SAN JOSE – If there were an award for biggest pleasant surprise throughout Sharks training camp, it would be difficult to choose between the two rookies that landed on the Sharks’ opening night roster.

Joonas Donskoi, a 23-year-old Finn that was once drafted by Florida; and Dylan DeMelo, a 22-year-old former sixth round pick, will both be on the Sharks’ final list when it gets announced later on Tuesday.

Donskoi will be in uniform against the Kings on Wednesday, as he’s found a home on the Joe Thornton-Joe Pavelski line as a left wing. He signed with the Sharks as a free agent on May 20 after six years in the SM-liiga, including a particularly strong season last year with 49 points in 58 games, and said earlier in camp that he came to North America only because he felt he was ready to play in the NHL.

He was right. Donskoi was the best player on the ice during a rookie scrimmage on September 12, and kept on impressing his coaches and teammates from there. He scored just one goal in five preseason games, but directed 13 shots on net and looked comfortable.

“It’s been a dream for me since I was a young kid,” Donskoi said of making the team. “I’ve been working hard for it, so it’s great.”

He’s had some help. Not only is Donskoi on Thornton’s side during play, he sits smack next to him in the dressing room at Sharks Ice.

Donskoi was asked how Thornton has helped guide him.

“A lot of things on the ice, especially I should talk more,” Donskoi said. “He’s saying ‘I can’t hear you, you have to talk more.’ Small details in the game. But, those make the difference.”

And what should Donskoi be saying?

“Jumbo, Jumbo, Jumbo, give me the puck,” he said through a smile.

Thornton didn’t know hardly anything about Donskoi coming into camp other than “he’s from Finland.” But he was highly complimentary of his new linemate, comparing him to last year’s (currently injured) Sharks rookie of the year that spent most of his season on Thornton’s wing.

“He’s been great. He competes. He’s always around the puck,” Thornton said. “He’s a little bit like [Melker] Karlsson. I like having the right-hand shot on the left side, too. It worked last year.”

[KURZ: Sharks reassign three as opening night roster may be set]

DeMelo is much more familiar to his teammates, having been a part of the organization since he was drafted in 2011. He was recalled for a brief stretch last season, but still hasn’t made his NHL debut. Last year in Worcester, DeMelo had five goals and 22 points and 35 penalty minutes in 65 games.

Whether he skates against the Kings on Wednesday is unclear, as he and Matt Tennyson are competing for that sixth vacancy. But, he’ll certainly get into a game soon, even if it’s not the opener.

Logan Couture is particularly acquainted with DeMelo, as both are from the London, Ontario area. They skate and work out together in the offseason.

“He’s the type of guy that sometimes you don’t notice him because he does everything well,” Couture said. “He just makes the right play and he’s smooth. He’s that type of defenseman, moves pucks, jumps up in plays, reads the rush really well. I think he’s going to help us.”

DeMelo took new coach Pete DeBoer’s clean slate approach to heart. Although he was confident in his game, he expressed some mild surprise at the long look he got during camp. In four games, DeMelo had one goal and two assists, and skated a game-high 24:48 in the preseason finale in Anaheim on Saturday.

“I didn’t think maybe I’d get some opportunities that were given to me in camp, and I just felt like I made the most of them and played hard,” DeMelo said. “I knew coming into this year with the new coaching staff everybody had a clean slate. I really took that and just ran with it.”

DeBoer said. “The guys that are here are the guys that earned the right to be here. … That doesn’t minimize the other guys pushes for jobs or how hard they competed or what they did, but the guys that are in the room right now are the guys that earned those spots.”



