The 2024 Rookie Faceoff is now in the history books. The San Jose Sharks were one of the most interesting teams to watch in the tournament as I discussed prior to the event, and they didn’t disappoint by any means. Regardless of how they performed on the ice though, the tournament was more symbolic than anything for fans of the organization. It showed the light at the end of the long rebuild tunnel.
Important Debuts
The hype around the Sharks wasn’t just felt in the stands of the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. It was also notable in the locker room. The players were just as happy to be in the presence of players like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith as the fans were to watch them. When asked about the two newcomers, defenseman Valtteri Pulli said, “They’re really good guys. Like, like, there are big names already, but, like, humble. So I like that, though. Like, they’re still young, so it’s nice to see that they’re hungry and driven. The skill is impressive, I’m gonna say that.”
In the grand scheme of things, the tournament is mainly meant for team staff and scouts of opposing teams. It’s a chance to evaluate players as they come back from their summers away from competitive hockey. That’s the main reason fan access to the event was very limited.
The results of the games, the stat lines, and for the most part, the overall performance of the tournament aren’t overly important as a team isn’t going to give up on a prospect over a single bad outing. When all is said and done, as long as a player is doing all of the small things right and working to improve, the team will more than likely be happy. With that being said, it’s always an exciting time to see young players take the ice for their new teams for the very first time in a competitive atmosphere.
The End of the Rebuild Is Near
The Sharks aren’t likely going to be anywhere near the playoffs this season, but despite that, there’s reason for excitement around the organization for the first time in a while. The Sharks are going to have two key parts of their future in the lineup, likely from the opening game against the St. Louis Blues. The aforementioned Celebrini and Smith are expected to be the first and second-line centers of the future in San Jose, and the Rookie Faceoff allowed us to see them in competitive action for the very first time in their new organization’s colors.
A few others stood out in addition to the pair of stars. Quentin Musty’s hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks was the most dominant performance of the tournament, and he felt he didn’t even play as well as he did in the first game, saying “honestly, I think I played a better game the first game around, but yeah, they just went in for me tonight.” Luca Cagnoni also had a very impressive outing against the Ducks, excelling in both the offensive and defensive zones.
Lastly, Sam Dickinson had to step up and defend some of their opposition’s top players including Cutter Gauthier since Shakir Mukhamadullin wasn’t available to play during the tournament due to general soreness. Dickinson had nothing but praise for Gauthier after the game either, stating “it’s my first time going up against him, obviously, but he’s kind of a guy that blends the size and the skill he has so well, there a couple of times try to go give him a runner or give him a shot. You know, he’s a steady kid, so he’s a hard guy to knock over. But then when he’s got the puck on his stick, he’s got great hands. Can kind of make quick plays through sticks and that kind of stuff. His shot is obviously off the charts. So a guy, they got to know where he was all over the ice, because if you don’t know, he’ll make you pay pretty quick.”
Dickinson and the rest of the Sharks’ defensive group did a phenomenal job shutting down the Ducks’ offense for the most part, and that’s a huge development. Generally, the blue line is considered the weakest part of the Sharks’ prospect pool, but proving they were able to limit a player like Gauthier shows that may not be the case.
Related: Takeaways From Sharks’ 6-3 Victory Over Avalanche
The Sharks certainly didn’t disappoint at this season’s Rookie Faceoff tournament. They showed the hype around the organization’s prospect pool is deserved and they can compete with anyone, even without their stars in the lineup or running with 10 defensemen. There’s definitely a good reason for Sharks fans to be excited about the future, which is a massive difference from just 12 months ago.
