The cold weather and foggy skies didn’t stop me from looking forward to the Sharks’ prospect development camp on Friday morning. The majority of San Jose’s top prospects participated in the event, including Nikolay Goldobin, Timo Meier, Barclay Goodrow, Rourke Chartier, Kevin Labanc, Adam Helewka, Daniel O’Regan, Marcus Sorensen and Mantas Armalis.
As a recent college graduate, I’d describe my first time at Sharks Ice using the word “chill.” I had an amazing time covering the 2016 Stanley Cup Final between the Sharks and Penguins, but the atmosphere of the camp was far more relaxed. Seeing the young prospects (who are most likely around my age) head onto the ice puts a smile on my face. Each and every one of them began to hone their skills.
Keep an eye out on Goldobin. According to eliteprospects.com, Goldobin is a dangerous shooter with a wicked release on his wrist shot. However, the 20-year-old forward is weak towards larger opponents and can look lost in his own zone. Despite his flaws, Goldobin is a respectable forward who has the potential to make the team after training camp. He’s an excellent playmaker and one of the more talented scorers in his age group.
“I’m trying to improve every detail,” Goldobin said. “If you make one mistake and they score a goal, it’ll change the outcome of the game.”
Goldobin also added “I think I need to work harder than anyone. That’s all.”
The scrimmage featured some competition between Team Marchment and Team Ricci. Noah Rod and Timo Meier were the highlights of Team Marchment. Meier, the first round draft pick in 2015, was an active forward and attentive listener. Team Marchment dominated on the ice, playing some noteworthy hockey. On the other hand, Team Ricci looked like a practice squad who could use more help in sharpening their skills. Each hockey player was drafted for a reason. Some take longer than others to thrive and that’s okay.
So what happened in the second half of the Sharks’ scrimmage? The mood was kind of mellow. Both teams completed stretching exercises before resuming their usual activities. Offense certainly heated up with forwards such as Barclay Goodrow, Jake Marchment, and new San Jose prospect Maxim Letunov. Most of all, Goodrow, a 23-year-old forward from Toronto. Goodrow has a chance to compete for a major role next season.
“It’s pretty eye-opening to see the Stanley Cup Final,” Goodrow affirmed, drawing positive energy from the media. “Just knowing your team is there feels great, but obviously you want to be there too.”
