San Jose Sharks Injury Updates
Ahead of tomorrow’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild, the head coach of the San Jose Sharks, Ryan Warsofsky, issued a multitude of injury updates. Unfortunately, there weren’t too many positive updates.
Regarding the forward core, and likely the most optimistic of all the updates, Warsofsky relayed to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News that both Philipp Kurashev (upper body) and Will Smith (undisclosed) skated this morning. Additional reporting suggests that they skated before the team’s full practice, and they’re still both considered week-to-week.
Warsofsky also shared with Pashelka that Adam Gaudette is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury, which explains Pavol Regenda‘s recall earlier today. Still, the impact of being without Kurashev and Smith for the next few weeks can’t be overstated. Despite being out since December 13th, the latter remains the second-highest scorer in San Jose with 12 goals and 29 points in 33 games. Kurashev is ninth with 15 points in 31 contests.
Furthermore, the Sharks will be playing with a banged-up defensive core, too. Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest reported that Timothy Liljegren will not suit up against the Wild tomorrow and remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The former 17th overall pick has not played since December 18th and has registered four assists in 28 games this season while averaging over 20 minutes per night.
Additionally, the team doesn’t expect Vincent Desharnais to return anytime soon. Miller added in the same report that Desharnais is still considered week-to-week, which could push his games lost past 20. Desharnais, who, like Liljegren, is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, has only appeared in 20 games for San Jose this season.
The only injured member of the team’s defense that hasn’t been ruled out tomorrow is Shakir Mukhamadullin. Still, Pashelka noted that Mukhamadullin is questionable, meaning the Sharks could be down to six healthy blue liners. Fortunately, their only away game until January 15th is against the Los Angeles Kings on January 7th, meaning they’ll have easy access to additional bodies for the next few weeks if needed.
Snapshots: Grzelcyk, Vatrano, Liljegren
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined $2,604.17 by the NHL Department of Player Safety for cross-checking Ottawa Senators’ center Tim Stutzle on Saturday. It is the maximum allowable fine under the CBA for this infraction. Grzelcyk cross-checked Stutzle in the face during a scrum in front of the net and was awarded a double-minor penalty. He will avoid suspension for the incident, allowing him to stick in a true utility role for the Blackhawks. Grzelcyk has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time in his last five games, far above the 16 minutes he’s averaged across the full season. He’s a veteran two-way defender with six points, all assists, and a plus-three in 35 games this season.
Other quick notes from around the league:
- Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano was also fined $5,000 by the NHL DPS for unsportsmanlike conduct against Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson. Vatrano ragdolled Robertson after a shoving match in front of the net turned into a scrum on the boards. He has 34 penalty minutes in 35 games this season, to go with only five points and a minus-11. This news will keep Vatrano in a daily, depth role for the Ducks.
- The San Jose Sharks could be without defenseman Timothy Liljegren when they face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Liljegren was designated as day-to-day and doubtful for Tuesday due to an upper-body injury, per Curtis Pashelka of Mercury News. Liljegren has averaged top-line minutes over in 28 games this season, though he only has four assists and a minus-10 on the year. Still, the 26 year old has stepped into an important, veteran role on a young Sharks lineup. He’ll be tough to replace, but rookie defender Sam Dickinson and depth defender Vincent Iorio could be the one to benefit from the need for a bigger presence.
Sharks Shake Up Lineup With Wlliam Eklund Out, Timothy Liljegren Back
The San Jose Sharks will once again shake up their lineup in the hours ahead of gametime. Top winger William Eklund is out with a lower-body injury, while Timothy Liljegren wil lreturn from a short-term absence, per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The Sharks will operate with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Sunday, with Ethan Cardwell stepping into the bottom-six for rookie Michael Misa.
Few players would be harder to lose than Eklund. He ranks second on the Sharks with five goals and 11 points through 12 games, only behind Macklin Celebrini (seven goals, 18 points). Eklund has averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time through the early season, and played as much as 25:29 in a recent overtime win versus the Minnesota Wild. He’s returned as a core piece of the Sharks offense this season, after posting a career-year with 17 goals and 58 points in 77 games last season. His role in the lineup, and performance on the scoresheet, both continue to grow.
That will leave San Jose with an important decision as they reshape the lineup. Collin Graf should be the biggest beneficiary, moving into a top-six that also features Tyler Toffoli and Philipp Kurashev in heavy-use roles. Graf has only scored three points in 11 games this season, but his lack of offense could be offset by Kurashev, who has a dazzling seven points in his last four games.
Still, the need to replace Eklund’s offense makes the decision to scratch Msia all the more confusing. The reigning second-overall pick had a three-game point-streak between October 21st and October 26th, though hasn’t managed any scoring in his last two games. He has, however, offered up a 52.6 percent faceoff win-rate, third-highest among Sharks centers. Misa has experience at center, and on the wing, and could have been an interesting bet for top-six minutes in light of Eklund’s injury. Instead, San Jose will turn towards depth forward and grinder Cardwell, who has four points and 10 penalty minutes in seven AHL games. Cardwell was recalled on Sunday morning in a corresponding move to Ryan Reaves‘ placement on injured reserve.
The Sharks will find a silver lining in the return of Liljegren, who has served in a top-pair role for much of the season. Liljegren has only scored three points in nine games, but he and D-partner Dmitry Orlov have posted the best goal-differential of any Sharks pairing at even-strength. Getting him back into the fold after just one game out will be a major relief. Liljegren exited Saturday’s game in the first period, after a puck was deflected into the bunch and hit him in the face.
San Jose will return Liljegren to the lineup alongside rookie Sam Dickinson, who will play in his 10th game of the season. Dickinson hasn’t yet found his first NHL point through nine games. He should be rotated into favorable situations, while Liljegren steps back into an important role next to Orlov.
Evening Notes: Liljegren, Dubois, Fensore
San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren exited the team’s Saturday win over the Colorado Avalanche in the first period after a deflected puck hit him in the face while he was on the bench. The injury looked painful, but Liljegren isn’t expected to miss the long-term with a serious injury, head coach Ryan Warsofsky told Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka.
Liljegren recorded seven minutes of ice time and a minus-one before exiting. The injury forced an end to a red-hot streak for the veteran defender. He scored three points across his last three games, prior to Saturday, and averaged over 24 minutes of ice time across his last five. He’s begun to show some sea legs after being thrust to the top of a young Sharks blue-line in the early season. Liljegren and defense partner Dmitry Orlov have outscored their opponents three-to-one – the best mark on San Jose blue-line. That will make him tough to replace, even though he’s only managed three assists in eight games.
The Sharks are currently carrying Sam Dickinson and Vincent Iorio as their extra defenders. Right-shot Iorio would likely be the preferred fill-in, though Warsofsky wouldn’t committ to either defender yet.
Other notes from around the league:
- It seems the Washington Capitals have avoided serious injury with centerman Pierre-Luc Dubois, who sustained an injury in Friday’s game against the New York Islanders. He’s been designated as out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Dubois was playing his third game back from a previous injury that held him out for two weeks. His struggles to find the scoresheet stuck around, though, pulling the reigning 66-point scorer through a sixth game with no scoring this season. He will miss Washington’s Saturday match against the Buffalo Sabres, but should return to his hunt for a score in the first week of November.
- With K’Andre Miller nearing a return from injury, the Carolina Hurricanes have assigned defenseman Domenick Fensore back to the minor-leagues. Fensore played in his first game of the NHL season, and third of his career, on October 28th. He recorded two shots on net and a minus-two. He’s been far more productive in the AHL, where his seven points in four games still leads the Chicago Wolves in scoring, despite the team playing two games without him. Fensore will now return to his cushy top-defender role, where he’ll look to bolster a Wolves offense that’s only scored three goals across their last three games.
Sharks Activate Timothy Liljegren From Injured Reserve
The Sharks announced that defenseman Timothy Liljegren was activated from injured reserve. He’ll re-enter the lineup tonight against the Rangers in place of rookie Sam Dickinson, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now relayed. The club had an open roster spot after reassigning Luca Cagnoni to the AHL on Tuesday.
Liljegren’s absence ends after nine days and three games, just above the IR minimums. He was dealing with an upper-body injury that he sustained on Oct. 14 against the Hurricanes. He landed on IR last week as some other injuries forced San Jose to do some roster shuffling, but they’re back to having a full 23-player contingent with only Shakir Mukhamadullin on IR – at least, among players who aren’t effectively retired.
A first-round pick in the 2017 draft by the Maple Leafs, Liljegren was a two-time 20-point getter for Toronto but slipped down their depth chart to the point where he was a frequent healthy scratch to begin last season. He was traded to San Jose in late October and popped up as a top-four piece in the Bay Area, posting a 6-11–17 scoring line with a -25 rating in 67 appearances while averaging 19:16 of ice time per game. Those raw numbers overshadow what were generally positive under-the-hood numbers for Liljegren, whose 47.2 CF% at 5-on-5 was 2.4 points better than what the team managed to control without him on the ice.
In a three-game sample to begin 2025-26, Liljegren didn’t record a point and logged a minus-two rating but reached new ice-time heights at 20:14 per game. He’s not factoring in on San Jose’s power play like he was last year, but he saw hugely increased shorthanded deployment at three minutes per game. After starting the year alongside Mario Ferraro at even strength, he’ll have a new face to his left tonight in Dmitry Orlov, reports Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest.
Injury Notes: Gostisbehere, McCann, Liljegren
This afternoon, Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour told Michael Russo of The Athletic that the team believes Shayne Gostisbehere’s injury is not serious, and that he remains with the team on their trip west.
The offensive defenseman has been off to a dynamite start so far, with 7 points in just 5 games. Just two days ago, Gostisbehere left in the Canes’ win over Los Angeles due to a lower-body-injury.
Despite the good news, Gostisbehere will be absent tonight vs Vegas, as Charles-Alexis Legault is expected to make his NHL debut. The 6’4” defenseman was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 draft by Carolina, turning pro last season with AHL Chicago, where he was a steady presence in 63 games for the Wolves.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Seattle Kraken announced earlier today that key forward Jared McCann would not play in tonight’s game at Philadelphia, due to a lower-body-injury. It is expected that the 29-year-old will be day-to-day, thankfully not worse as Seattle is currently missing Kaapo Kakko, Frederick Gaudreau, and Ryker Evans due to injury. In McCann’s place, top prospect Berkly Catton has made his NHL debut.
- Max Miller, San Jose’s beat reporter, noted earlier today that defenseman Timothy Liljegren returned to the ice as a normal participant. The Swede remains on the team’s injured reserve, having been placed last week with an upper-body injury, however, he seems to be ramping up for a return on Thursday as the Sharks travel to take on the Rangers.
Sharks Place Timothy Liljegren On Injured Reserve
The Sharks officially placed Timothy Liljegren on injured reserve, a day after the defenseman was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group. There’s no corresponding recall coming immediately, Pashelka reports.
Liljegren got banged up in Tuesday’s 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the Hurricanes, landing awkwardly after a failed board battle with Carolina’s Taylor Hall (video via JD Young of Locked On Sharks). That means he’s been ruled out for San Jose’s next two games and will be eligible to come off IR for their game against the Islanders next Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Swede has played in all three games for the Sharks to start the year after being the subject of trade rumors over the offseason, operating as their top right-shot defender. He’s averaging a career-high 20:14 per game, seeing the second-most time at even strength behind Nick Leddy and forming half of the defense pairing on their top penalty-killing unit with Mario Ferraro. He hasn’t gotten on the scoresheet yet, though. He has a -2 rating with 10 blocks and three hits. The Sharks have been shelled in Liljegren’s 5-on-5 minutes, losing the shot attempt battle 70-33 for a CF% of 32.0. While that looks drastic, the Sharks have posted a horrid 33.5 CF% at even strength through three games, so he hasn’t dipped too far below the team average despite being deployed primarily as a defensive specialist to begin the year.
It’s not surprising to see San Jose not rush to make a corresponding recall. They still have seven defensemen on the active roster after starting the year with eight of them. One of those seven is John Klingberg, who was also ruled day-to-day by head coach Ryan Warsofsky yesterday, but he hasn’t yet been ruled out for tomorrow’s contest against the Mammoth. However, he wasn’t taking line rushes yesterday, indicating he could still sit out as a precaution while veteran righty Vincent Desharnais makes his season debut after being scratched for the Sharks’ first three games.
There’s no indication as of yet that Liljegren’s absence should last much longer than the retroactive seven days required for an IR placement. In the meantime, it’ll be a good opportunity for Desharnais to shake off the rust, as well as for rookie Sam Dickinson to push for more minutes after averaging just 11:56 through his first two NHL appearances.
Injury Notes: Klingberg, Liljegren, Lindholm
A trio of Swedish defensemen have been banged up, but are not expected to miss much time. First, out of San Jose, Sheng Peng of NBC Sports California updated earlier today that John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren are out day-to-day, and are questionable for Friday, when the Sharks go to Utah. Both players were hurt last night, as San Jose was drubbed by Carolina, although each played high minutes. Liljegren is considered upper-body, which aligns with when he appeared shaken up after going down hard in an attempt to pin a Hurricane along the boards.
Peng also added a key note, that fortunately, given that it was listed as lower-body, Klingberg’s ailment is not related to his ongoing hip trouble. For now, the Sharks could turn to Vincent Desharnais to make his season debut, along with the more intriguing young Shakir Mukhamadullin, who posted two assists in his only game this season.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Bruins Head Coach Marco Sturm recently told Belle Fraser, Multimedia Producer of the team, that Hampus Lindholm is also day-to-day, but is expected to resume skating tomorrow. The veteran enjoyed a major career resurgence in Boston in 2022-23, but unfortunately has been chasing it since, especially with an injury riddled 2024-25. Thankfully, Lindholm has managed to skate in two games for Boston so far, as he looks to get back on track and hope to help lead the team back to the playoffs come spring.
Sharks Reportedly Looking To Trade Timothy Liljegren, Henry Thrun
After adding three veteran defensemen since the start of free agency, the San Jose Sharks have a glut of blue-liners on their roster. With a need to trim the ranks, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is reporting that the Sharks have made defensemen Timothy Liljegren and Henry Thrun available via trade.
The report is unsurprising given that San Jose is looking to open a role for youngerster Sam Dickinson on the opening night roster. The Sharks drafted Dickinson with the 11th overall selection of the 2024 NHL Draft, and he recently had a career year with the OHL’s London Knights, scoring 29 goals and 91 points in 55 games with a +64 rating.
Assuming that Dickinson will be given every opportunity to earn a spot on the opening night roster, the Sharks will want to remove at least one beforehand. If Dickinson makes the team out of training camp, there’s no reason for San Jose to have nine defensemen on the roster, even with an abundance of salary cap space.
It’s curious that Pagnotta only mentioned Liljegren and Thrun in his initial reporting. The pair of blue liners should have value on the trade market, but only for teams looking to add to their bottom-pairing. If the Sharks are looking to make a trade of substance, Mario Ferraro may be the best candidate.
Last season, Liljegren scored six goals and 17 points in 67 games, while Thrun scored two goals and 12 points in 60. Meanwhile, Ferraro scored five goals and 17 points but averaged more than two minutes higher than his closest counterpart, Liljegren.
Furthermore, given that the Sharks are in a position to balance the handedness of their defensive core for the first time in a while, it would make more sense to trade Ferraro than the other two. That way, Dickinson could be given a spot in the second pairing to begin the 2025-26 campaign, and the team could readily pivot to veteran Nick Leddy should he falter. In the case they keep Ferraro and trade one of Liljegren or Thrun, that means they’d have to play a veteran on his off-hand, put Dickinson on his off-hand, or move a playable option to a depth role.
Sharks Acquire Timothy Liljegren From Maple Leafs
The San Jose Sharks have acquired defenseman Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round and 2026 sixth-round draft pick. Toronto will get the better of the third-round picks that San Jose previously acquired from the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche.
The move ends a tumultuous seven-year run for the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The Maple Leafs were patient with the 25-year-old, waiting for him to realize the potential that made him a first-round pick. Unfortunately for Toronto, that untapped potential never translated to results, as Liljegren could not crack Toronto’s top four on defense.
Liljegren was re-signed to a two-year $6MM contract back in late June, but despite the new contract, Liljegren quickly lost the trust of new head coach Craig Berube and general manager Brad Treliving. Liljegren has only dressed in one regular season game thus far and struggled mightily, as the Maple Leafs were out-chanced 21-2 while he was on the ice for 12 minutes of even-strength hockey.
Coming back the other way is 30-year-old depth defenseman Matt Benning. The Edmonton Alberta native is in the third year of a four-year $5MM contract, meaning that Toronto will realize a cap savings of $1.75MM in the transaction for this season and next. Benning is a useful defenseman who is just two years removed from his best offensive season as a pro (one goal and 23 assists in 77 games). While Benning will serve as valuable depth for Toronto, he is unlikely to see the kind of ice time he was seeing in San Jose and will most likely be Toronto’s eighth defenseman.