San Jose Sharks
Sharks in Berlin: What Have They Seen, What Have They Done?
Welcome guest writer Josh Frojelin! Josh is San Diego State University’s Hockey Information Manager. He also writes for Fear the Fin, Future Consideration, and the Daily Aztec.
The San Jose Sharks have made the 12-hour trek to Germany!
While the focus of the trip will be a tune-up exhibition against German club Eisbären Berlin, San Jose’s players have enjoyed their travels as part of the NHL Global Series.
Sharks on a Plane for 12 hours?✈️😅
A thread of our favorites 🧵 pic.twitter.com/hRzSvPPAk4
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 2, 2022
With access to couches and seats transformable to beds, the team’s private flight was certainly more comfortable than a standard coach seat.
After landing, the San Jose Sharks headed to Hertha BSC’s fixture against Hoffenheim. Hertha BSC, one of Berlin’s two Bundesliga clubs, welcomed the 27 Sharks to their match.
Sharks’ star winger Timo Meier and Hertha BSC’s owner Fredi Bobic exchanged jerseys for the photo-op. Meier, Logan Couture, Noah Gregor, and Jaycob Megna also shared what they might want to bring from that fan experience to SAP Center:
What Would Sharks Bring from European Soccer Crowds to SAP Center?
The following day, the Sharks took practice at Berlin’s beautiful Wellblechpalast. Despite the recent travel and gorgeous setting, San Jose’s practice lasted longer than the scheduled 75 minutes.
🛑STOP SCROLLING🛑
and plz enjoy some morning skate from Berlin, Germany content for a *serotonin* boost.
thx,
atSanJoseSharks pic.twitter.com/xD2rLT6iM5— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 3, 2022
Head coach David Quinn justified the longer session to NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin, explaining, “It was our first full team practice. We hadn’t had one yet.
He would later add that “working hard for an hour and 15 minutes doesn’t seem too long to me. Apparently, in the hockey world it is. But that was just for today.”
At the same time, San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher was claiming a part of Germany for Sharks Territory:
After practice, players split up for various parts of the NHL Global Fan Tour. German-born center Nico Sturm—along with Steven Lorentz—signed autographs and took part in a fan fair near Mercedes-Benz stadium, the site of San Jose’s game today.
Nico Sturm 🤝 NHL-Fans#NHLGlobalSeries | @SanJoseSharks | #SJSharks | @Eisbaeren_B pic.twitter.com/MRR110QnQ8
— NHL Deutsch (@NHLde) October 3, 2022
Away from the stadium, Noah Gregor and Jaycob Megna joined Meier for a look at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.
Bigger Than Hockey 🇩🇪🗺️
Part of the #NHLGlobalSeries is being able to learn about the culture & history of the countries we’re playing in.
Today, the guys explored Berlin, highlighted by a tour to the Brandenburg Gate! pic.twitter.com/VL2VYxmfGI
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 4, 2022
Thankfully for the San Jose Sharks’ social media, BeReal’s notification went off just in time for the players to snap a picture outside the monument. The Sharks even allowed our own Sheng Peng a photobomb.
That’s me by Timo Meier’s ear https://t.co/8h0tjblRSG
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 3, 2022
Swiss-born and German-speaking Meier even tested Megna and Gregor’s knowledge of the local language.
Away from the press, Tomas Hertl and Radim Simek headed to the Bud Spencer Museum.
The exhibit features a variety of props, memorabilia, and other objects related to the actor’s personal life and film career. Unfortunately, that means the Czech skaters will have to leave the car above in favor of the team bus today.
Hertl and Logan Couture had also visited Brandenburg Gate on their own earlier.
UPDATE: And the San Jose Sharks capped off their trip to Berlin with a victory!
