Preview/Lines #56: Dellandrea Looking for Consistency, Vanecek Starts

Ty Dellandrea hasn’t found his footing with the San Jose Sharks yet.

“It’s been a tough season in a few ways,” Dellandrea, back in the Sharks line-up on Thursday for the first time since Jan. 23, said.

Dellandrea has been dealing with nagging injuries, but also, most recently, suffered an upper-body injury when Cole Smith of the Nashville Predators hit him high.

“I don’t think he meant to do it,” Dellandrea said of Smith, ejected from that Jan. 23 tilt for the hit.

“Before he got injured, he was playing some pretty good hockey,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “He was using his legs. He’s got good speed, he obviously can get on the forecheck.”

Dellandrea, who will center the San Jose Sharks’ fourth line tonight, flanked by Walker Duehr and Carl Grundstrom, has also been strong in puck battles, according to Stathletes.

So while Ty Dellandrea has just one goal and four assists in 41 contests this season, he’s capable of making a huge impact, which we saw on Nov. 16 at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The problem?

“Just more consistency is probably the biggest thing,” Warsofsky said.

“There’s a lot more I can bring to the table and contribute to help this team, this team win,” Dellandrea said. “So just working every day to bring that out and play more consistent with that and have an impact.”

Warsofsky is also hoping that the 6-foot-2 Dellandrea can improve his offensive zone possession: “Being able to hold onto pucks against big defensemen…he’s got to use his legs to be creative and create space.”

Dellandrea, 24, still has another year on his contract after this season. That’s a reminder that the 2018 Dallas Stars’ first-round pick is still young.

Hopefully, he can begin to make that consistent impact on the San Jose Sharks starting tonight.

San Jose Sharks (15-34-6)

Vitek Vanecek will start, his first game since Dec. 14.

This is how the Sharks lined up during morning skate, it looks like Ty Dellandrea will make his return:

#SJSharks morning skate lines:

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

Walman-Thrun
Ferraro-Thompson
Mukhamadullin-Liljegren

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) February 6, 2025

Vancouver Canucks (24-18-11)

Head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t have a morning skate media availability.

This is how the Canucks lined up at practice yesterday:

Wednesday #Canucks practice lines

DeBrusk. Pettersson. Garland.
O’Connor. Chytil. Boeser.
Joshua. Suter. Sherwood.
Höglander. Blueger. Åman.

Forbort. Hronek.
MPettersson. Myers.
Pettersson. Soucy.
Mancini. Juulsen.@Sportsnet650 pic.twitter.com/MiqBgREiu7

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) February 5, 2025

Quinn Hughes will not play tonight.

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks is 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.