Ethan Cardwell Becoming Darkhorse To Make Sharks Opening Night Roster

San Jose Sharks prospect Ethan Cardwell is pushing to play opening night.

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The 2021 fourth-round pick has gone through the ranks and had a stellar rookie season in the AHL last season. He was the San Jose Barracuda's most consistent player, scoring 23 goals and 20 assists.

In the 2024 Rookie Faceoff, Cardwell dawned a letter on his uniform and scored the game-winning goal in the Sharks' first game of the tournament.

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said the forward is "right on the cusp."

"He's been really good," Warsofsky said. "I think he's on the cusp here. We'll see how these the next few days go."

Cardwell hasn't spoken during training camp yet, but 'Cuda head coach John McCarthy gave the forward high praise during the Rookie Faceoff. He wants to continue to see Cardwell develop into a leader.

"I think I want everybody to do that. But yeah, for his second year, I think he is a good example," McCarthy said. "He takes care of himself [and] works hard in the gym, so I want him to stride there."

As for what he needs to do to make the NHL roster:

"The biggest thing is his play away from the puck, right? I'll go back to when I was in the American Hockey League and trying to develop players for Rod Brind'Amour. Rod and I would have the conversation of, if he can't trust you on the ice. He's not putting you on the ice," Warsofsky said. "That's the same conversation that I'll have with Cardwell. He has to understand that. JMac and his staff have done a great job. I thought he had a great year last year."

Warsofsky said his biggest message to Cardwell is how fast he can correct mistakes on the ice and become a consistent player nightly.

"He was on a development curve. He's going to go through his ups and downs and going to make mistakes, but how quickly does he correct those mistakes," Warsofsky said. "How consistently Can he play in a night-to-night basis and practice basis? I think Cardwell has done a really good job here through training camp."

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