San Jose Sharks
Preview/Lines #57: Wennberg & Toffoli Coach Pride Scrimmage, Mukhamadullin Back in Sharks’ Line-Up
Alex Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli got new jobs on Friday.
Wennberg and Toffoli coached in the fourth annual San Jose Sharks’ Pride Scrimmage, between the Sharks front office, the San Francisco Earthquakes, and Team Trans.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re trans, if you’re gay, if you’re bi,” Wennberg told San Jose Hockey Now. “So for me to just be here and support it, it’s important.”
“Everybody who’s a part of the community should have a right to play and be able to be themselves,” Toffoli said.
San Jose Sharks (27-25-4)
Yaroslav Askarov will start.
Shakir Mukhamadullin will come in for Timothy Liljegren, and Pavol Regenda will slide in for Ryan Reaves.
We’ll see lines at warm-ups, but they should look similar to start of last game.
Here’s my best guess:
Sherwood-Celebrini-Smith
Graf-Wennberg-Kurashev
Eklund-Misa-Toffoli
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Regenda
Orlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Mukhamadullin
Dickinson-Desharnais
Askarov
Here’s what Warsofsky is looking for from Shakir Mukhamadullin, who recently spoke to the Mercury News about his unhappiness with his season.
“The way that he defends with some urgency and gets into people and gets people away from our net,” Warsofsky said, “and then his puck play, he’s making the right reads with his puck decisions.”
Edmonton Oilers (29-23-8)
Connor Ingram will start and Kasperi Kapanen will be in the line-up.
The Oilers didn’t practice yesterday, but this is how they lined up in an 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday:
Connor Ingram starts between the pipes as the #Oilers go with 11 forwards & six defencemen vs. the Kings.@PlayAlbertaCA | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/dF96Ycnvtb
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 27, 2026
Where To Watch
Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers is at 1 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.
If they lose these 2 this weekend I hope Grier trades all the UFAs other than Regenda, Deharnais and Sherwood if they can get him at a more modest cap number than rumored. Gather as many assets as possible, grab Hamilton and Schneider or something equivalent or better in the off season.
Oh I would keep Reavo till the end of the season too for morale. Like an emotional support face puncher.
i might consider buying out Goody this off season if enough salary can be spent on better players to get them to the cap floor next season.
Yeah, I’m with you. Win this one and I’m back in the see what happens boat, but it’s a must win
Sigh, Ryan “needs to get into more people” Warsosvsky
Why is that so triggering for you? He’s not wrong. As big and long as Shak is, it shouldn’t be so noticeable when he actually does eliminate guys.
It “triggers” me because he says it as if Muk is not effective in defending whether he’s noticeably erasing or not. He’s gettkng better with every game. He needs to play when he is healthy. There’s at least 2 guys he’s just a straight up better player than. Has offensive upside. How much hes into guys or not is also really a consequence of his physiology. 2 more years of bulk he’ll have an easier time, but rn this org needs to sort themselves out and figure out how to meet this obviously talented player where he is.
At his age he should have enough bulk. He’s not 19 or 20. Getting into guys has nothing to do with size or weight. It’s effective defensive aggressiveness closing gaps and ending plays. It’s a basic skill that I’ve always s had to consciously think about while playing. My kid does it naturally. Vlasic in his prime was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Shak plays timid in those moments and in front of the net. Could be that he’s afraid of getting hurt yet again.
Neither your kid or Vlasic is 6’7” or whatever he is. Muk is very good with his stick. Has a deceptive stride, and great vision. He can make a hit when he needs, but he’s not known for physicality, but it’s some thing he can grow into with more time in this league. Those who stick around inevitably do. But he doesn’t need to re-invent his game to be an effective defender in this league now, and he sure as fuck shouldnt be a healthy scratch over it ever again.
He’s like 6’3” or 4”. Deharnais is 6’7”. No Shak isn’t that good with his stick. Vlasic was elite with his stick in his prime. They aren’t playing beer league. They need to eliminate the body not just stick check people. He doesn’t need to be a thunderous hitter but he needs to engage body contact and eliminate players physically. He’s not “known” for his physicality and that’s the difference between being an NHLer and a beer leaguer. He’ll Eklund engages in more body contact and he’s a forward. If Shak wants a long career in the NHL he’s going… Read more »
Trying to pretend every developing young hockey player is the same is a faulty and losing proposition. Work with what you have, remember these guys are human and not robots built in a laboratory, and adjust accordingly (this comment is mostly for the Sharks, not you).
Yeah no shit. But defenders all have to have that one trait to be consistent players. Unless you’re someone like Hutson or EK65. He is not. Better learn how to properly defend at the NHL level which is what this coaching staff has been trying desperately to do. It’s on Shak to do it. They can lead the horse to water but they can’t make him drink.
Major props to Toffoli and Wennberg, how cool it is to have them represent Teal here in SJ.
Love it!
Win today and snap the hex
C’mon Sharks!!!
1 period in and I think the 4th line without Reaves has still been playing a heavy forecheck/physical game but they also have created some sustained zone time and a goal. 2 shots and 4 shot attempts from that line in one period after 0 shots and 3 shot attempts all game against Calgary.
Yes…to everything
😂 that was a response to the very first post
👍🙂
If we win today, everybody’s gonna start sniffing the playoff glue again, but it’s gonna end the same way. Start building for next year now. gather assets, sell non-assets. We have already screwed our draft position, and winning now just doesn’t matter anymore.
There’s a way to do both.
Al?