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…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…