The San Jose Sharks are getting closer to getting two key injured players back in their lineup as Will Smith and John Klingberg returned to practice on Friday.
Smith, who was sporting a non-contact orange jersey, made his first public appearance on the ice with the Sharks. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky said it was a good step in the winger’s rehab plan.
“No real update,” Warsofsky said. “That was a progression in his rehab. Good to get him back on the ice. Looked good.”
Smith was playing very well at the time of his injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The San Jose Sharks winger has 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games.
Klingberg’s injury is a minor one, but the d-man is currently on injured reserve for more roster flexibility. The Sharks defenseman hasn’t played since New Year’s Eve against the Minnesota Wild, but could return on Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Warsofsky did say the defenseman would be out for Saturday’s matchup against the Dallas Stars.
Although the news is encouraging for Smith and Klingberg, the same can’t be said for Ty Dellandrea. Dellandera went hard into the post with his right leg against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The injury forced him out for the remainder of the game, and it appears that he suffered a serious injury.
“They’ll get [Dellandrea] evaluated right around the Olympic break,” Warsofsky said.
Dellandrea’s loss is a big one for the San Jose Sharks. The third-line center had been the top penalty killing option for Warsofsky and was the team’s best face-off man at 52.3%. Dellandrea is right-handed, giving the Sharks significant advantages on specific face-offs. Michael Misa will eventually return to the Sharks’ lineup, but Dellandrea brings a lot of intangibles that aren’t seen on the statsheet.
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