatever the call is going to be it has to come soon. San Jose opens the season in Los Angeles on Wednesday and time isn't going to stop for the coach and GM just because they kept 30 players until D-Day. I'd expect a decision no later than Monday if I was a betting man.
The game tonight can be heard on KFOX 98.5 again, kfox.com/player.
Thanks for reading.
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