Sharks Camp Update with David Schlemko - 10/13

Hey Sharks fans! It's David Schlemko here with my last post from Training Camp now that it's all wrapped up and were underway in the regular season.
Overall, I thought my first Training Camp with the Sharks went great. It was a bit of a different camp with the World Cup guys being gone for a good portion of it but it was really good. One thing I learned while at camp was it's a bit of a different system here than I'm used to. This team plays very fast. The forecheck is a little different as well. It took me a second to get used to the new style but I think I'm fitting in well so far. My goal at camp was to work on minor tweaks and also make sure Brenden DIllon and I built some chemistry on and off the ice - I would say I was successful in those personal goals.
Training Camp was a great time for the guys to bond as well. On our off day on Monday we all went golfing which was a good time. Most of the guys have been around town for a month so it's been good to get a chance to know everybody and bond.

Last night was the first night of the regular season and it did not disappoint. The home opener atmosphere here at the Shark Tank was rocking. So awesome. It was such a cool feeling skating out of the Shark head. The fans were loud and it gave the boys a lot of energy. It felt good out there. I played a lot of games here as a visiting team and it's always been a great barn to play in - great energy. It was nice to be on the home side of it.
It was cool to get to play against the Kings for the Home Opener. I've heard a lot about these games and the rivalry is definitely alive and intense. It was a little extra sweet to beat them. Any time you're playing a big rival you're going to expect a lot of energy. There definitely was a lot there that added to the excitement of it being the first game of the season.
Overall, I felt we were the better team and it was nice to get those first two points infront of our home crowd. I felt pretty good about my personal play and team play. I thought me and Brenden Dillon kept it pretty simple. We had good gaps, didn't give much up, kept the puck out of our end and had a lot of shifts in the o-zone - so I would say that we're off to a good start.
Now we hit the road for a 5-game road trip. I think it's always good for a team to get on a road trip early in the year. It's good for the guys to be together and go for dinners and stuff. I think that's a real positive for the start of the season. I'm not really picky where I sit on the plane. Last trip I sat on the plane near Justin Braun. Since I'm one of the few new guys this year there's only so many open seats so I take whatever is there.
Well, thanks to everyone who followed along in my experience at Training Camp. The first game at the Tank last night was an awesome first experience and you guys gave me a lot of energy to play hard. I can't wait for the rest of the regular season and onto the playoffs hopefully!
Go Sharks!