Last night was the first game that the combined San Jose Sharks/San Jose Barracuda roster looked decidedly AHL at times. The 5-3 loss to the high-octane St. Louis Blues illuminated some gaps in the Sharks’ makeshift defense, which might help Sharks management make some decisions about the young players, including William Eklund.
The Blues were on a back-to-back after a loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, and rookie goaltender Joel Hofer made his NHL debut. Along with Hofer, Artemi Kniazev made his NHL debut for the Sharks, making him the 10th Sharks rookie to make their debut this season.