San Jose Sharks
Sharks Practice: Sherwood To Debut in Denver? Misa Promoted, Reaves to IR
CHICAGO — It looks like that the San Jose Sharks will have some big changes in Denver tomorrow.
Kiefer Sherwood should make his debut in teal and Michael Misa will receive a significant promotion.
Here’s how lines looked today:
Sherwood-Celebrini-Smith
Eklund-Misa-Toffoli
Kurashev-Wennberg-Graf
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette
Orlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Liljegren
Mukhamadullin-Desharnais
That’s Sherwood on the top line and Misa as 2C.
“Those guys are world-class players. Their magic speaks for itself,” Sherwood said, of playing with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. “I’ll try to play to their strengths, win some pucks back, create some space for them, and just get them the puck.”
Sherwood also made a point saying that he wants to bring the team into the fight, which the Sharks have desperately needed, especially the last two losses.
There were also dramatic changes on the power play, as the San Jose Sharks are going five forwards on the man advantage.
PP1: Celebrini (point)-Smith (left flank)-Eklund (right flank)-Toffoli-Wennberg (net front)
PP2: Klingberg-Sherwood (left flank)-Orlov (right flank)-Kurashev-Misa (net front)
In right-handed Smith and left-handed William Eklund, the Sharks will have a chance to unleash dueling one-timers. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky explained putting Celebrini on the point as a way to free him up from the greater defensive attention that he gets in his customary half-wall spot.
On the second unit, Sherwood and Dmitry Orlov are expected to bring a shot mentality, and Misa, perhaps a surprising net front choice, will be tasked with recovering pucks with his quickness.
Celebrini breaking in red and black Canada gloves pic.twitter.com/hUZBpkRFVf
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 3, 2026
It looks like Pavol Regenda, Jeff Skinner, and Sam Dickinson will sit out.
Ryan Reaves missed practice, and was also placed in IR with an upper-body injury. That opens the door for Sherwood to be activated for the San Jose Sharks’ 23-man roster.
Overall, Warsofsky is just looking for the Sharks to “empty the tank” tomorrow at the Colorado Avalanche, in both teams’ last game before the Olympic break. It’s more about the process than putting everything on toppling the NHL-best Avs.
“We got to be fast and loose, we got to get out there and just play and compete and do the things that we did when we were winning hockey games,” Warsofsky said, “as far as through our structure, through our effort, through [our] competitiveness.”
Warsofsky declined to commit to any of these practice changes for tomorrow. So we’ll see tomorrow in Denver.
Warsofsky is coy about his line-up, doesn’t commit to anything, even though practice and power play lines are a usual tell.
Then I remember he’s playing Bednar tomorrow. The South Carolina guys are usually coy about their lines before they play each other
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 3, 2026
Colorado is fucking awesome, and really deserving of respect. Bednar is up there with Tampa Bay’s John Cooper in terms of class. Each year, I usually hope that if the Sharks don’t win it, then Colorado faces Washington (Ovechkin and Wilson are badass!) in the finals.
Wilson is a POS.
Would love him on the Sharks though.
I guess so. He might be the most hated player in the league, but he’s a straight up BULLDOG. I don’t think he’s ever done anything fucked up to the Sharks, so I don’t see why us Sharks fans would despise him.
If any Shark played like Tom Wilson, he’d be everyone’s favorite. Remember Owen Nolan?
With players like Wilson, I’ve had the opinion that you can play on the edge, but if you’re injuring people, you need to get tossed from the league. I felt that he was close to deserving a lifetime ban. But … As best as I can tell, Wilson did clean up his act. He hits hard, but the really bad stuff — the things that cause injury — largely disappeared. Maybe I’m too far away from it so I’m not seeing it, but as best as I can tell, he evolved. I wrote about a Sharks player who didn’t evolve.… Read more »
Excellent article! I love the paragraph about the NHL’s failure to protect players, or publicly acknowledge the science of long term effects of concussions.
You’re a talented writer.
Of course I remember Owen Nolan. That’s my dude. The only player jersey I’ve ever bought for myself. Once upon a time I got to skate with him in a couple other guys at one of their lunchtime skates during one of the lockouts. He’s ornery as hell even when it’s just screwing around.
EDIT: whoops! Thought you replied to me. Disregard if you want.
That’s a cool Owen Nolan story!
I saw him once relatively up close outside the Sharks store at SAP maybe 10 years ago signing autographs or something promotional. He was already retired and not match fit but the dude had that country strong solidity about his build and body language, bit of a sparkle in his eye!
Seemed very gracious with the fans on hand.
He crossed the line too many times IMO. I had a hard enough time with Raffi on the team. Owen Nolan is a legend. I met him on my birthday a few years back.
Met Nolan years back when he owned a beer pub called Britannia Arms in S.J. on Almaden Expwy. Many Sharks used to got there as well and couple of Russian players did their shopping at Russian Deli next door.
PS: don’t know how the font got changed!
Don’t know if he had a stake in the Cupertino Brit? Also saw Couture and Shepard at Khartoum in Campbell years ago, same night MEV cut in front of me in the bathroom line 😂
Because Wilson plays like a $hitstain, cheats and gets away with it. Much like Stone from Las Vegas, talented and effective but douchebaggy (ok that describes the entire Las Vegas team).
Maybe a good time to play Colorado as they are also slumping a little. I hope, I hope
last game before the Olympics break has the chance to be a bit weird. I don’t expect the Sharks to win, but this has an above average chance of being a ‘stranger things’ kind of game.
I could definitely see the Avs taking their foot off the gas for this game, considering their position in the standings and looking towards the break or Olympics
Grier was powerless to resist the manicured stubble. Now I understand.
And we were powerless to mute you.
🤣🤣🤣
I’ve been on FearTheFin lately, and they actually the option to mute/ignore commenters you don’t wanna see.
an all-forward PP1
The choice of Misa net-front for PP2 is an, ummm, interesting one.
I like putting right shots in the left circle and left shots in the right circle — but it comes with a caveat. Its tricky for some to take the pass from up top and one-time it. When the angle the puck comes in is parallel to the blade, its hard to time.
Ovie could do it, but Burns could not. It’ll be interesting to see if Eklund can. I’m not that optimistic
I was at this practice! Was also struck by the choice to have Misa as a netfront presence, but Kurashev’s more of a perimeter guy, and it looked like Sherwood’s role was to dig it off the boards and prevent clears; he also had a deadly blast from the left circle. Misa working his ass off in the paint made sense; the bigger issue to my eye is that Orlov looked like he was out of it or fighting it, the dude threw some absolute pizzas.
The team’s best net front guy the team has is Regenda. But appears he’s sitting this one out.
Wennberg doesn’t look like a net front sort, but he’s pretty crafty.
Misa may not shy away from contact, but I’m not sure this is where he should be making his living at age 18. He’s got skills, but he’s not ready to be as physical as NHL net front requires
I don’t really think net front is as hazardous as it used to be. He thinks really fast on the ice so I think it’s probably a pretty smart choice to at least try.
Remember Homer on the redwings planting his flag in the blue paint for a decade on the power play with all those hall of famers around him? That’s great coaching.
Dude, no brainers aren’t great coaching. Getting the cheapest player roster in the NHL to the cusp of the playoffs is great coaching. Wario and Grier basically pulling off MoneyBall with this team.
Tomas Holmstrom he played on the redwings, he was a bottom 6 guy but played on the power play for years, he would just be a thorn in the goalies side standing in front on the power play. He was a big old sweede
Yeah I know who Holmstrom was. He played in the top 6 a lot.
Regenda was one of the last on the ice, working on tips from Pavelski’s office! So could be he knows how he plans to earn his way onto the PP. I’d rather see him on the PP than PK, where I haven’t been as impressed with him.
other extra credit guys: Graffer, Eky, Sam Jose, all stayed late working on stuff; Chucky the last to leave the ice.
Misa hasn’t appeared to look uncomfortable playing in front of the net. He definitely doesn’t yet have a grown man NHL body, but he also doesn’t appear to shy away from contact, unlike Smith. It’s worth giving Misa a look, and Warso being willing to jump him up to 2C shows me that he has built some confidence with Misa. Ek is the proverbial “box of chocolates” for me. His one timer attempts many times get shanked, or shot directly into the goaltender…but there have been moments when he just freakin’ sniped and it’s a thing of beauty to see.… Read more »
Eklund’s done it before with some success. People seem to have forgotten about this especially since that has been Celebrini’s spot. I didn’t see a good spot for Eklund on the PP since Celebrini took over at that spot but I like the change and can definitely see Celebrini being effective at OBing from the point and Eklund on the right flank.
Problem is that Eklund doesn’t shoot all that hard by NHL standards.
They should swap Eklund and Sherwood.
I feel like GMMG has to look at that all forward PP1 and go straight the phone.
Oh look at that, Sherwood on the top line. I’m so surprised…
Who woulda thunk it?
😉
Me neither though Graf has been great with what he has developed and brings to that top line 🤷🏻♂️
I still wanna see the “Sherwood Effect”!?
I was being sarcastic. I called it from the day of the trade and promptly got shit on by one of the HOF xbox coaches. ;P
I would have preferred to see a truly strong 3rd line, perhaps Wennberg, Gaudette and Sherwood. After the Olympic break and perhaps after the TDL when the forward group is thinned out a tad, I’m hoping to see
Celebrini-Smith-Chernyshov
Eklund-Misa-Toffoli (healthy version)
Wennberg-Sherwood-Graf
Ostapchuk-Gaudette-Bystedt
I would bet Sherwood plays with Celly the rest of the season. They’re both relentless and Sherwood will create space for Celly to make him even more dangerous.
I think you missed the most obvious combo… Misa should be with Cherny. They have automatic chemistry.
Celebrini-Smith-Sherwood
Eklund-Misa-Chernyshov
Wennberg-Toffoli-Graf
Well if Sherwood is on the top line carved in stone, then sure, put Cherny with Misa.
If Toffoli is healthy after the break, he could be a different player and your 3rd line could be strong
That’s the goal. Toffoli needs a puck transporter like Wenny and Graf is your digger which leaves Toff to get open for the shot. I think that might even be a contender level 3rd line. The top 6 could be contender level in a couple years if not sooner.
The most important thing is seeing Chernyshov back with the big club after the Olympics. It’s arguably cost the team 3 or 4 points having him down. I’m not criticizing any decisions, but I’m saying the team isn’t yet fully prioritizing 25-26 results by any stretch. Every decision we see recently seems to support this, including Sherwood on the top line and Misa drawing in with 2nd line wingers (his assignments might still be 3rd line level though). Winning now is seen as cool but secondary. On the plus side, we could see some moves that people have pined for.… Read more »
I think some major moves will have to be completed before Cherny gets called up.
I remember that! lol
I definitely get the concept, but it does seem risky breaking up a line that had good chemistry. Well risky might be overstating it. But sticking Graf with Celebrini and Smith seemed to have worked well.
I just don’t get the love for Graf in the top 6. I don’t think he’s quite up to speed offensively. And if you’re trying to manufacture scoring depth and a shutdown line with Wenny, you need Graf with him.
Graf’s 2nd on the team in even strength scoring with 28pts. He has 2 short-handed pts and just 1 PP pt.
Sounds pretty top line to me.
That’s because they had few options. Smith was injured for a month. That’s also tainted by playing with Celly who everyone gets points with. With everyone back the other guys are better fits. Having him on Wennys line is creating more scoring depth too if he really is that good offensively. I’ll go back to when Jeff Freisen was a 30 goal scorer on a mediocre Sharks team but a 3rd line stud providing important scoring depth on a Cup winner. I’m thinking line construction to win a series. now maybe Sherwood and Celly have no chemistry and they have… Read more »
GMMG is trying to get Sherwood to sign with the Sharks. Putting him on Macklin’s line is quite the sales pitch.
That’s exactly what I said when they traded for him. He’s not leaving Celly’s wing until the ink is dry on the contract.
I agree with both you and Zeke. I had the same opinion since the trade for the same reason. I also agree with another comment that Sherwood will help provide space for Celebrini. My thought is he ends up with Misa after the ink gets dry. Seeing that Misa is 18 and not yet in his NHL body, having Sherwood would help him a ton. And Sherwood can bury the biscuit. Misa can shoot but by nature is more of a setup man. As to after the TDL and assuming Chernyshov is back with the Sharks, my lines idea would… Read more »
I wouldn’t load up the 2 big and or physical wingers with Misa. That Celly line wouldn’t work in the playoffs either. Celly stuck with a non physical and smaller winger would get them shut down. Eklund seems to be developing good chemistry with Misa so I keep them together. While Misa isn’t filled out yet, he’s not weak and he’s not tiny. He’s taller than Celly, Smith, Eklund, Toff. He’s already shown a propensity to make plays with NHL men draped on him. It took all of a game and a half for Misa and Cherny to rekindle their… Read more »
I was typing response to ‘mknepper’ when I saw your comment popping up. I was also going to mention the “softness” on 1st line and too many hard, large bodies on the 2nd line. Sharks need someone playing hard, aggressive style with Celly and Smith, especially when Smith, for some reason, avoids contacts, hits and blocking shots. Cherny has large frame but doesn’t have inclinations to hit opposing players, yet. That’s something coaches have to teach him asap, if Sharks are going to make playoffs. With the proposed lines it looks like Sherwood should/will play on the 1st line.
Agreed
I just read Cirelli is going to miss the Olympics with injury. Since he was going to wear 71, I imagine Macklin might get his number now. As it should be.
nvrmnd
Since this one is so easy to be right about, I’ll just say Sherwood will not be permanently on Celebrini’s line until he signs a contract.
If only there wasn’t an Olympic break so I could cash this one out so much quicker.
Good luck. But just so were clear. in game line juggling in a blow out isn’t what I’m talking about. Sherwood starts each game on Celly’s wing.
*handshake emoji*
Well no worries on Panarin, traded to the Kings. Go with what we have and hoping for Sherwood to get a point or 2 tonight against the Avs