Sharks takeaways: The Smiths make an impact, an elusive identity and what’s left to decide?
SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks have just one preseason game left after their 3-2 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night at SAP Center. Klim Kostin and Henry Thrun scored and goalie Vitek Vanecek finished with 40 saves in regulation time and overtime as the Sharks fell to 1-3-1 this preseason. San Jose, which did not score in the shootout, closes its exhibition schedule Saturday night in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights. The Sharks have declared nothing, but it would appear — at the moment — that only one or two spots on the team’s 23-man roster are available. One of those final decisions might be whether to keep a heavyweight forward like Givani Smith to help offer more protection to Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith or a prospect like Danil Gushchin or even Ethan Cardwell. If that’s the case, the Sharks’ simple decision would be to keep the 26-year-old Givani Smith, who would need to be placed on waivers to be sent to the AHL, and assign the others, who do not need waivers, to the Barracuda. Will it