SAN JOSE – Fans interested in watching the San Jose Sharks’ season-opening game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday will need a subscription to ESPN+ or Hulu.
The Walt Disney Company announced in August that it would stream four Sharks regular-season games exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu, including the team’s season opener. The streaming service will also broadcast the Sharks’ road games against the Utah Mammoth and Minnesota Wild on Oct. 17 and Nov. 11, respectively, and San Jose’s home game against the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 20.
Thursday’s game will begin shortly after 7 p.m.
As of early October, a monthly subscription to ESPN+ will cost $12, and it can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for $16.99 per month with commercials. As of Nov. 06, the ESPN+ subscription rate will increase to $13 per month.
ESPN+ also carried the Sharks’ season opener on Oct. 10 last year when Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith faced the St. Louis Blues in their NHL debuts. Celebrini had a goal and an assist but sustained a hip injury in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blues. Celebrini would miss 12 games.
The Sharks will have several new players in Thursday’s lineup, including forwards Philipp Kurashev, Jeff Skinner, Adam Gaudette, and Ryan Reaves, and defensemen John Klingberg, Dmitry Orlov, and Nick Leddy. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in July, will also make his Sharks debut.
The Sharks will not have two of their top prospects, center Michael Misa and defenseman Sam Dickinson, in Thursday’s lineup against the Golden Knights, who are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Both Misa and Dickinson will be healthy scratched as the Sharks look to ease them into the NHL.
For Thursday’s ESPN+ broadcast, John Kelly will have the play-by-play, and Cassie Campbell will serve as the color analyst.
NBC Sports California will broadcast its first game of the season on Saturday when the Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks. Longtime play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn and color analyst Drew Remenda will have the call.