Sharks to Play Home Opening Series in Early February Vs. Vegas in Arizona

 For some time, we didn't know if Santa Clara County would give the Sharks the green light to play their home games at SAP Center in time for their home opening series in early February against the Golden Knights. Now we know where things stand for that series. 

The Sharks will be playing their first two 'home' games in Arizona, temporarily sharing Gila River Arena in Glendale with the Coyotes. This comes as Santa Clara County's ban on contact sports remains in place until the county sees an improvement in its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Team Teal held its training camp in Arizona, so it wouldn't make sense for the team to relocate to another temporary facility. They're still hoping to return to SAP Center at some point during the 2021 season, but that remains uncertain whether they will be able to or not. 

After the two-game series against the Knights on February 1 and February 3, the Sharks' next 'home' games aren't until February 13 and February 15 against the Ducks; where exactly those games will be played has yet to be determined. 

In the meantime, the Sharks are working with the NHL to figure out a way to allow the players and coaches' wives, girlfriends, and families to visit the team during their first 'home' series in early February. This is necessary as it will lessen the burden of being on the road for too long. 

I understand why the Sharks can't play in San Jose right now and possibly for the forseeable future. At the same time, I think it's ridiculous that the Sharks have to play their home games elsewhere while their in-state rivals, the Kings and Ducks, get to play in their home arenas when the COVID situation in Southern California is worse than that of Santa Clara County. Although the Sharks may not be able to have fans at their games this season, I hope the Sharks don't have to play all of their games on the road, primarily for the team's mental health. In addition, I can't wait to be able to attend another Sharks game in the near future. 

Other News & Notes: 

• Martin Jones will be the starting goaltender in the Sharks' next game tomorrow vs. the Wild. So far, no other lineup changes have been made ahead of tomorrow's game. 

•  A blockbuster trade in the NHL was announced earlier today, as the Winnipeg Jets acquired forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and a 2022 third round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. This trade fulfills team needs on both ends of the deal, while the players involved in this trade ultimately needed a change of scenery from their now previous teams. However, Dubois, Laine, and Roslovic won't be able to join their new teams right away as they are subject to quarantine rules in place by the NHL and at the U.S.-Canada border. 

Sources: NBC Sports Bay Area/California, The Athletic, NHL.com