Injury forces Sharks to shuffle blue line for game vs. Nashville
SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has an upper-body injury and will miss Saturday’s home game against the Nashville Predators, coach David Quinn said.
Quinn said Vlasic was injured during Friday’s practice and is considered to be day-to-day as of now, adding, though, that the veteran could be out for up to a week.
Without Vlasic, Kyle Burroughs will draw back into the lineup as the Sharks hope to earn their first victory in three games. The Sharks are coming off home losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets last Saturday and the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Burroughs, who led the Sharks with 142 hits going into Saturday’s game, was a healthy scratch for both losses to start the homestand.
Quinn said he wants to see more consistency from Burroughs.
“There were great shifts and then there were shifts that aren’t so great,” Quinn said. “He and I talked about the things he needs to do consistently to remain in the lineup.”
Vlasic had been playing some of his best hockey of the season recently.
After not playing in six of seven games between Dec. 27 and Jan. 9, which included some time away from the team for personal reasons, Vlasic had dressed for 14 straight games before Saturday, averaging 19:18 of ice time per game while scoring five goals and adding one assist.
In his first 19 games this season, from mid-October to early January, Vlasic had one assist and averaged 13:46 in ice time per game.
Quinn added that Luke Kunin is questionable to play Saturday with an injury he’s dealt with this week.
Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen will start for the Sharks against the Predators.
After Saturday, the Sharks finish their homestand with games against Timo Meier and the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
SMITH BACK: Forward Givani Smith will be back in the Sharks’ lineup Saturday for the first time since Dec. 21, Quinn confirmed.
Smith (lower body) was activated off injured reserve on Wednesday after Jacob MacDonald was placed on waivers and subsequently assigned to the Barracuda of the AHL.
“First thing I’m looking to do is play with energy, play fast, and play physical,” said Smith, who had three points and 33 penalty minutes in 26 games before Saturday. “It’s been a while since I played the game at SAP. So I feel really motivated and excited to be here. I’m ready to go.”
Smith said he had some setbacks during his recovery from a knee injury, as a bone bruise that he had needed time to heal.
“Just had to be sure and feel confident to be ready to go,” Smith said, “and now I’m ready to go.”
Smith was injured during the Sharks’ game against the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 21 by a hit from defenseman Matt Dumba, known partly for his hard-nosed style. In the opening game of the first-round playoff series between Dallas and Minnesota last season, Dumba, then with the Wild, laid a crushing hit on Stars forward and ex-Sharks captain Joe Pavelski.
Pavelski missed the rest of the series but came back for the start of the second round after Dallas dispatched Minnesota in six games. Dumba wasn’t suspended.
Smith told this news organization earlier this month that he didn’t think Dumba’s hit was clean.
“It definitely caught me off guard. I thought it was a pretty dirty play,” Smith said. “Regardless of whoever it was, but a pretty dirty play. Forgive but don’t forget.”
Smith said Saturday that Dumba did not reach out after the hit, adding that he does not have a relationship with him.
“When I first got hurt, I thought it would be a lot worse,” Smith said. “Very grateful and lucky that it was only what I had.”
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