DENVER– The San Jose Sharks are making more adjustments to their lineup against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
Defenseman Sam Dickinson will be a healthy scratch for the first time since Dec. 18. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said the defenseman needed a bit of a reset, and felt tonight is the right night to do that.
“Just to give him a reset. I think the game has sped up on him at times. He’s played some really good hockey, and we’re seeing a lot of potential out of him, but this gives him a little bit more of a break mentally,” Warsofsky said. “I think it’s important sometimes just to watch the game from a different level.”
John Klingberg will return to the San Jose Sharks lineup and play with Dmitry Orlov.
Warsofsky was also asked about potentially introducing the young Sharks defenseman to the power play. Dickinson’s calling card out of the OHL was his offensive talent, and while he’s flashed it in the NHL, adding power-play time would benefit him significantly.
“We’ve thought about it,” Warsofsky said. “It was something that, after the break, we may incorporate.”
Sherwood will play
Kiefer Sherwood will make his long-awaited San Jose Sharks debut against the Avs. Warsofsky confirmed the winger’s status during the morning skate.
Sherwood will skate on the Sharks’ top line with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. The trio practiced together in Chicago on Tuesday.
“We went and acquired him for a reason, and I think we need to get him in the mix with our group here a little bit,” Warsofsky said. “When we first got him, he obviously wasn’t healthy enough, and now that he’s checked a lot of boxes for us to get him in the lineup.
That’s something Mike [Grier] and I [talked about]. We needed another guy to help push that [identity], and how we want to play and keep playing, and what winning looks like. You have to have guys that dig in, bring some nastiness to the group, and he’s one of those guys.”
The San Jose Sharks won’t play again until Feb. 26.