DeBoer gets started as San Jose opens camp
The Sharks opened training camp in San Jose on Friday with a new coach, a few new players and definitely a new attitude.
Peter DeBoer, hired to replace departed coach Todd McLellan, welcomed 55 players to Sharks Ice at San Jose with some new lingo and a clean slate.
With the team split into two groups as a number of prospects and camp hopefuls attend until cuts are made, DeBoer said he’s looking for more commitment within the system rather than wholesale changes.
A 40-33-9 record spelled a fifth-place finish in the Pacific Division and 12th place in the Western Conference.
Not only did the coaching staff change completely, but general manager Doug Wilson also tinkered far more with the roster than he had the previous season, when San Jose lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Goalie Martin Jones, defenseman Paul Martin (a new partner for Brent Burns) and forward Joel Ward were on the ice for the first time for the Sharks, a team that saw goalie Antti Niemi, enforcer John Scott and defensemen Scott Hannan and Matt Irwin depart during the offseason.
San Jose will host exhibitions on Sept. 25, 26 and 29 at SAP Center in preparation for the regular season, which opens for the Sharks on Oct. 7 at Los Angeles.