Preview/Lines #50: MacDonald Was at Funny Place When Sharks Traded for Him

Jacob MacDonald was over at the Megnas when he found out that the San Jose Sharks had acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche.

The Anaheim Ducks’ Jayson Megna, that is, not his younger brother Jaycob Megna, the Sharks’ stay-at-home defenseman.

MacDonald and Jayson Megna had played together for the last four seasons in the Colorado organization, between the Avalanche and the Eagles. Megna, however, was claimed off waivers in December by Anaheim. MacDonald was over at Megna’s Colorado home because the Ducks were in town to take on the Avs.

And now, MacDonald is playing with Jaycob Megna.

MacDonald told local media today that he also works out with Mikey Eyssimont in the summer in Denver, and obviously, he knows Nico Sturm who was with the Avs last season.

San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn isn’t too familiar with the 6-foot-0 blueliner though.

“The last time I saw him, he was at Cornell,” Quinn quipped this morning. Quinn was Boston University’s head coach during MacDonald’s senior season in 2014-15. The Big Red and BU face each other in a special biennial game at Madison Square Garden, Red Hot Hockey, named after both schools’ primary color.

“Just a two-way defenseman that can join in and contribute offensively,” the 29-year-old said about his game. “Steady in the D-zone and able to make a good first pass and hopefully get in and out of our D-zone pretty quickly. There’s a little bit of physicality in there too.”

Quinn can also use the two-time AHL All-Star at forward: He’s been used at wing from time to time by the Eagles and Avs over the years.

San Jose Sharks (14-25-10)

James Reimer will start and MacDonald thinks that he’ll make his Sharks debut next to Mario Ferraro. The defense otherwise appears uncertain with head coach David alluding to a couple of defensemen being under the weather.

These are projected forward lines:

Meier-Hertl-Labanc
Eyssimont-Couture-Barabanov
Bonino-Sturm-Gregor
Svechnikov-Lorentz-Lindblom

Carolina Hurricanes (30-9-8)

Antti Raanta, tonight's expected starter for the #Canes, is 8-0-2 with two shutouts in his last 11 games played.

His most recent regulation loss came on November 12. pic.twitter.com/Axut63hUok

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 27, 2023

This is how the Canes dressed in their last game on Wednesday:

The #Canes are expected to dress the following lineup tonight in Dallas:

Teravainen – Aho – Jarvis
Svechnikov – Stastny – Necas
Martinook – Staal – Fast
Noesen – Kotkaniemi – Stepan

Chatfield – Burns
Skjei – Pesce
de Haan – Coghlan

Andersen

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 26, 2023

Where to Watch

The San Jose Sharks will take on the Carolina Hurricanes at 4 PM PST at PNC Arena. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.