Five San Jose Sharks questions: New hope, but how much better will they be?

SAN JOSE – In the moments before the San Jose Sharks face the St. Louis Blues in their season-opening game Thursday night — when the lights inside SAP Center are dim — coach Ryan Warsofsky might allow himself a moment to reflect on the job he presently has and how far he’s come in such a short amount of time.

But only for a moment.

“It’s obviously a dream of mine to get to this position, and I’m excited,” said Warosfsky, who was hired in June and at 36, is the youngest coach in the NHL. “I haven’t really thought about it too much. Maybe after the National Anthem for a split second.

“But it’s been going to be exciting for everyone, our whole organization, some new players, some younger players. There’s an excitement in the community.”

While expectations for the Sharks this season are modest at best, there is a belief that the worst part of the team’s rebuild is over and that the franchise has at least laid a foundation for long-term success. It’s up to Warsofsky and his staff to help guide them there.

“We’ve got to ignore the noise of what people are going to say about us. That’s first and foremost,” Warsofsky said. “We believe we can win hockey games … and we’re not going to get distracted by where people rank us individually and as a group.”

Here are five questions the Sharks face this season:

HOW MUCH BETTER CAN THEY BE?: Oddsmakers have the Sharks finishing in the 63 to 66-point range — still nowhere near a playoff spot, but close to a 20-point improvement over last season.

The Sharks should have a more potent offense with the additions of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Tyler Toffoli to go with Fabian Zetterlund, Mikael Granlund, and William Eklund. If he sticks around, Danil Gushchin could also provide some scoring punch.

The bigger question is whether the Sharks can keep more pucks out of their own net. Last season, San Jose allowed a league-worst 231 goals during 5-on-5 play and was blown out by five goals or more 11 times.

A more experienced blue line with the additions of Jake Walman and Cody Ceci should help, and Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek have proven to be solid goalies when healthy. Expect the Sharks to be less passive on defense, and with a better offense, should be able to possess the puck more and give up fewer shots and scoring chances.

All teams are still working out the kinks in their defensive structures, so while the Sharks should be better on defense, those improvements might not show up right away.

“Obviously, there’s going to be growing pains, and I don’t imagine it’s going to be night and day difference from the first drop of the puck in game one,” Blackwood said this week. “But I think it’s a journey that we’re taking as a team, and this is the start of a new direction for the team, and I think it’ll be fun to be part of that journey.”

EXPECTATIONS FOR CELEBRINI, SMITH?: The Sharks aren’t babying Celebrini and Smith at the start of their NHL careers, as the teenagers are projected to be San Jose’s top two centermen for Thursday night and beyond.

No dipping of the toes here. Celebrini, 18, and Smith, 19, are being thrown into the deep end immediately and will undoubtedly have some growing pains.

But to the Sharks’ decision-makers, that is just part of their development. When issues arise, the coaching staff and people like Ryane Clowe, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and others can offer guidance and support. They’ll also have to support each other.

“We know it’s not going to be smooth sailing … (or all) sunshine and rainbows,” Warsofsky said. “It’s going to be some ups and downs, and we understand that, and the players understand that. We’ve just got to work together.”

Celebrini hadn’t looked out of place in practice or in the four-plus periods he played in the preseason before he was injured. He’ll center a line with Toffoli and Eklund to start and have a spot on the Sharks’ top power-play unit.

Smith seemed to improve with each preseason game, but like others in his situation, is still adjusting to the pace and physicality of the NHL. He’ll start with Granlund and Zetterlund on his wings, with the veteran Granlund serving as a security blanket for Smith, who will still take most of the draws.

“Will’s going to take some faceoffs. That’s how he’s going to learn,” Warsofsky said. “That’s how he’s going to get better. Are they going to be moments when (Granlund) takes faceoffs? I’m sure we’ll look at that. But Will needs to learn how to take faceoffs in the National Hockey League and develop that skill, and the best way to do that is to do it.”

Still, don’t be surprised if both Celebrini and Smith finish in the top five in Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) voting.

WHO GETS TRADED? The Sharks have eight players on their NHL roster who can become unrestricted free agents next summer, and it’s fair to assume that if the team is out of playoff contention, some will be sent to playoff-bound teams for draft picks and prospects.

That list includes forwards Granlund, Luke Kunin, Nico Sturm, and Givani Smith, defensemen Ceci and Jan Rutta, and Blackwood and Vanecek.

There will be demand. Rutta and Sturm have won Stanley Cups, and Ceci went on a deep run with the Edmonton Oilers last season. Kunin would be a solid depth addition to any team, and Blackwood, assuming he stays healthy, could fit in as a 1B or No. 2 on Cup contender.

Trading Granlund and Vanecek could be tricky, considering their cap hits — $5 million and $3.4 million, respectively — and the Sharks’ three salary retention spots are filled.

After he acquired Ceci from the Oilers, Sharks general manager Mike Grier said he’s not opposed to keeping the steady veteran defenseman past this season if both parties see a fit. How many other pending UFAs fit that description?

WHEN WILL ASKAROV PLAY?: One of the Sharks’ most ballyhooed offseason acquisitions, goalie Yaroslav Askarov, sustained a lower-body injury during captain’s skates in early September and missed all of training camp. He’s now with the Barracuda and could be ready to play soon.

Askarov hasn’t played a game since May 24, when Milwaukee, the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators, lost to Grand Rapids in the Calder Cup playoffs. So before the Sharks think about recalling Askarov, he’ll need more practice time and game reps to get back up to speed.

It’s tough to pinpoint when Askarov will be recalled. No one wants to see Blackwood or Vanecek experience more injury trouble, but Askarov will likely get the call if it happens. That would open up a roster spot if and when Blackwood and/or Vanecek are traded.

The Sharks might not be opposed to carrying three goalies at some point and giving Askarov a look if he’s playing well with the Barracuda. If he isn’t playing well, perhaps not until after the trade deadline.

A BETTER START?: With a better lineup, the Sharks should be able to avoid the disastrous starts they’ve endured the last two years. But we’ll see.

Two years ago, the Sharks started 0-5-0 and were 3-9-3 after the first month, taking them out of playoff consideration. Last season, San Jose had one of the worst starts in NHL history, going 0-10-1 right off the hop and owning a 3-15-2 mark at the quarter-pole.

The Sharks start the year with home games against St. Louis and Anaheim, two teams that missed the playoffs last season, before a three-game road trip with stops in Dallas, Chicago, and Winnipeg.

Of the Sharks’ first 10 games, only five are against teams that made the playoffs last season, so it’s not quite a murderer’s row to start. But seven of the 10 are away from home, as a four-game road trip through Anaheim, Los Angeles, Vegas, and Utah looms in late October.

After the first month, a .500 record, or even close to it, would be significant progress and provide positive reinforcement for a team still learning a different way of doing things.