Preview/Lines #1: Reimer Comes Out on Top Again

PRAGUE – James Reimer has done it again.

Last year, going into the year, it was presumed that Adin Hill was the heir apparent. After all, the San Jose Sharks had traded a second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes for the young goalie last off-season.

Hill, however, was beset by injuries and inconsistency, and by the Trade Deadline, the veteran Reimer had emerged as the Sharks’ No. 1.

But then at the Trade Deadline, the San Jose Sharks traded for another heir apparent young netminder in Kaapo Kahkonen.

This past summer, trade rumors swirled around two of the Sharks’ three-headed goaltending monster, Hill and Reimer, but not Kahkonen.

The writing seemed on the wall for Reimer once again.

But then, Hill was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights for a fourth-round pick, and now, Reimer’s been tapped for the opening night start against the Nashville Predators in Prague.

“He’s just built off the year he had last year. He had a good camp,” San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn said this morning.

Now let’s not read too much into this: The Sharks play the Predators tomorrow night again, and Kahkonen will almost certainly get the start. Kahkonen played a lot of good hockey in the preseason too. It’s a 1A-1B situation right now, there’s no clear starter…yet.

The bench boss insisted: “We really are happy with our goaltending depth.”

But no matter how you cut it, opening night start is still an honor.

“Reims has earned this opportunity,” Quinn acknowledged.

San Jose Sharks (0-0-0)

Quinn didn’t show 5-on-5 or power play lines this morning, but he noted that yesterday’s practice lines should hold today:

#SJSharks lines, looks like Sturm will replace Svechnikov, only change from Berlin:

Meier-Hertl-Kunin
Lindblom-Couture-Labanc
Gregor-Bonino-Nieto
Lorentz-Sturm-Gadjovich

Harrington-Karlsson
Vlasic-Ferraro
Simek-Benning

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 6, 2022

#SJSharks power play units at practice: Karlsson-Meier-Hertl-Couture-Kunin, Benning-Ferraro-Bonino-Lindblom-Labanc

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 6, 2022

Nashville Predators (0-0-0)

Per NHL.com:

Filip Forsberg — Mikael Granlund — Matt Duchene
Nino Niederreiter — Ryan Johansen — Kiefer Sherwood
Yakov Trenin — Colton Sissons — Tanner Jeannot
Cole Smith — Cody Glass — Eeli Tolvanen

Roman Josi — Alexandre Carrier
Ryan McDonagh — Mattias Ekholm
Jeremy Lauzon — Dante Fabbro

Juuse Saros

Where to Watch

The San Jose Sharks will take on the Nashville Predators at O2 Arena tonight at 8 PM CET and 11 AM PST. Watch it live on NBC Sports California and NHL Network. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.