San Jose Sharks
Preview/Lines #23: Warsofsky on How Thornton Impacts Sharks Today
Joe Thornton is still impacting the San Jose Sharks today.
And more than putting up 2024 first-overall Macklin Celebrini at his house.
Head coach Ryan Warsofsky elaborated on Saturday morning, before Thornton’s No. 19 will be raised to the rafters today.
“He’s pretty much here every single day, and we talk a lot, whether that’s hockey or off the ice and going through certain experiences. I’ve talked to him quite a bit about our team, our play, what he sees,” Warsofsky said. “Obviously, a very hockey IQ driven person. He knows the game inside and out. We’ve talked to him about power play. We’ve talked to him about players, you name it, we’ve gone to him with it. He’s on the ice at times. He’s watching from above with our practices. He’s been really influential, and not just on me and my coaches, but obviously the players themselves.”
Both Scott Thornton and Patrick Marleau talked about Joe Thornton basically being a coach on the bench in his playing days. That sounds like it’s carried over into his retirement, even without an official title with the Sharks.
What Jumbo saying about the power play?
“I think just the movement and the attack mentality that we need to have, where certain guys he sees fit better than others. I think he was a really good power play player, not just 5-on-5, but he did some really good things on the power play,” Warsofsky said. “I think he’s helped us, me and Brian [Wiseman], with breaking it down here a little bit, not just this year, but even in the years past.”
San Jose Sharks (6-11-5)
Mackenzie Blackwood will start, Will Smith is back in the line-up, and William Eklund is a game-time decision.
Blackwood will start, Vanecek will back up. Askarov is here, Warsofsky wouldn't say the plan for him, but likely headed back to AHL.
Will Smith will play, but there are a couple game-time decisions, per Warsofsky.
Eklund is one of them.
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 23, 2024
The defensive pairings are the same, so that means Jack Thompson stays in, Henry Thrun sits.
Buffalo Sabres (10-9-1)
The Sabres played yesterday and adjusted their lines in-game in an OT victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Will they stick with these lines tonight?
Ex-Shark James Reimer probably gets the start.
Lindy Ruff made a few changes to the Sabres' lines with it tied 2-2 in the third period.
Here's how they've looked:
Zucker-McLeod-Tuch
Benson-Krebs-Cozens
Peterka-Kulich-Quinn
Malenstyn-Lafferty-NAK— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) November 23, 2024
Also, check out Buffalo Hockey Now for all your Buffalo Sabres news!
Where To Watch
Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres is 5 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.
