An inside look into San Jose Sharks Training Camp presented by SAP as told by our players, coaches and staff.
Hockey is here. Doesn't it feel good?
It's been 10 long months, but the Sharks finally opened training camp on December 31.
After hearing from the core, it sounded like the same excitement you may have felt before the first day of school:
"I'm just excited to play hockey, get back to a routine, get back to a game we all love. Ten months is a long time. I'm excited [Bob] Boughner is back and I'm excited to meet the new coaches." -Sharks Defenseman Brent Burns
"It's already been 11 months and I did a lot of work, so I'm ready to play. I'm 100% ready for games and hopefully, I can prove it and be one of the most important guys for the team."- Sharks Forward Tomas Hertl
Shaping the Sharks: Hearing from the Core
"With the time off, I think I was really able to take advantage and put in some good work on the ice... I'm feeling stronger and fast and I feel like I'm moving really well in the net." - Sharks Goaltender Martin Jones
Tweet from @SanJoseSharks: WE LOVE TO SEE IT#SharksCamp | @SAPSports pic.twitter.com/tDnxfFSFDB
"I've skated 2-3 times a week since June and I've been at the gym regularly. It's been a long haul and I'm not going to say I've gone full speed at all times but the setup that I have access to in Ottawa has been really safe and remarkable." - Sharks Defenseman Erik Karlsson
Did we mention that by "here" we meant Arizona? Due to local restrictions, the Sharks are holding training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona before hitting the road for an eight-game road trip that continues to keep them away from San Jose until at least February:
"It's definitely different - my wife was joking around that I'd probably love being away] for the first couple of days because I'll be able to get some sleep and I couldn't argue with her there. Being at home with my family for the last 10 months... being around my daughter every day was nice. It's definitely going to be a big change." - *Sharks Forward Evander Kane*
*[Tweet from @SanJoseSharks: GREETINGS FROM ARIZONA 🌵 #SharksCamp | @SAPSports pic.twitter.com/2qSeLsyxBm
"It's going to be a learning curve... You just have to roll with it. It can be a little bit more fun, more exciting - you don't know what's coming. New route to the rink, new places to DoorDash for food, everything's new. I think it's a great chance for everybody to just concentrate on hockey and the San Jose Sharks. - Sharks Defenseman Brent Burns
"It's tough to make it a home, but you have to make the most of it, you get to be around some of your best friends in the world for a long time." -Sharks Captain Logan Couture
"I still haven't quite come to terms that I have a daughter. She's only been here for a month and a half. It's difficult for my wife. I FaceTime them three to four times a day so I'm able to see her. I'm probably bugging my wife a little too much. It's a little hard having a newborn, so hats off to my wife." - Sharks Forward Stefan Noesen
And even though this is the most different year the Sharks have been faced with, they haven't lost focus on what matters most - coming together as a team in an incredibly short period of time:
"We have to stick together. Me, Burnzie, Erik [Karlsson] and [Couture]. We have to hold the team together. Even if bad things happen, we have to turn around and always be positive, come, and get on a good page. Last year was one of the hardest years, because of injury, but losing the light - I hated it, everyone hated it. This year everyone knows we're here to win the Stanley Cup - nothing else matters." - Hertl
"Whoever has the best camp is going to get out to a good start. With a shortened season every game means a little bit more. I think back to our last lockout season and we came flying out of the gates and it went a long way...our start propelled us to a playoff spot." -Couture
"We're going to navigate through it the best way we know how. All I can tell you is that it seems like everybody is really ready to go and get started here." -Karlsson
"We have a lot of great players on the team, a lot of guys fighting for spots. Competition is going to be high" - Sharks Forward Patrick Marleau
"There are spots open. Veterans are really going to be pushed by our younger players this year for ice time. There's a healthy competition going into this camp." - Couture
"We know we have a team that should perform at the top of the standings and that's our expectation." - Karlsson*
