Sharks activate Blackwood off IR, keep Los Gatos native on team

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks activated goalie Mackenzie Blackwood off injured reserve Thursday and reassigned Magnus Chrona to the Barracuda of the AHL.

Blackwood hasn’t played since he injured his groin in a Feb. 27 game against the New Jersey Devils. The Sharks went 1-8-2 in his absence and are carrying a five-game losing streak into their game tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

So far this season Blackwood is 9-18-3 with a .899 save percentage in 35 games.

Following Blackwood’s injury, and after Kaapo Kahkonen was traded to the Devils on March 8, Chrona took over No. 1 goaltending duties. From March 7 to Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, an 8-2 Sharks loss, Chrona went 1-5-0 with an .862 save percentage.

The Sharks kept Devin Cooley on their active roster to back up Blackwood. Cooley, in his first NHL start, made 26 saves on Sunday in a 5-2 Sharks loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Cooley, a Los Gatos native, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 8 for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick.

The Sharks start a three-game homestand tonight against Tampa Bay in the return of Anthony Duclair, who was traded to the Lightning on March 7. The Sharks also play the Blackhawks on Saturday and the Dallas Stars next Tuesday.

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