Lund Should Make NHL Debut on Thursday, Sharks Want Him To Learn From This Ducks Winger

Cam Lund is expected to make his NHL debut this Thursday night, making the jump following the conclusion of Northeastern’s NCAA campaign.

Lund signed his entry-level contract Mar. 21, fresh off his junior year.

It was his best season with the Huskies, leading the team with 18 goals. He also added 22 assists.

“It was a big year for me,” Lund said. “I was planning on turning pro after the year, and then obviously had a good year and ultimately signed. So I’m very happy.”

Lund and the San Jose Sharks had discussed his plan before the season.

Coach Ryan Warsofsky said the biggest change for the right winger will be the speed of the NHL game.

“The pace of the game is going to be extremely high compared to – nothing against college hockey in the playoffs and NCAA tournament, but it’s different. You’re talking about playing, if you’re 19 or 20, 21, playing against a guy that’s 35,” Warsofsky said. “That will be the biggest adjustment.”

The right-hander measures in at 6-foot-2, something Warsofsky said stands out, in addition to his skill.

Warsofsky compared Lund’s build and potential trajectory to 6-foot-1 Collin Graf, who bulked up more over the summer following his NHL debut last year out of college, after some time with the San Jose Sharks’ training staff.

Lund echoed his new coach’s message, adding that he’s grown the most in regard to those two details.

“Putting on some muscle in the summer and at school too, but I’m just really focused on my details, defensive zone, and my wall plays,” he said. “Two big things that I kind of prioritized at school this year, and then the offense took over from there.”

Cam Lund personally models his game after his favorite player, center Jack Eichel, while the Sharks development staff has sent him clips of winger Troy Terry to watch.

“Right-handed shot that can score, has good tools in scoring areas,” Warsofsky said of the 6-foot-0 winger. “Terry’s a good comparison. We’ll have to see how he does in the games and then it gets going.”

The Bridgewater, MA native has plenty of personal connections to the Sharks – he attended Warsofsky’s alma mater, Cushing Academy. He’s also played with Graf before and worked out with Henry Thrun last summer.

He also completes the Beanpot collection for the San Jose Sharks, who now have players from Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern.

“Having guys who’ve played college, you can connect with them a little bit and make you feel a little bit more comfortable. It’s a nice feeling,” he said.

Having his friends and family there against the Toronto Maple Leafs will also provide a special feeling.

“I have my family, teammates and a bunch of friends coming in on Wednesday and Thursday, so be exciting for them to hopefully watch me play,” he smiled. “Probably around 20 [people]. I mean, it’s still a far flight. I have one of my buddies from Barcelona coming in, so it’ll be good to see him.”