With a good mix of prospects and veterans, the San Jose Sharks will need the kids to show they belong in the lineup.
William Eklund, Thomas Bordeleau, and Henry Thrun are three of many San Jose Sharks prospects who should see time in the NHL this season.
GM Mike Grier has brought in a lot of veterans to show these young players that their spot in the NHL isn't given.
"We do have guys on one-way contracts. But these guys are gonna have to earn their spots, and for the young players, I expect them to come in hungry and ready, and if they perform and outplay veteran guys, then they'll get the opportunity, and we'll figure the rest out for sure," Grier said on Aug. 6.
David Quinn brings a highly competitive coaching style which should benefit the young guns.
Eklund is arguably the best prospect in the system for San Jose, and for him to play in the top six, he needs to show he's willing to get to the dirty areas of the ice.
Eklund is listed as 5'10, 172 lbs, which could hinder and help him. Coming off a shoulder injury that ended his season early, the forward must show the coaching staff he's willing to go into the corners on the forecheck.
His speed and skill are there. No question. Besides producing on the scoresheet, the San Jose Sharks will need Eklund to do more if they want to stay in close games.
Bordeleau's path to being an established NHLer is much more challenging. There is still some question as to what position he will be playing.
Is he a center? Is he a winger? Then mix in the fact that he needs to have a year to produce to show that he is still a high-value prospect in the San Jose Sharks system.
Like Eklund, Brodeleau must show he will go into the dirty areas. Listed as 5'9 179 lbs showing he is willing to take a hit is going to be crucial.
He will also have less powerplay time than Eklund. With Mike Hoffman, Filip Zadina, and Anthony Duclair, there won't be much room for young forwards to take a place in either unit.
Thrun has the best path to success this season for the San Jose Sharks.
In his eight-game cameo with the San Jose Sharks last season, Thrun showed he is an NHL player.
The Sharks' backend is not good. Given the defense corps' status, Thrun must continue to show that he belongs.
He is a good skater and showed some offensive poise. I believe he will have the first crack as the QB of the first powerplay unit.
Although Thrun only had two assists in the NHL, as captain of Harvard University in the NCAA last season, Thrun had 31 points (7 goals, 24 assists).
The pathway is there for these three young players, but it involves a lot of work. The San Jose Sharks are changing the culture to a competitive environment, and the prospects better show they can hang.