Preview/Lines #68: Will Sharks Fans Cheer for…Blue Jackets Tonight?

The San Jose Sharks may have been able to avoid most of the Connor Bedard noise so far – but maybe not tonight.

Tonight, the Sharks welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets into SAP Center, in a rare late-season match-up of the second-worst and worst teams in the NHL.

What’s at stake? The best odds for likely first-overall pick Connor Bedard in the 2023 Draft, which goes to the worst team in the NHL. For what it’s worth, it’s just a 25.5 percent chance for the No. 1 pick.

The second-worst Sharks are just three points ahead of the NHL-worst Blue Jackets right now.

So will San Jose fans actually be cheering for Columbus goals tonight? We’ve been debating that in the media room all week.

Anyway, for the Sharks on the ice, the mission is clear.

“It’s our job to show up and play hockey and play hard,” captain Logan Couture stated.

David Quinn concurred, “We’re gonna play our asses off.”

Both, of course, are aware of the possible ramifications of tonight. But…

“It’s not going to do any good if you listen to what other people say,” Couture said.

However, they won’t be able to miss Sharks fans cheering for the visiting team at home.

We’ll see if it happens. There, of course, is a very famous precedent for this.

San Jose Sharks (19-36-12)

Projected lines for the #SJSharks as they host #CBJ#BedardBowl pic.twitter.com/kCVoVIMEO5

— Locked on Sharks (@LockedOnSharks) March 14, 2023

Columbus Blue Jackets (20-38-7)

What's your favorite song about sharks?#CBJ https://t.co/ly2b1OZM7y

— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) March 14, 2023

Where to Watch

The San Jose Sharks will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:30 PM PST at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.