The San Jose Sharks dropped the puck on their preseason schedule against the Vegas Golden Knights. Let’s look at some of the young talent and how they fared in their first games. New head coach Ryan Warsofsky gave plenty of opportunities to his young players in game one of the preseason schedule. Namely, fans got their first looks at Macklin Celebrini, Sam Dickinson, Luca Cagnoni and Quentin Musty, while William Eklund returned to the lineup.
Looking at the Young Talent in the Sharks First Preseason Game
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini was as-advertised. He dominated the game and showed that he can play at an NHL level. He was tenacious, fast and controlled the game when he had the puck on his stick. However, his game was taken to another level on the power play. Both of San Jose’s goals came with the man advantage and saw Celebrini at the forefront. On the first, he featured his quick release from the circle to beat the goaltender. For the second goal, he sent a no-look pass to Tyler Toffoli, who found the back of the net. Celebrini dominated the game and eliminated any questions about his ability to play in the NHL.
FIRST OF THE YEAR GOES TO MACKLIN CELEBRINI 🚨 pic.twitter.com/k5uXx4zlfi
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) September 23, 2024
Luca Cagnoni
Cagnoni really impressed in this game. While he had some challenges in his own end, his craftiness and skill with the puck was a sight to behold. He also showcased his excellent skating ability by routinely creating time and space for himself. However, Cagnoni really stood out on the power play. He was the quarterback of the top unit and moved the puck around to keep the penalty kill on their heels. Cagnoni distributed the puck to Celebrini on both of the team’s goals and showed his elite offensive instincts. As mentioned, however, he did see some challenges in the defensive zone. As a smaller player, he was susceptible to physicality, though his quick stick and good instincts helped his case. Cagnoni impressed and showed why he can be a great power play quarterback in the future.
Sam Dickinson
Dickinson, the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, had a good night overall. He struggled early and made some sloppy plays with the puck. However, he settled in as the game progressed. He was aggressive in hunting down pucks and made strong plays with the puck despite the turnovers. Dickinson also showed his great skating ability, which helped him settle into the game. In the offensive zone, Dickinson did show some flashes of strong play. He got pucks to the net and helped San Jose generate some chances. While he played solid, it will take a few more games to truly see the kind of player that he is right now. He is likely to start his season outside of the NHL but has a chance to get a shot with the big club with strong play.
Quentin Musty
Musty had a quiet night. Not that he played poorly, but he didn’t dominate the game in any way. He did make a few strong plays in the defensive zone and along the boards that stood out. Musty also created a couple of good Sharks chances with his playmaking. His vision and touch helped spark some offensive chances. Like Dickinson, it may take a few more games for Musty to get adjusted and blossom as a player.
William Eklund
Eklund is back in the Sharks lineup after an excellent rookie campaign. In this game, he showed why his rookie year wasn’t a fluke, as he played very well. He showed great confidence with the puck and was a threat whenever he touched it. He carried the puck into the offensive zone and set up his teammates for chances. His playmaking ability that he showed last season was evident in this matchup. Eklund also showcased strong play along the boards. Although his roster spot is all but guaranteed, he still played with the tenacity and edge that you like to see from a young player.
Overall Thoughts
In all, the Sharks played pretty well in their first preseason game. Some of the prospects impressed, but the veterans also had a strong game. Toffoli found the back of the net, while Mikael Granlund was very noticeable on the top line. Nico Sturm, Cody Ceci and Mario Ferraro also all had strong games as they got back into game action. While we should be impressed with the play of the young players, we should also remember that this is just the first game. Players like Musty and Dickinson will have plenty more opportunities to showcase themselves to the hockey world. The Sharks are still a very young team and we’ll get a look at each of the young players that are fighting for opportunities with the team.
Main Photo Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
