SAN JOSE — After spending the entirety of his professional career on a larger ice sheet in Europe, Marcus Sörensen is adjusting to the smaller NHL ice surface just fine.
“I like this more than [the] European size,” Sörensen said. “You get a little bit faster and much more intensity.”
His speed was on display in the Sharks’ first intrasquad scrimmage at training camp, scoring two goals.
The first came on a penalty shot, which were awarded in lieu of power plays during today’s scrimmage, after Sörensen used his speed to draw an interference penalty on Brenden Dillon. The second, an empty-netter, sealed the game for team Ricci in the scrimmage, and his skating allowed him to quickly get behind team Marchment’s defense.
Both came alongside Chris Tierney and Tommy Wingels, who’ve been Sörensen linemates at the start of camp. Sorensen nearly scored a third goal, firing Tierney’s pass high and wide on a two-on-one.
“[It was easy] because those guys are great players,” Sörensen said. “They let me skate on my side and get me the pucks and create space for me every time.”
Ottawa drafted Sörensen in the fourth round in 2010, but he never played for the Senators, and became a free agent after the Senators didn’t sign him to a contract He’s played for Djurgårdens IF in Sweden’s second and first division in the last four seasons, alongside Sharks goalie prospect Mantas Armalis. He also played briefly with winger Melker Karlsson prior to that.
“They are helpful,” he said of Karlsson and Armalis.
“If there’s something I don’t understand, I can take it straight to [Karlsson]. He’s a good guy, and a good player, too.”
Because of his playing background, Sörensen’s drawn comparisons to Karlsson and winger Joonas Donskoi, who have become regulars in the Sharks’ lineup. Head coach Pete DeBoer said Sörensen looked good today, but that it’s too early to compare him to Karlsson and Donskoi.
“Our scouting has done an exceptional job finding Melker, Donskoi, and some of the guys that have come in here like that,” DeBoer said. “Just because the next guy comes in, you can’t assume they’re going to be that. We hope so. He looks good, but we’re a long way from making that comparison yet.”
Sorensen was asked about his mindset with a chance to make the team. It may be his first professional training camp in North America, but he answered like any other hockey player.
“I’m going to take it one day at a time,” Sörensen said. “Then, we’ll see. [I’m going to] give 100% every day.”
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