Healthy Cardwell is Aiming For Sharks Spot; Talks Living With Smith, Celebrini

There isn’t much opportunity deeper in the San Jose Sharks lineup this season, but Ethan Cardwell is getting a chance to show what he can do.

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky holds the Sharks prospect in high regard, and Cardwell knows he can’t take that for granted. Throughout three days of training camp, Cardwell has been skating on the wing of what could be the Sharks’ fourth line with Zack Ostapchuk and Barclay Goodrow.

“It’s a good opportunity for me. That’s kind of the role I gotta get in as. I gotta work my way onto that fourth line and be a key contributor on this team, and I think I can help this team win,” Cardwell said on Saturday. “To be given that opportunity to showcase what I can do in the scrimmages and in the drills, it’s a good opportunity. But it’s just the start, so I’ve got to keep building throughout this whole camp.”

Cardwell’s position at the start of San Jose Sharks training camp may come as a bit of a surprise. Kiefer Sherwood has been skating with two players likely headed to the San Jose Barracuda. Sherwood signed a five-year extension after the Sharks acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks. Although it is nearly impossible that Sherwood won’t be on the opening night roster, the team likely moved him there to give Cardwell a full opportunity.

The order of lines doesn’t matter too much at the start of camp, as the players are split into two groups. Who each person is playing with is more telling.

A big difference for Cardwell this season is his waiver eligibility. Unlike previous seasons, if he doesn’t make the San Jose Sharks roster, he’ll have to pass through waivers before going to the ‘Cuda. If that happens, all 31 other NHL teams could try to claim the winger.

“Anytime you’re out there, whether you’re on your entry level or you’ve signed ten contracts, you’re always just doing your best every day. Everybody’s looking because there are obviously 31 other teams in the league,” Cardwell said. ” I want to be a Shark, and I want to be a Shark for as long as I can, and I want to make this team. I don’t want [waivers] to be the case, but obviously there is a possibility that that happens. So I just put my best foot forward every day and let the chips fall where they may.”

So what does the 24-year-old have to do to make the NHL right away?

“Just showing up every day and doing what I do best. Getting in there and playing in the hard areas. Being consistent with that. Going to the net, getting in on the forecheck, tracking. It’s the little details,” Cardwell explained. “It’s not toe-dragging a guy at the blue line and going in and scoring on a breakaway. That’s going to do it for me. It’s the finer details of the game that I can help contribute. That’s going to be beneficial to the team rather than just worrying about offense.”

Cardwell is healthy and living with Celebrini & Smith, for now

Cardwell’s 25-26 season was cut short after a torn labrum in his shoulder ended it in February. At the time, he had appeared in seven NHL games and 24 games for the Barracuda. He had scored his first NHL goal and had 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) in the AHL.

The winger told reporters the surgery was timed well so it wouldn’t affect his offseason training too much. He wasn’t severely limited once the summer got going, and during the initial rehab, he was able to keep working on his lower body.

“I was able to kill the lower body for the majority of the start of the summer. I was able to do a ton of lower body stuff. Like obviously, I was doing rehab four or five times a week back home, so lots of that,” Cardwell said. “It was getting a little tedious toward the end, but yeah, really happy to be back to full strength. There was time to train when June came around, and it was full steam from there.”

Now back in San Jose, Cardwell’s living arrangements have been well publicized. At least for now, the San Jose Sharks forward has a room in a house with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Cardwell told reporters that he and Smith became close friends quickly and that this extended to Celebrini as well.

“I know how I felt when I came in. Like I was saying, you don’t know a ton of people, and obviously he’s the fourth overall pick. Everybody wants to be his buddy, but you know we have similar interests and stuff like that,” Cardwell said. “We gelled right away, and then when Mack came in, it was kind of more the same there. [They are] two of my really good friends on this team, and I’m super grateful that they’re letting me stay right now.”

Cardwell praised Smith’s ability to cook and bake, specifically shouting out Smith’s healthy Snickers bars.

“Smitty made these healthy Snickers. They’re dialed. We crushed a lot of those last night. Might have been a little heavy coming in today,” Cardwell joked. “You can’t miss with steaks on the barbecue. Smitty likes to grill, so we let him have it. Mack and I take care of the potatoes, salad, broccoli, stuff like that.”

Cardwell was asked if he was in the lineup for the Sharks’ first preseason game on Sunday, but he told reporters he didn’t know yet.