CHICAGO – The slumping San Jose Sharks appear to be on the verge of getting a much-needed boost to their lineup right before the Olympic break.

Two weeks after he was first acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, forward Kiefer Sherwood, who is on injured reserve, was a full participant in the Sharks’ 45-minute practice in Chicago on Tuesday as he skated on the team’s top line alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.

Sherwood also did drills with the Sharks’ second power play unit alongside forwards Michael Misa and Philipp Kurashev, and defensemen Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg. The first unit comprised Celebrini, Smith, Tyler Toffoli, William Eklund, and Alex Wennberg.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky wouldn’t confirm that Sherwood would be activated off IR and dress for Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. But all indications were that Sherwood would make his debut with his new team as the Sharks finish a five-game road trip and the pre-Olympic portion of their regular-season schedule.

The Sharks also created a spot on their 23-man roster for Sherwood on Tuesday afternoon by placing forward Ryan Reaves on injured reserve.

“I’ve been itching for a long time once I found out about the trade,” Sherwood said after Tuesday’s practice. “So I’m just excited to get to know the guys, play with them, and build something special here.”

The Sharks (27-23-4) lost their third straight game Monday night as the Chicago Blackhawks scored four goals in the second period and earned a 6-3 win. Celebrini had a goal and an assist and now has 81 points this season, but the Sharks allowed the game’s first four goals and went 0-for-4 on the power play.

Sherwood, 30, was acquired from the Canucks on Jan. 19 for two second-round draft picks and AHL defenseman Cole Clayton. The Sharks beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers that night and improved to a season-best six games above .500 with a 5-2 win over Vancouver on Jan. 27.

The Sharks, though, have gone 0-2-1 since that victory and entered Tuesday three points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot.

“I just want to help this team,” Sherwood said before the Sharks left for Denver. “Obviously, we’ve got to get it going here, and we’ve got some spots to climb.”

Sherwood has been with the Sharks since their road trip began early last week. He took part in the Sharks’ morning skate on Monday at the United Center, with Warsofsky saying afterward that the winger was going to be reevaluated before the team decided the next step.

Now seemingly ready to go, Sherwood, already with 17 goals in 44 games this season, figures be a valuable addition.

The Sharks rely on a strong forecheck to create offensive zone time and scoring chances, and that plays right into Sherwood’s strengths as a hard-hitting winger who hunts pucks and disrupts breakouts.

The Sharks’ forecheck has largely struggled since the first period of their game against the Edmonton Oilers last Thursday, when they built a three-goal lead but lost 4-3 in overtime. The Sharks then lost 3-2 to the Calgary Flames on Saturday, and their last win over a team in a playoff position before Tuesday was on Jan. 10, when they beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 in overtime.

The Sharks have scored just 26 goals during 5-on-5 play in their last 14 games, tied for the ninth-fewest in the NHL as of Tuesday morning.

“Just try to bring the guys in the fight a little bit, and bring some energy,” Sherwood said when asked what he wants to do when he plays again. “Each day’s an opportunity, and each game’s an opportunity to kind of play better and play our style. I just want to add to the identity that the team’s already building.”

#SJSharks lines, d-pairs in today’s practice.

(no Ryan Reaves today)

Sherwood-Celebrini-Smith
Eklund-Misa-Toffoli
Kurashev-Wennberg-Graf
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette
Skinner-Regenda

Orlov-Klingberg
Ferraro-Liljegren
Muk-Desharnais
Dickinson

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) February 3, 2026

Warsofsky also wasn’t saying whether Sherwood would stay alongside Celebrini and Smith for Wednesday’s game. That spot has been a bit of a revolving door recently, with Collin Graf, Eklund, and Toffoli all having chances with the top line. Toffoli played there on Monday and assisted on Celebrini’s second-period goal.

“When we win pucks, that’s where we get more offense in all three zones,” Warsofsky said. “We’ve got to keep pushing that and getting better at it.”

Seeing Sherwood in line rushes for the first time wasn’t the only new development in Tuesday’s practice.

Misa and Wennberg switched lines, with Misa centering the second line with Toffoli and Eklund, and Wennberg on the third line with Graf and Kurashev on the wings.

Warsofsky said not to “look too much into the second and third lines,” but noted that he feels Misa has been playing well, and that Wennberg is now in more of a checking and shutdown role.

“Frees up (Misa) to go play with Eklund. They had some chemistry there,” Warsofsky said. “(Toffoli) can complement them pretty well, with those guys who are on pucks, more of a shooter on that line. With (Wennberg, Graf, and Kurashev), together, it kind of gives more of a checking line.”

Warsofsky said Reaves has been dealing with an upper-body injury “for a few weeks now.” Reaves has played in each of the Sharks’ last seven games and had just 5:38 in ice time Monday, as he was listed as having two hits and two giveaways. Reaves has three goals and 32 penalty minutes in 46 games this season.

DICKINSON TO SIT?

Klingberg, scratched Monday, was paired with Orlov during practice, with Sam Dickinson as the seventh defenseman. Dickinson has played in 19 straight games since mid-December, averaging 17:12 in ice time while collecting six assists.

“Sam’s played a lot of hockey. His minutes have crept up a little bit, so we’ll see if he comes out of the lineup,” Warsofsky said. “It won’t be for negative play, it’s more of a reset.”

NOTABLE

The Sharks’ fourth line in Tuesday’s practice had Zack Ostapchuk at center with Adam Gaudette and Barclay Goodrow on the wings. Ostapchuk was a scratch on Monday. Jeff Skinner and Pavol Regenda were not in Tuesday’s line rushes.