IRVINE, Ca. — This fall, the Rookie Faceoff feels a little different for the San Jose Sharks.
Last September, a deep San Jose NHL squad didn’t offer the possibility of many openings for its prospects. A testament to their depth, the Sharks finished with nine 50-point-plus scorers last season, four more than any other team.
But the departures of Joe Pavelski, Gustav Nyquist, Joonas Donskoi and Justin Braun — and the team’s relative summer inactivity — have opened a door through the Sharks Head, especially up front.