Sharks Cut Training Camp Roster To 28

Sharks Cut Training Camp Roster To 28

The San Jose Sharks cut their training camp roster to 28 players. When the puck drops for the regular season they will have to further reduce the roster by another five players.  Most teams though, usually only carry 22 on their active rosters meaning a 6th player will likely be cut.

Back to Junior

Jake McGrew – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Jake McGrew impressed in camp earning himself an entry level contract in his final days in camp.

To The San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

Manuel Wiederer – F
Vincent Praplan – F
Lukas Radil – F
Alexander True – F
Francis Perron – F
Maxim Letunov – F
Jayden Halbgewachs – F
Noah Gregor – F
Tim Clifton – F (Needs to clear waivers)

Jacob Middleton – D
Cavan Fitzgerald – D
Jeremy Roy – D
Nick DeSimone – D
Kyle Wood – D
Keaton Middleton – D

Who’s on the Bubble?

Most of these players will likely not make the final roster but are still in camp.

Sasha Chmelevski – F

Chmelevski looked solid in the rookie showcase and with the Barracuda but has yet to skate in a preseason game. Per our own Kevin Lacy, he has been getting some individual work with the coaching staff. Obviously, they see something in the kid and his continued presence in camp. One has to expect though that the Ottawa 67’s are his next destination.

Dylan Gambrell – F
Rourke Chartier – F

One of these players could potentially be the Sharks fourth line center out of training camp, the other is likely Barracuda bound. The smart money seems to be on Chartier but I’ll explain below why that may not be as done a deal as some think.

Barclay Goodrow – F

Barclay Goodrow is likely going to make the team out of camp. The question is does Peter DeBoer use him as the 4th line center should neither Gambrell or Chartier earn his trust in that position or is he going to be the 13th forward for the team?

Tim Heed – D
Radim Simek – D

The Sharks 6 Defenseman are more set in stone that they have ever been. This is the battle for who will sit in the press box as the 7th defenceman. The Sharks have a real choice to make here as the Player they send back down to the Barracuda will need to clear waivers. On the surface, it does not seem like a big deal but the Sharks are weakest in depth defensively. This means if they have to call a player up to cover a long-term injury Doug Wilson may have to instead pull the trigger on a trade.

Ryan Merkley – D

Much like Chmelevski, I can’t see Merkley making the team but the time he is spending with Sharks coaches in training camp is invaluable to his development as a player. His next stop will be the Guelph Storm.

Antoine Bibeau – G
Zachary Emond – G

Training camp needs extra bodies in goal, neither a threat to the incumbent talent of Martin Jones or Aaron Dell. Bibeau will start for the San Jose Barracuda while Emond will try and fight for the starting job with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Reading the Tea Leaves

Based on the tweet by Curtis Pashelka below with the line combinations listed I think there are some things we can take away from these lines. Granted this is speculation but I feel you can make a logical argument for what the team may look like out of camp listed below.

First is that I did not list Antti Suomela above as “on the bubble” as he continues to skate with middle six NHL regulars you can safely buy his sweater. Suomela is now a lock to make this team out of camp. Gambrell also continues to skate with bottom six regulars Marcus Sorensen and Melker Karlsson (AKA the answer to all PDB questions). While I feel he has had a difficult camp and has shown he may be better suited to start the season with the Barracuda. The coaching staff seems to be giving him every opportunity to prove everyone wrong. Gambrell may still be the guy to win the job out of camp.

Finally, the line of Chartier, Goodrow, and Chmelevski should be scary if you are Barclay Goodrow or Rourke Chartier. Gambrell continues to be given a chance with the very likely pieces of the Sharks 4th line out of camp. Chmelevski is going back to junior, Chartier could be back on the Barracuda leaving Goodrow all by himself as the 13th forward.

Five #SJSharks lines for today's skate at SAP (in no particular order)

Thornton, Pavelski, Kane
Suomela, Donskoi, Labanc
Melker Karlsson, Sorensen, Gambrell
Meier, Hertl, Couture
Goodrow, Chartier, Chmelevski

Merkley among the 9 D

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) September 23, 2018

What do you think of whose left in camp? Is this all baseless speculation on my part? Let us know in the comments or on Social Media. @IanBlogsHockey or @TealTownUSA