The San Jose Sharks are optimistic about their prospects for the upcoming season, particularly regarding their goaltending situation, which they aim to improve significantly. After a disappointing performance last season, the Sharks believe that the addition of experienced veterans and promising talent will enhance their competitiveness.
Last season, the Sharks’ goalies struggled, posting the third-worst team save percentage in the NHL at just .881 and the highest goals against average at 3.74. The five goaltenders used combined for these troubling statistics, prompting the organization to reassess their strategy. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky emphasized the need to solidify the goaltending position. “We needed to solidify our goaltending position,” Warsofsky stated. “I thought we did a good job getting a guy like Nedeljkovic to compliment Askarov as a young pro.”
The Sharks have made significant changes to their goaltending lineup. Yaroslav Askarov, 23, is transitioning to a full-time NHL position after showing promise in the American Hockey League (AHL). Last season, he played 60 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. However, a lower body injury limited him to only 41 games last year between the Sharks and the Barracuda.
In contrast, Alex Nedeljkovic, 29, aims to rebound from a challenging season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he recorded a career-low save percentage of .894 in 38 games. The Penguins missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year, which left their goalies without adequate support. Over the past five seasons, Nedeljkovic has maintained a save percentage of .903 in 179 career games.
Warsofsky noted the importance of managing Askarov’s workload, emphasizing his health as a critical factor. “(Askarov’s) got to stay healthy; we’ve got to manage him, and there’s a lot of data that goes with that,” he explained. “Ned’s obviously been around the league for a few years now, and I know he’s not going to hand (the No. 1 job) over. He’s a competitive guy, as is Askarov. So, we’ll see how it plays out.”
As the season progresses, both Askarov and Nedeljkovic are expected to see significant playing time. The Sharks’ schedule is demanding, with 16 games in the first month, including four back-to-back matchups. Overall, the Sharks will face back-to-back games a total of 16 times throughout the season.
Injury Updates and Training Camp Developments
In other news, rookie center Macklin Celebrini continues to recover from an illness that kept him out of training camp for two days. He returned to practice but was held out of contact drills. Celebrini worked on faceoff techniques and shooting with goalies Gabe Carriere and Matt Davis. Warsofsky expressed optimism about Celebrini’s recovery, stating, “We’ve got a pretty good plan on how we want to approach this.” It remains uncertain if he will participate in the preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on September 22, 2024.
The Sharks also face injury concerns with defenseman John Klingberg, who skated separately due to an upper body issue sustained during a previous game. Despite a strong performance in that match, Klingberg’s availability for the upcoming game is doubtful. Additionally, rookie defenseman Haoxi Wang, drafted 33rd overall in June, is sidelined with a lower body issue but is expected to return soon.
As the Sharks prepare for the new season, their revamped lineup and goaltending strategy will be closely watched. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see if these changes lead to improved performance on the ice.
