Sharks Practice: New Lines, Dellandrea Injury, Celebrini Update

SALT LAKE CITY — The San Jose Sharks are trying to stay positive.

It’s not easy, 0-7-2, the first team in NHL history to lose nine-straight games in back-to-back seasons.

But what choice do the Sharks have?

They can drown themselves in negativity, and not come up until April, when the season ends — or spend the next 73 games fighting.

“I don’t see this group rolling over anytime soon,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said resolutely, after practice on Sunday.

To that end, Sunday’s practice was both hard and fun. There appeared to be an emphasis on clean breakouts and puck battles. But there was also a team just trying to stay a team and get away from pervasive negativity.

“We got to get back to enjoying the game of hockey, enjoying coming to the rink. Find the joy in the game and competing and doing things aggressively,” Warsofsky said. “We can live with mistakes. Because right now, we get back on our heels too much.”

“It was just a good, competitive practice. Guys were trying to get back to having some fun,” Mario Ferraro said. “Obviously, we dealt with a lot here early on, but it was some better vibes today. That’s what we need moving forward, right? It’s only one thing we can do is try and keep on getting better.”

No doubt, the San Jose Sharks had joy on Sunday, be it through a spirited practice, William Eklund and Jake Walman getting into a play-fight, Mackenzie Blackwood jokingly tossing his stick into the stands to stop the guys from arguing about a scrimmage result, and a round table locker room conversation about the cost of buying a helicopter.

Let’s see if that translates into freer and better play on Monday against Utah Hockey Club.

Here’s how the San Jose Sharks lined up in practice — there will be some changes against Utah.

Eklund-Granlund-Toffoli
Gushchin-Wennberg-Zetterlund
Goodrow-W. Smith-Kunin
G. Smith-Sturm-Grundstrom

Walman-Ceci
Ferraro-Rutta
Thrun-Benning

Ty Dellandrea will not play on Monday, he’s out with a day-to-day upper-body injury.

It looks like Will Smith is a go tomorrow, and also, Danil Gushchin is right back out there on the top-six.

Warsofsky said that the plan is for Benning to slide in for Jack Thompson.

It looks like Givani Smith will come in for Dellandrea, leaving Klim Kostin the odd man out.

Warsofsky did note that practice lines aren’t set in stone.

He also shared a quick update on Macklin Celebrini, who’s skating at home: “Progressing, still week-to-week.”

Warsofsky confirmed that Celebrini’s recovery is going well and that there have been no setbacks.

Last Monday, GM Mike Grier said that the San Jose Sharks would provide an update on Celebrini in two weeks, on Nov. 4.

But first things first: A win in Utah?