SAN JOSE –- What the San Jose Sharks have described as their most competitive training camp in years will soon require some tough decisions.
But here are two easy ones: Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith will be on the team.
Both elite prospects have been in prominent roles since the start of training camp and figure to be among the 11 or 12 forwards who are locks for the 23-man roster. Four or five other forwards can argue they should also start the season in the NHL — or at least get a longer look during the preseason.
On defense, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Shakir Mukhamadullin are considered day-to-day with injuries. But their absences have been prolonged, opening the door for someone else to be among the team’s seven or eight blueliners.
More cuts are coming soon as the Sharks reduce their camp roster to a more manageable number before their next preseason game on Tuesday at home against the Utah Hockey Club.
Five players trending up:
MACKLIN CELEBRINI: Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said before the Sharks’ first preseason game last Sunday that Celebrini didn’t have to be “Wayne Gretzky,” just being himself was enough.
Warsofsky was right. Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, dazzled with a goal and an assist in a 4-2 Sharks loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, who dressed a lineup mainly comprised of AHL players.
Still, Celebrini has come as advertised during camp, showing a relentless motor and compete level during practices and scrimmages. Against the Golden Knights, an otherwise humdrum preseason game turned surprisingly intense in the third period.
Right now, it appears the Sharks will have Celebrini as their top-line center, with Tyler Toffoli on the right wing. It would be surprising to see that change before the Oct. 10 opener vs. St. Louis.
KLIM KOSTIN: Kostin had 10 points in 19 games for the Sharks near the end of last season when he was acquired from the Red Wings at the trade deadline.
Still, the Sharks challenged Kostin to improve his fitness. Now in a contract year, Kostin seems to have responded, as Warsofsky recently said he was happy with how the big Russian reported to camp.
Kostin had a solid game Thursday in the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks, and he figures to be somewhere in the top nine forward group for the start of the regular season.
ETHAN CARDWELL: Cardwell was the Barracuda’s top rookie last season, with a team-leading 23 goals. He also performed well at the Rookie Faceoff earlier this month in Los Angeles and carried that momentum into the first week of camp.
Thursday. Cardwell’s strong forecheck helped set up the Sharks’ first goal, and he was the leading penalty-killing forward in terms of ice time. If he wants to beat the odds and make the Sharks’ roster out of camp, he’ll have to play in a checking role to start, kill penalties, and show he can be trusted.
JACK THOMPSON: Injuries to Vlasic and Mukhamadullin have created an opportunity for Thompson, who played in his second preseason game Tuesday and scored a power-play goal in a 4-3 Sharks loss to the Ducks. Thompson logged over 19 minutes in ice time for the second straight game.
“I liked Jack a lot tonight,” Warsofsky said Tuesday. “He’s obviously a guy that can move pucks, and that’s going to be really important. To play in the offensive zone, to play really good hockey at this level, you have to break pucks out of your own end. And that’s something that we’re going to continue to work on and preach.”
GEORGI ROMANOV: Romanov has made tremendous strides in a year under Sharks’ director of goaltending Evgeni Nabokov and goalie coach Thomas Speer. He gave the Sharks a chance to come back Thursday night with 32 saves, including 14 in an impressive second period.
The Sharks decided in the offseason to let Devin Cooley walk as a free agent and trade Magnus Chrona to Nashville as part of the deal that brought top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov to San Jose. All along, the Sharks probably knew that Romanov, 24, had more upside than either of them.
Unless Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek sustain an injury in the next 10 days, Romanov will start the season in the AHL. Still, if Romanov continues his upward trajectory, he could see more NHL action this season.
Three players fading out:
SAM DICKINSON: The Sharks’ second first-round pick earlier this year has the raw tools but was on the wrong side of at least a couple of Ducks scoring chances Thursday. The 18-year-old defenseman will return to London of the OHL sometime soon.
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QUENTIN MUSTY: Probably needed a breakout game Thursday to really help him make a case for a roster spot. He flashed at times, but also took two hooking penalties, one of which led to an Anaheim goal.
“He’s just got to learn to be more consistent throughout the game,” Warsofsky said Thursday of Musty. “To play in this league, you have to be consistent shift after shift. You’ve got to have a motor. You’ve got to skate with pace and get to certain spots.”
YAROSLAV ASKAROV: The Sharks have three preseason games left and their priority will likely be getting Blackwood and Vanecek ready for the regular season. The Sharks certainly hope Askarov (lower body) can begin to skate and practice soon so he can start to log more minutes in the AHL.
