Development Camp: McCarthy Talks Sharks’ Identity, Bordeleau on Meeting Marleau

The San Jose Sharks kicked off their 2022 development camp on Tuesday morning and Thomas Bordeleau, Scott Reedy, and San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy shared their thoughts after Day One.

Bordeleau came back with fewer nerves and was excited to see a certain other top Sharks prospect.

Reedy seems to know that the San Jose Sharks are looking for guys with compete levels and is ready to put in the work.

The identity of the Sharks and Barracuda is going to match, per McCarthy, but what exactly is that identity? It’s not being big and physical.

Finally, a Patrick Marleau surprise at development camp? The three spoke about what it was like seeing Mr. Shark on the ice with them.

Sharks Development Camp Roster Released, Public Scrimmage on Thursday Night

THOMAS BORDELEAU

Bordeleau, on how he feels being back at development camp with some pro experience under his belt:

The nerves are definitely out of the way a little bit, just spending a little bit of time here working with the staff and some of the players and just knowing the place a bit more. I’m still a rookie, still the young guy, but it’s definitely nice to have a feel of the place a little bit before coming here so I kind of knew what to expect a little more. But again, there’s a lot of changes in the organization, so you don’t really know what to expect, but it’s good.

Bordeleau, on if he was excited to see William Eklund again:

Yeah, for sure. We’ve been texting throughout the year and it’s been great to see him again.

goofy kids pic.twitter.com/cilDvF35Lo

— maddie (@madsquerade) July 12, 2022

Bordeleau, on what he’s been doing over the summer:

I haven’t had a lot of time in the gym, that’s for sure. With the World Championships in Finland, I took a little bit of time off coming back because my body needed it. I started working out again probably two and a half weeks ago, but just my overall strength, my overall game, and little stuff. So that’s basically what I’m going for this summer and we’ll see. I’m just trying to get ready for camp as much as I can.

Bordeleau, on how the decision was made to go to the 2022 US WJCs (if selected):

I think everyone respected the fact that it was kind of my decision a little bit. It was a long process. I didn’t know if I wanted to go or stuff like that. Yeah, it ended up working out pretty well. I have a great relationship with Team USA, because of a lot of years with them. Then obviously, Nate Leaman, the coach, a really good friend, and my NTDP coach and stuff like that. Even if I never ended up going to the tournament, all the camps I did with Team USA and World Juniors, it’s been great. I love all the people there. It’s going to be fun to see them again.

Bordeleau, on if Team USA’s roster helped make the decision for him to go:

Yeah, for sure. I mean, obviously, I love every single guy that’s going to be on that team. I’ve either played with them or hung out with them in some way and guys from Michigan too, so it’s going to be fun to see them again.

Bordeleau, on his mindset coming into camps for the San Jose Sharks this year:

Definitely not taking anything for granted. It’s a whole new staff, it’s a whole new team basically. So I’m trying to make a whole new team and just show them what I can do and show them what I’m made of.

SCOTT REEDY

Reedy, on how his summer has been and what he’s been up to:

It’s been a good summer. Took some much-needed time off there and just regrouped. I’m back in Minnesota right now, so just getting back to training now, off ice and on ice. It’s good to be back here and see some familiar faces and new faces and just get back to work.

Reedy, on his mindset coming into development camp this year as compared to last year:

I think it’s a pretty similar mindset, but it’s nice to have that full year under my belt. Just being around and this year, just try to be a leader for the younger guys with my experience being around here. So just try to take that step forward and keep working and take something out of it.

Reedy, on how his time with the Barracuda in the AHL helped his development:

I was in a position to play a lot down there, power play and five-on-five. Just getting the confidence, playing at the pro level, was really important for me, and, it really paid off to get those games in early and take the next step.

Reedy, on having a new GM and a new coach for the upcoming season

I mean, it’s a business. Stuff like that’s going to happen. But we’re all excited, obviously thankful for that staff and everything they did for us, but we’re excited to move forward. It’s just something that happens in sports and just gotta be ready to be used to the new style and take it head-on.

Reedy, on what he’s worked on improving heading into the season:

I’m just getting back into training. So I think my biggest focus is just my quickness, playing with speed. You know, picking pucks up off the wall and just being able to take those first steps and be quick with it.

Reedy, on what advice he’d give guys heading into their first year in the pros:

You got to stay strong mentally. There’s gonna be ups and downs, obviously, but you just got to compete every day. It’s all about having a competitive nature and just kind of earning your stripes, earning your spot. There’s always someone watching. Whether you’re on the ice early, working on something, but just always working on your game and staying competitive to earn your spot.

JOHN MCCARTHY

McCarthy, on how the first day of development camp went:

It was good. Told the guys it’s kind of the first time we got our hands on a lot of the guys and get to work with them on the ice. [We are] really looking more at the way they approach it because everybody’s kind of at different points. Some of these guys have been to three or four of these [development camps], some of them it’s their first one, right? So what we’re really looking for is how do they process information because there’s a lot being thrown at them right now. A little bit like drinking out of a firehose, but it’s kind of by design, right? We want to see kind of how they deal with those situations.

McCarthy, on how different it’s been getting ready for camp without a head coach for the San Jose Sharks and all of the changes in the organization:

I guess it’s a little different, but you know what? The guys that we do have here, everybody’s really dialed in. We’ve done a lot of prep work to make sure things go smoothly. So it’s been good. It’s only one day, but it’s been good so far.

McCarthy, on what he’s been doing since being named head coach of the Barracuda:

Been building the staff, doing a lot of interviews and talking to a lot of people, and also kind of figuring out the way we want to play. Talking to a lot of other coaches that way as well. Just kind of picking their brain on the way they set up, the way they do things, and process throughout the year. And then you know, it’s nice because you can kind of talk to a lot of people. Pick and choose things you like, and things you don’t like, you don’t have to do them. That’s the beauty of being able to make these decisions

McCarthy, on if the Sharks are a spot where they can give players more time to develop in the AHL:

I think the Sharks are going to be competitive, right? So the best players are going to make the team. I think that’s the important distinction to make, that it’s not a rebuild, it’s a recharge. They’re kind of resetting a little bit, but at the same time, they want to win games. We’re here to compete at the NHL level, so the best players will play on the Sharks.

McCarthy, on what he thought of Bordeleau’s games with the San Jose Sharks at the end of the season:

I thought he played well. I think he made some plays. He made a lot of plays to the slot. Got a lot of ice time, which was good.

The more games you can play, you kind of figure things out. The pace and the size of the other guys, the strength of the other guys, and how you’re going to negotiate that. So I thought he was good. I thought he did a lot of good things.

McCarthy, on if he and the new Sharks head coach will sit and make sure they’re on the same page:

That’s a mandate in our organization. For the reason of call-ups. I think we need to, not only as a general overview, play the same way, but also systems. I think that way when guys get called up, it’s a seamless transition. Being in the same city, that’s an advantage of that.

Once they have a coach in place, I’m sure we’ll get together and talk all that out.

McCarthy, on what the identity of the Barracuda is planned to be:

Same as the Sharks: Hard-working, competitive, and hard to play against. I think those are the three biggest things. We want other teams to know when they’re playing against the Barracuda, as the Sharks do as well. And I think to me, it comes down to winning those one-on-one battles. Playing with the puck. It’s frustrating when you play a team that possesses the puck the whole game. As a player, that’s what was always hard to play against, because you’re always defending. That’s the type of team we want to be.

McCarthy, on what his message was to the room:

We’re doing a lot of teaching this week, but there’s also a competitive aspect to this camp. Moving forward into training camp, it’s going to be competitive to make the Sharks. The NHL is incredibly hard to make and it’s an incredibly harder league to stay in. So even guys that played last year, it’s not guaranteed they’re playing this year. You’re gonna have to earn your spot.

McCarthy, on how it will be facing former Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer and the San Diego Gulls:

It’ll be strange. I’m used to seeing him next to me or behind me, and he’s gonna be somewhere else. So it’ll be a little strange, but I’m happy for him.

ON PATRICK MARLEAU BEING A GUEST COACH AT DEVELOPMENT CAMP

Marleau helping out at dev camp pic.twitter.com/1nPZApF4H3

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) July 12, 2022

Bordeleau, on if it was the first time he’d met Marleau:

Yeah, I believe it was. Just today in the locker room doing video actually. Yeah, he just walked in and we were all ready for video, so no one really said anything. I was like [to myself], “Oh, I guess Patty Marleau’s here.” But, it was fun. I mean, obviously, he’s one of the great ones, really. He’s a legend, so it’s pretty special seeing him around and seeing how much he cares about this place.

Reedy, on what it was like having Marleau at development camp:

He was in our video session this morning. Everyone was pretty shocked that he’s here. It’s obviously pretty cool though. For us young guys to see him just wanting to be around us, talk to us about hockey. It’s pretty cool.

McCarthy, on not knowing Marleau was going to be helping out:

I was surprised to see him too. I think having a guy like that around just so guys can pick his brain, he was on the other ice [rink] than me, but the guys really love to have him around.

All smiles today 😁 #SharksDevCamp pic.twitter.com/GQO6UlncXO

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) July 12, 2022