Opening night expectations

The San Jose Sharks open their regular season at home against the Florida Panthers on Thursday, with several key storylines surrounding the roster. Rachel Greenstein previews expectations for the team, focusing on 20-year-old Macklin Celebrini making his debut as captain, alongside the official NHL debut of 19-year-old forward Ivar Stenberg.

Greenstein also highlights offensive contributors Michael Misa and Igor Chernyshov following strong preseason outings, while critiquing head coach Ryan Warsofsky for pairing Misa with Tyler Toffoli. Defensively, new veteran additions Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba are expected to provide physical play against Florida, complementing young defenseman Luca Cagnoni.