SAN JOSE – Newly signed Sharks prospect Cameron Lund’s professional career is about to get underway as the 20-year-old forward is expected to arrive in San Jose on Sunday and start practicing with the team early next week.
Lund’s addition to the Sharks roster is intriguing, given his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame and scoring ability at the NCAA Division I level. But it also makes for a crowded forward group in San Jose, with a handful of players looking to establish themselves in the NHL and a few others hoping to show they still belong.
The Sharks have 14 forwards at the moment, with Klim Kostin and Noah Gregor expected to be healthy scratches for Saturday night’s game against the Boston Bruins at SAP Center. Barring any other transactions, Lund’s arrival figures to make the competition for ice time, at least amongst a select group of players, much more intense.
For now, the Sharks want to give young players like Lund, defenseman Luca Cagnoni, 20, and center Zack Ostapchuk, 21, a taste of the NHL while pending restricted free agents like Nikolai Kovalenko, Kostin, and Gregor fight for their next contracts.
Other forward prospects such as Quentin Musty and Igor Chernyshov could also soon arrive in San Jose, although they might be more likely to join the Barracuda if their respective OHL seasons end in time.
On the surface, at least, it appears that youth in San Jose is being ushered in while others might soon be shown the door.
“This is an important time for some players in this locker room to really establish themselves,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Saturday. “Someone’s going to get left behind, and someone’s going to continue to push forward, earn themselves an opportunity and earn themselves a job in the future.”
Lund, a right-shot center and a second-round draft pick by the Sharks in 2022, just finished his junior season at Northeastern with 18 goals and 40 points in 37 games. His 1.08 points per game average was tied for 31st among all Division I players.
Lund could make his NHL debut as soon as Thursday when the Sharks host the Toronto Maple Leafs. San Jose also plays the New York Rangers next Saturday to close its season-long eight-game homestand.
Lund signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks after Northeastern was eliminated from the Hockey East playoffs on Thursday with a double-overtime loss to Maine in the semifinals.
Lund is also the latest Massachusetts-born player to officially join the team, following forwards Will Smith and Collin Graf and defenseman Henry Thrun. Lund also played at Cushing Academy, where Warsofsky played and went to school.
“We need more,” Smith said, with a smile, of the growing Massachusetts contingent.
Smith has known Lund for a few years and played against him twice last season as a freshman at Boston College. Lund had a hat trick in Northeastern’s 5-3 upset win over then-No. 1 Eagles in Dec. 2023 in Chestnut Hill.
Lund also had two goals and three assists in three Hockey East tournament games this month.
“He had a great tournament there in Hockey East,” Smith said of Lund. “Excited to have him. Been texting with him a bit.”
Warsofsky said Lund has become more comfortable with who he is as a player.
“First year watching him, he looked a little shy and tentative, and now he’s grown into himself, which usually happens to these players when they first get drafted, but he’s come a long way,” Warsofsky said of Lund. “Just watching his games this year, I think he’s going to fit in well. so we’re excited to work with them. Another former Cushing Academy Penguin.”
Saturday’s game marked the second straight time Gregor and Kostin were scratched. Kostin played eight of nine games between Feb. 27 and March 15, but Warsofsky said the forward has struggled to execute plays and with his consistency.
“Not even game to game, but shift to shift,” Warsofsky said of Kostin’s consistency issues. “He has skill, and he’s a big kid who can skate, protect pucks, and play towards his identity a little bit more often.”
Kostin has battled injuries this season and has seven points in 34 games while averaging 10:42 in ice time. He had 10 points in 19 games with the Sharks last season after he was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings.
It seems like the next time Kostin gets into a game, he really has to make the most of the chance.
“It’s the National Hockey League. You have to compete and you have to work every single night,” Warsofsky said. “You have to be ready to play. You’ve got to be professional. Again, no one feels bad for us. Rick Pitino said John Havlicek’s not walking through that door, and Larry Bird isn’t either, (just like) Patrick Marleau and (Joe Thornton).
“So there’s opportunity here. Let’s get to it; let’s work and get better every time we’re in this building.”