The 2021 season opens tonight at Gila River Arena, not too far from the facilities the Sharks have had to make their home away from home during training camp over the last two weeks.
Of note in the Sharks’ lineup, rookie John Leonard will make his debut on the second line, while newcomer Ryan Donato will play on Noah Gregor’s wing on the third line. Patrick Marleau will be playing on the team’s fourth line and the Sharks’ third D-pairing will see rookies Nikolai Knyzhov and Nicolas Meloche. The forward group looks fairly green, and the bottom-six may take on a different role than in seasons past.