The San Jose Sharks are grappling with significant injuries to two key players, as forward Philipp Kurashev is now considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the timeline for Will Smith‘s return remains unclear, with coach Ryan Warsofsky not ruling out the possibility of surgery. This development comes as the Sharks prepare to play without their top-scoring wingers.
Both players were placed on injured reserve following their exit from the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kurashev, 26, sustained his injury after crashing into the boards during the second period. He left the ice and walked to the dressing room after a brief stop at the bench. Smith, 20, was injured in the third period when he was hit by defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. He skated off, visibly in pain, and headed for medical assistance.
In a dramatic turn, the Sharks managed to secure a 6-5 overtime victory against the Penguins after being down 5-1 early in the third period. Smith entered that game as the Sharks’ second-leading scorer, tallying 29 points in 33 games. Kurashev has contributed 15 points over 31 games this season.
With both players sidelined, the Sharks have called up forwards Igor Chernyshov and Ethan Cardwell from their AHL affiliate, the Barracuda. Chernyshov, who has been impressive in the AHL with 23 points in 25 games, will make his NHL debut in the upcoming game against the Calgary Flames. He is set to join Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf on the top line. Cardwell, with nine points in 14 games, will start on the third line alongside veteran Jeff Skinner, who is celebrating his 1,100th NHL game, and center Ty Dellandrea.
As the Sharks navigate this challenging period, updates on the status of Kurashev and Smith will be closely monitored, especially regarding Smith’s potential need for surgery. The team’s resilience will be tested as they face a three-game homestand starting with the Flames.
