Preview/Lines #57: Graf, Zetterlund on Granlund’s Immediate Impact on Them

Collin Graf and Fabian Zetterlund told a similar story about Mikael Granlund this week.

“He took me under his wing right away,” Zetterlund said on Monday, after the San Jose Sharks traded Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars last weekend.

The Sharks face the Stars on Saturday night.

Graf, 22, who was teammates with Granlund for just three weeks this season, played with the veteran center on the penalty kill.

“I did a lot with Granny before he got traded,” the rookie said, unprompted, on Thursday. “Just in the games and stuff. We would talk about it. I’ve tried to pick up a couple things from him.”

“Right from the beginning, when he came, he said to me, I think first or second practice or something, let’s go and we do this [extra practice work] right now,” Zetterlund recalled. “I was listening.”

Zetterlund broke out last season, Granlund’s first with the Sharks, and mostly on the veteran center’s line, scoring a career-high 24 goals.

“Helped me to become a good hockey player. He [taught] me a lot,” Zetterlund said. “We just continued the whole year and continue this year too.”

The biggest lesson that Granlund might have imparted on Zetterlund? Granlund is known as a tireless worker, on and off the ice.

“It pays off when you work,” Zetterlund said.

San Jose Sharks (15-34-7)

Klim Kostin was activated off the IR, but he’s a game-time decision.

Vitek Vanecek will start.

It will be close to the same line-up as the last game, except Kostin might draw in, and lefties Henry Thrun and Jake Walman will switch sides on their pairing, Thrun to the left and Walman to the right.

#SJSharks lines tonight, Vanecek returns:

Eklund-Celebrini-Toffoli
Zetterlund-Poturalski-Smith
Goodrow-Kunin-Graf
Grundstrom-Dellandrea-Duehr

Walman-Thrun
Ferraro-Thompson
Mukhamadullin-Liljegren

Vanecek

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 7, 2025

Dallas Stars (34-18-2)

The Stars played on Friday night, losing 5-4 in the shootout to the Los Angeles Kings.

This is how they lined up:

Stars lines vs Los Angeles:

Robertson – Hintz – Dadonov
Marchment – Duchene – Granlund
Benn – Johnston – Bourque
Bäck – Steel – Stankoven

Harley – Ceci
Bichsel – Lindell
Smith – Dumba

Oettinger
DeSmith

** No Blackwell, Lyubushkin, Heiskanen (IR)

— Sam Nestler (@samnestler) February 8, 2025

Jake Oettinger started, so the Sharks should see back-up Casey DeSmith.

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars is 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.