The battle to replace Raffi Torres in the Sharks' top nine is on, and it's coming down to a couple rookies. Because of Torres' torn ACL, the door is open for either 20-year-old Matt Nieto or 21-year-old Freddie Hamilton to burst through. Coach Todd McLellan and aides will evaluate the two in final preseason play this weekend. "Both fit our team right now and have battled hard to be here at this point," McLellan said. "They're both going to get an opportunity to play on the weekend, and we'll see where it ends up." Nieto, a second-round draft pick in 2011, skated on the wing in Tuesday's game against Vancouver. That's notable in that it's the place that Torres likely would have started the season. The biggest knock against Nieto, other than his lack of pro experience, is his size. He's listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but that seems a bit generous when you see Nieto in person. Still, McLellan said, "He has some assets that we believe can help our team," citing Nieto's speed and ability to control the puck.