San Jose Sharks
Sharks Asked Stenlund To Fight After Celebrini Board…Will They Try Again?
Will the San Jose Sharks have an extra response for Kevin Stenlund on Friday?
On Dec. 14, Stenlund boarded Macklin Celebrini in a 4-3 Utah Hockey Club victory.
The board went uncalled, and Stenlund appeared to go unpunished for his hit on the future of the franchise, though both Cody Ceci and Ty Dellandrea tried to engage Stenlund.
“Do we want probably a better response? We can argue that,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said two days later.
For what it’s worth, Celebrini came out from that second period blow no worse for the wear.
Also, Dellandrea confirmed that the Sharks tried to get Stenlund to drop the gloves and answer for the hit.
Dellandrea went after Stenlund in third period.
“It just like, Mack’s hurt. I didn’t see the play. Looks dirty. Watch a video [between periods],” Dellandrea told San Jose Hockey Now recently. “You’re just, want to stick up for your teammate, so ask him to go. It’s about what you can do within the game, in order to be smart for your team as well as try to protect your young player.”
For what it’s worth, it was a 1-1 game at the time of the initial board, and a close contest when Dellandrea tried to get Stenlund to answer the bell. So Ceci and Dellandrea were certainly risking an instigator penalty at the wrong time if they dropped the gloves first.
We’ll see if Stenlund will dance to the hockey code on Friday.
Dellandrea, scratched for the last three games, tracks to be in the line-up on Friday at Salt Lake City, for the San Jose Sharks’ last game versus Utah Hockey Club this season.
Regular fourth-line center Nico Sturm has a day-to-day lower-body injury, while Nikolai Kovalenko is nursing a day-to-day upper-body injury. Neither will travel.
That's Goodrow on the 4th line with Kostin & Dellandrea
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 9, 2025
Defenseman Jake Walman, who’s practiced the last two days, also will not travel but could be an option for Saturday against the Minnesota Wild.
Anyway, since the Stenlund board, the San Jose Sharks have appeared to have a quick trigger when standing up for each other, though Warsofsky, Barclay Goodrow, and Klim Kostin pooh-poohed the idea of their recent responses having anything to do with the Utah response.
Warsofsky didn’t have much to say, when asked if Friday’s rematch against Utah held any special significance for the San Jose Sharks: “Every game you play in the National Hockey League is really important.”
The non-response to Eichel’s slew foot on Granlund was telling (not in the most recent VGS game, but the one before, on Dec 27). That came 2 weeks after the Utah game. That was a 5min major and a game misconduct if the refs saw it. Nothing from the refs, not even a slap-on-wrist fine from DPOS. For a really dirty and dangerous play. Sharks gotta learn that if you don’t fight back, guys will get hurt. No one else is going to prevent that. And if fighting back means some cheap shots, go for it. And not on their… Read more »
This is pro-wrestling adjacent nonsense. I can’t be more angry at Utah than the players and league are. The NHL could fine or suspend Stenlund. They could do the same to the coach, or the team. SJS could go after Cooley or Keller. The premise that the only recourse is for someone low on the SJS roster to fight – and very possibly lose to – Stenlund is antiquated bs. It keeps some fans really engaged, but also is the type of junk that keeps the NHL so small-time compared to other major pro sports.
I fully endorse targeting their stars as payback. It’s what the Oilers did for Gretsky & what so many other hockey players have admitted is the most effective way of handling that situation. They target Celebrini the Sharks should board Cooley (I believe he’s owed an elbow to the head after his elbow to Grany’s anyway).
Talk about thriving.
Blackwood has played 10 games in Colorado. 8-1-1 and just 15 goals allowed, sv% around .940.
It’s criminal that Grier doesn’t have at least one accomplished enforcer who can play a little bit on the roster. Until he addresses the problem, it will continue to be open season on the kids. If I’m Celebrini and/or his agent, I’m really pissed about the lack of protection. .