The San Jose Sharks have made a change to their roster today, placing Paul Martin on injured reserve and recalling Joakim Ryan from the AHL. Ryan is expected to make his NHL debut alongside Brent Burns, an imposing task for the young player. Martin—Burns’ usual partner—left practice on Tuesday after re-aggravating an ankle injury.
Ryan was a seventh-round pick of the Sharks in 2012, but took a big step forward in the AHL last season. Scoring 49 points in 65 games, and then continuing that offensive production in the playoffs, Ryan and fellow defenseman Tim Heed were a huge part of the team’s success. Heed is also expected to make his season debut, and suiting up for just his second NHL game tonight when the Buffalo Sabres come to town.
Normally a strength of the Sharks, they find themselves stretched thin on defense early this season. With the loss of David Schlemko to Vegas in the expansion draft, the trade of Mirco Mueller to New Jersey, and now injury to Martin to start the year, the team will be relying on two names who weren’t ever expected to make it this far. Both late round picks, Ryan and Heed have slowly but surely developed into legitimate NHL candidates, and will get their chances this season. Ryan, the younger of the two at 24, will have to rely on his elusiveness and try to adapt to playing with the ever-roaming Burns.