San Jose Sharks update: One defenseman is injured, and another waits to play
SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta was placed on injured reserve Friday and is considered week-to-week with an upper-body ailment he suffered against the Seattle Kraken two days ago.
Matt Benning, who has missed the last 10 games with a lower-body injury, was activated off IR as he took Rutta’s spot on the 23-man roster, and was available to play Friday as the Sharks hosted the Montreal Canadiens.
Rutta didn’t play the final two periods of Wednesday’s game against the Kraken as the Sharks were blasted 7-1 at Climate Pledge Arena. He had played in all 19 games for the Sharks so far this season, averaging 18:37 in ice time, fourth-most among San Jose defensemen.
Rutta’s injury could also present an opportunity for defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who has been a healthy scratch for the last three games.
Asked, though, what he wants to see from Vlasic if he plays Friday against his hometown team, Quinn seemed to suggest that the veteran defenseman will be watching the game instead.
“He and I have talked about what needs to take place,” Quinn said of Vlasic. “He’s been an unbelievable pro. He’s handled it as well as you would expect, works his ass off, continues to have a good attitude and he’ll get back in there soon.”
Mackenzie Blackwood will start in net Friday as the Sharks start a three-game homestand. Quinn said other roster decisions would be made closer to game time with forward Kevin Labanc, injured in Monday’s game with the Vancouver Canucks, considered questionable.
The Sharks are looking for a bounce back after what they felt was an embarrassing performance against Seattle in which they allowed four goals in the first period and dropped to 0-9-0 on the road this season.
Asked if he was going to have a pregame message for his group, or have the team’s leaders relay those expectations, Quinn said, “There are times where the leadership core has to take it upon themselves. I think today’s that day.”
After Friday, the Sharks host the Canucks on Saturday and Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Monday. San Jose, as has been the case for most of the season, enters the game with the NHL’s least-productive offense (1.47 goals scored per game) and most porous defense (4.32 goals allowed per game).
“Sometimes when you’ve been going through what we’ve been going through, all of a sudden, you’re feeling sorry for yourselves, and that can creep into maybe not being as competitive as you’re capable of being,” Quinn said. “So we’ve got to make sure that we don’t feel sorry for ourselves and do something about it.”
The Canadiens snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.