Sharks Locker Room: Appreciating Vanecek, Wennberg & Smith

The San Jose Sharks stole a 2-1 OT victory…and it felt so good.

There’s obviously a ton for the Sharks to work on — they were outshot 50-27 and 18-7 in an especially ugly third period — but let’s talk about the positives (and hope San Jose can improve the negatives for a tough match-up on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild).

Vitek Vanecek, with one 49-save performance, reminded us, as he did in the pre-season, to not write him off. He’s not as familiar to Sharks fans as Mackenzie Blackwood — he was hurt when San Jose acquired him last year and never played a game — but historically, from 2020 to 2023, he was a legitimate No. 1 for playoff teams. If Vanecek and Blackwood can continue to perform, GM Mike Grier may be able to extract some value yet for one of them by the Trade Deadline. They both have recent history as NHL-caliber starters. Once either is dealt, you figure it’s top prospect Yaroslav Askarov’s time to begin on the Sharks.

Macklin Celebrini, in his first game since opening night, struggled, but it appears that the 2024 first-overall pick at least got through it healthy. He’ll get a lot better, he hasn’t played in almost a month.

His running mate Will Smith was actually more consistent than Celebrini tonight, playing a more turnover-free game and adding a highlight-reel assist on top of it. Smith had a tough start to the season, no doubt, but recently, he’s making elite plays and showing why the Sharks started him in the NHL instead of the AHL. Also, props to Jack Thompson, who scored his first NHL goal off Smith’s feed.

Finally, Alex Wennberg has really been a solid utility piece for the Sharks this year, a two-way center who’s comfortable in the middle-six and in all situations. After Logan Couture’s season ended in January and they traded Tomas Hertl the next month, the San Jose Sharks were Mikael Granlund and Nico Sturm at center, and then throw some poop on the wall, no disrespect to William Eklund and Luke Kunin, wingers-first who were unfairly forced to play middle-six pivot at times because San Jose had no other real options there. While Wennberg may never be as good on a night-to-night basis as his superb OT goal teases, appreciate him for what he is, a true professional at both ends of the ice with high-end skill. The Sharks need as many of those guys as they can get. After going pointless in his first seven games, Wennberg has three goals and four assists in his last seven, including a pair of OT winners.

Macklin Celebrini

Celebrini, on his first NHL win:

It was awesome. Me and [Dellandrea] were joking, we’re the only ones in the NHL that haven’t won a game. We were super-happy to get that one.

Celebrini, on Will Smith’s pass to Jack Thompson and his recent emergence:

There was no doubt in my mind that we were gonna see the prime Will Smith out here some time. It’s awesome to see. I wish I could tell you I haven’t seen that pass before, but I have so many times [against Will]. Those are the plays he can make. Such an elite player. Elite hockey sense. And it was only a matter of time.

Celebrini, on his game tonight:

Not great. Not great. It was tough to feel the rhythm. We’re a month into the season, it’s the best league in the world, so it’s tough to jump right in and feel the speed right away, but I felt like started getting a little bit better as the game went on.

Alex Wennberg

Wennberg, on his OT goal beating his old team:

It’s the team that bought me out, and it’s kind of ironic having a little luck there, scoring against them. I had great memories from Columbus, so I feel like it’s always fun to play against them. Obviously, scoring a goal and helping the team win, I think that’s all that matters for me.

At the end of the day, the one thing I know is to shoot high glove on Elvis [Merzlikins]. Little bit of a trick up my sleeve, but that’s from playing against the guy for several years.

Vitek Vanecek

Vanecek, on if he knew he had it from the beginning of the night:

Yeah, after a couple shots, I knew right away. After a couple shots, I felt really good.

Vanecek, on if 49 saves was the most that he’s ever made in a game (it was):

That’s a good question. I have no idea.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on San Jose Sharks’ poor third period and calling a timeout in the middle of it:

We got put on our heels. They came out with desperation. We did not match it. Our puck play was not good. Our battles were not good. Just trying to change the momentum of the game a little bit, something we’ve talked a lot about. We could learn from it. We got away with it tonight.

Warsofsky, on Smith’s pass and Thompson’s goal:

I thought Will, it was one of his better games of the season. Obviously, time and space, he makes some plays, not many players can make that seam pass to Thommer. And Thommer’s been good for us. Had another good night tonight, and glad to see him get rewarded with the goal.