Sharks' Boedker ‘looking Forward to Putting on the Teal'

Editor's Note: The above video is from July 11, 2016.

SAN JOSE – Sitting in the press box watching Team Europe advance in the World Cup of Hockey wasn’t the most productive time in Mikkel Boedker’s career. The 26-year-old signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Sharks in the offseason, and couldn’t help but wonder if his time would have been better spent in his new home with his new NHL team rather than in Toronto.

But Boedker, a healthy scratch for all three of Europe’s preliminary round games, drew into the World Cup final when teammate Marian Gaborik went down. Although Canada won, it was important for him to see some game action.

“You never want to sit out and just watch the games, that wasn’t that fun. I could have been here and gotten ready with the [Sharks],” Boedker said on Tuesday.

“I thought it was important to get those last two games in. They were meaningful games, and they were games with a lot of speed, and all that. It was good to get those in. Now, I’m looking forward to putting on the teal to get ready.”

Boedker’s assets are numerous. The eighth overall pick in the 2008 draft instantly brings more speed to the Sharks’ lineup, and with 130 points in 207 games over the last three seasons, he adds to the team’s significant offensive depth.

The Denmark native is also a solid teammate and should quickly assimilate into a Sharks dressing room that came together both on and off the ice in advancing to their first-ever Stanley Cup Final last season. That’s how Pete DeBoer – who had Boedker as a junior – sees it, anyway.

“I think we’ve taken a lot of pride in – for sure, last year – in really making sure we brought in the right type of guys that fit with our group,” DeBoer said. “I think ‘Bods’ was one of those guys. We know him, we’ve been around him, we thought he’d fit seamlessly in with this group.”

Having DeBoer here was important to Boedker, who left “money on the table and he left term on the table” in signing with San Jose, according to general manager Doug Wilson. Boedker played for DeBoer and Sharks assistant coach Steve Spott in Kitchener in 2007-08.

“He definitely was one of the reasons why I wanted to come here,” Boedker said of DeBoer. “He’s a great coach and a good hockey mind, and it fits the way I play really well. 

“The other [reason] is obvious, I think. It’s a fun time in San Jose and obviously with the Cup Final last year, hopefully we can get close again.”

On his first day, Boedker skated on the left wing of the second line with Logan Couture and Joonas Donskoi. While that could change before the opener next Wednesday against Los Angeles, it probably won’t. DeBoer envisioned that trio together in the offseason, and they will be given a chance to become a dangerous unit.

Couture is coming off of a phenomenal playoff run in which he led the NHL in scoring, while Donskoi was among the biggest rookie surprises the Sharks have ever had, and should only get better.

“It’s a lot of fun playing with those players. They can make something happen out of nothing,” Boedker said.

Although it’s an abbreviated camp for Boedker, he’s ready to finally begin the next chapter of his career. At 26 years old, his best years could be ahead of him, too.

“It’s obviously different with the World Cup and [going] as far as we did, but it’s time now, and it’s going to be really fun. It’s a good opportunity and it’s a fresh start.”

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