Preseason Preview/Lines #3: Eklund, Bordeleau Have Another Chance to Impress Tonight

ONTARIO, Calif. — It’s another chance for William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau to shine.

Both Eklund and Bordeleau will feature on the San Jose Sharks power play tonight as they visit the Los Angeles Kings at Toyota Arena.

This morning, Bordeleau lined up with most of the Sharks’ top PP unit, including Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, and Kevin Labanc. Derrick Pouliot is taking the place of Erik Karlsson tonight.

Meanwhile, Eklund headlines a second unit with Radim Simek, Matt Benning, Scott Reedy, and Evgeny Svechnikov.

This might be a chance to showcase a more down-the-hill attack, featuring Meier, on the No. 1 unit, and a more behind-the-net approach, featuring Eklund, on the No. 2 unit. We’ll see.

First Look at How Sharks Might Shake Up Power Play (+)

However, for Eklund and Bordeleau, it’s not just about the offensive side of things.

“Usually for young players, it’s what are you doing without the puck? These guys have all been great players with it. The next step at this level is to see who’s conscientious without it and making the right play and being patient. I think someone with his skill-set, that’s something that he’s going to have to learn,” head coach David Quinn said about Eklund.

But he could’ve been talking about Bordeleau as well: “Young players usually have to understand, it’s gonna be a lot of shifts that you don’t touch a puck, and [you have to] be an effective player even when you don’t touch the puck. He’s no different than most players his age.”

So will the center Bordeleau and winger Eklund make the San Jose Sharks?

Day-to-day injuries to Alexander Barabanov (lower-body) and Oskar Lindblom (upper-body) might help their causes.

San Jose Sharks (2-0-0)

I’ll also be watching bubble forwards Scott Reedy and Evgeny Svechnikov, and defensemen Nick Cicek, Santeri Hatakka, and Scott Harrington tonight. Reedy played last night, so this could be a sign that the coaching staff wants a longer look at him.

Here’s the rest of the line-up, Aaron Dell will start and should go all the way:

Gushchin and Kniazev are in the line-up, but I don't think they're playing tonight. They're not with the game morning skate players right now https://t.co/3Qm1B834EX

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 28, 2022

Los Angeles Kings

(new article) Projected Lineup: Kings vs Sharks, Preseason Game 3 aka Empire Classichttps://t.co/4DtEvxDpdF pic.twitter.com/pzD4h1PwEU

— The Mayor (@mayorNHL) September 28, 2022

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and LA Kings is at 7:00 PM PT/10:00 PM ET at Toyota Arena. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.

Have checked with both teams, I'm told that tonight's #SJSharks #GoKingsGo exhibition game will NOT be streamed.

I will be in Ontario, so stay tuned for the San Jose Hockey Now stream (just kidding, but I will be posting plenty of video clips)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 28, 2022