Defender Erik Karlsson missed his second game in a row on Thursday with a groin injury and will not be back in the Sharks lineup until Monday at the earliest.
Karlsson did not travel to St. Louis with the Sharks after worsening the injury on Wednesday when the team was training at the SAP Center. The Sharks will play the blues again on Saturday before returning home next Monday to face the Minnesota Wild.
Karlsson, who was scratched from last Monday’s game with the Anaheim Ducks, ran briefly in San Jose on Wednesday, but left the ice rink shortly after training started.
« Obviously he didn’t feel as good as he thought. We all thought he would and he left training, » said Sharks trainer Bob Boughner on Thursday of Karlsson who played the last 11 minutes last Saturday’s game with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Boughner said Karlsson will continue to rehabilitate the injury in San Jose, but Karlsson’s availability, at least after this weekend, is questionable.
« I don’t want to predict if it will be up and running by Monday, » said Boughner. « But with what he’s got, it’s an injury to play through, but it just gets worse. We have to have our best line-up in the long term, especially when we’re back home. So I try to be smart and that To do the right thing. »
Karlsson told reporters Wednesday morning, and the Sharks reiterated Thursday that his illness was not a recurrence of a previous injury. Karlsson sustained another groin injury two years ago that kept him out of the line-up in the second half of the regular season and had to undergo surgery after the Sharks were eliminated by the Blues in the Western Conference final.
When asked if the Sharks are concerned that Karlsson’s injury may last long, Boughner said, « I don’t think so. We’ve had tests and MRIs and the like. I think it’s more of an everyday thing. «
Starting with the game on Saturday, the Haie will play nine times in 17 days. After their game against Minnesota on Monday, in which a homestand begins with eight games, the Sharks will play next Thursday against Vegas and on February 27th against the Blues again. Karlsson is second on the team in the average ice time per game with 25 minutes and 36 seconds.
Since arriving in San Jose in a blockbuster deal with the Ottawa Senators in September 2018, Karlsson will have played in only 122 of Sharks’ 168 regular season games by the end of the weekend.
« I’m sure that as a player you want to be healthy and feel good and be able to do everything to the best of your ability. Yes, I think there is probably some frustration, » said Boughner of Karlssons Injury.
« It’s a difficult time to deal with. We have a lot of games here and important games. But all you can do now is work on it and get better and feel better. Hopefully we’ll have it back sooner rather than later. »
On the subject of matching items
Shark Notes: Remenda on TV again tonight; Boughner reflects milestone
Why the next Sharks-Golden Knights game could have more fireworks
Sharks’ Erik Karlsson talks about injuries and hopes it doesn’t « get worse ».
San Jose Sharks: A better way to use Erik Karlsson on his return
Meet Labanc, Couture while Sharks hit Anaheim Ducks
Defender Radim Simek is in an injured reserve and won’t be back for the Sharks until Monday at the earliest.
DUBNYK READY: Devan Dubnyk is ready to play again and could start on Saturday. Dubnyk’s last start was on February 6th against Anaheim. He’s 0-3-1 this season with a savings of 0.917 percent.
COMINGS, GOINGS: Noah Gregor was added to the Sharks line-up on Thursday after having been a spectator in the last two games. He replaced Stefan Noesen, who was a healthy scratch.
« Just to be consistent, to manage your game and use your speed and physicality, » said Boughner when asked what he needs to see Gregor to stay in the line-up. “Just be able to not do that for a game or two and then take your foot off the accelerator. Put it on the accelerator and bring this every night and that’s the big message for Noah. «
Ref: https://www.santacruzsentinel.com
