The San Jose Sharks have played themselves into contention for a playoff spot this season, their biggest concrete step forward in the standings since their rebuild began at the start of the decade. A key member of the team powering their ascent is 2023 No. 4 overall pick Will Smith. Unfortunately for the Sharks, Smith was injured Saturday in the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and is now set to miss at least a week, according to Sharks Hockey Digest’s Max Miller. Per Miller, Smith will be re-evaluated on Monday.
The loss of Smith is not only a blow due to the fact that the Sharks are losing what Smith himself provides on the ice; it’s also a loss due to his chemistry with franchise face Macklin Celebrini, chemistry that won’t be easily replicated by another player. Smith has scored 29 points in 33 games so far in 2025-26, and is emerging as a legitimate star forward. The Sharks are set to play their first game since losing Smith tonight against the Flames. It appears Smith’s spot on the team’s first line alongside Celebrini will be taken by 2024 No. 33 overall pick Igor Chernyshov, who will make his NHL debut tonight.
Other notes from the Bay Area:
- Miller also reported that veteran forward Philipp Kurashev, who was also injured Saturday against Pittsburgh, will be out on a week-to-week basis. It’s a tough break for Kurashev, who was in the midst of a solid bounce-back season. After scoring 18 goals and 54 points playing alongside Connor Bedard with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023-24, Kurashev only managed 14 points in 51 games in 2024-25, paving the way for his exit from the Windy City. The Sharks signed Kurashev and he has rewarded them by scoring 15 points in 31 games, a 40-point full-season scoring pace. A pending arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, Kurashev will hope to recover as quickly and completely as possible in order to resume his season in the best fashion possible.
- Sharks blueliner Shakir Mukhamadullin is back in the lineup tonight, according to San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, after missing Saturday’s game due to injury. Mukhamadullin has been managing an upper-body injury, and has missed five of the last six Sharks games. He’s slated to play on San Jose’s third pairing tonight alongside former Washington Capital Vincent Iorio. In 15 games this season, Mukhamadullin is averaging 16:32 time on ice per game including a role on the club’s penalty kill.
- Veteran forward Adam Gaudette won’t play against the Flames tonight as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury, per Miller. Gaudette missed a few games earlier this season with an upper-body injury but has otherwise had a healthy, reasonably productive debut campaign in the Bay Area. The 29-year-old was signed by the Sharks off the back of his 19-goal season with the Ottawa Senators in 2024-25, and he’s under contract at a $2MM AAV through next season. He’s scored 11 points in 29 games this year. Gaudette played fourth-line center with some power play time on Saturday, and his role now appears likely to be filled in his absence by fellow former Senator Zack Ostapchuk.