Kovalenko played 11:43 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights but was not able to practice on Wednesday due to an undisclosed ailment. The 25-year-old Kovalenko has 14 points (5G / 9A) in 40 games this season. The Sharks return to action on Friday against the Utah Hockey Club.

Mukhamadullin will replace Marc-Edouard Vlasic on San Jose's third defensive pair on Tuesday in Vegas. Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky admitted on Tuesday he wanted to keep Mukhamadullin in the lineup every few games to keep him fresh. The 22-year-old has a goal and nine SOG in eight games played so far this season.

Vlasic returned for two games after an upper-body injury kept him out for the majority of the early season and will return to the pressbox on Tuesday as he is replaced by Shakir Mukhamadullin. The 37-year-old is only expected to be out of the lineup for a short time after he picked up an assist and a +1 plus/minus in his first two games this season.

The Sharks have won two straight, with Yaroslav Askarov between the pipes, but they will turn to Gerogiev on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Georgiev has allowed four or more goals in four straight (0-4-0), posting an ugly .872 SV%. He has 3.55 GAA and .873 SV% in 23 appearances this season (9-11-0). The Sharks enter Tuesday's contest as sizeable +224 home underdogs against a Golden Knights squad that defeated them 6-3 two weeks ago.

The Sharks have won two straight, with Yaroslav Askarov between the pipes, but they will turn to Gerogiev on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Georgiev has allowed four or more goals in four straight (0-4-0), posting an ugly .872 SV%. He has 3.55 GAA and .873 SV% in 23 appearances this season (9-11-0). The Sharks enter Tuesday's contest as sizeable +224 home underdogs against a Golden Knights squad that defeated them 6-3 two weeks ago.

Grundstrom exited Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames after only 1:34 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury and has not played since. The 27-year-old forward has five points (1G / 4A) in 30 games this season.

Eklund exited last Monday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:39 time-on-ice and has not played since. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 19:43 time-on-ice and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 36 games this season.

The Sharks are amid their second eight-game losing skid of the season and will attempt to return to the win column with Askarov between the pipes on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Askarov played well in his most recent outing, saving 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. The 22-year-old Askarov has a 2.62 GAA and .915 SV% in five NHL games this season (1-2-2). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as sizeable +227 road underdogs against a Lightning club coming off a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

With Marc-Edouard Vlasic (back) making his season debut on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lighting, Mukhamadullin will be sidelined as a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Mukhamadullin is averaging 15:27 time-on-ice and has one goal in eight games this season.

Vlasic has missed all 40 games to start the season due to a back injury but will finally debut on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 37-year-old stay-at-home defenseman is entering his 19th NHL season (all with San Jose) after putting up six goals, 12 points and a -27 plus/minus in 57 games played in 2023-24.

The Sharks are amid their second eight-game losing skid of the season and will attempt to return to the win column with Askarov between the pipes on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Askarov played well in his most recent outing, saving 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. The 22-year-old Askarov has a 2.62 GAA and .915 SV% in five NHL games this season (1-2-2). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as sizeable +227 road underdogs against a Lightning club coming off a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Grundstrom exited Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames after only 1:34 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury and has not played since. The 27-year-old forward has five points (1G / 4A) in 30 games this season.

Amid a seven-game losing skid, the Sharks hope to return to the win column on New Year's Eve with Georgiev between the pipes. Georgiev has allowed four or more goals in three straight (0-3-0), posting an ugly .869 SV%. The Sharks enter Tuesday's contest as +150 home underdogs against a Philadelphia Flyers club that defeated them 4-3 in a shootout on November 11th.

Eklund exited last Monday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:39 time-on-ice and has not played since. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 19:43 time-on-ice and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 36 games this season. In a corresponding move, the Sharks recalled Collin Graf from the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).

Graf made his NHL debut last season, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in seven games with the Sharks. The undrafted 22-year-old, a product of Quinnipiac University, has 26 points (6G / 20A) in 29 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this season.

Andrei Kuzmenko will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, allowing Duehr to re-enter the lineup. The 27-year-old Duehr is averaging 9:07 time-on-ice and has one points (0G / 1A) in 10 games this season.

Kovalenko was a healthy scratch in Saturday's game vs. the Flames, but he'll replace Carl Grundstrom (undisclosed) in Tuesday's lineup. Since joining the Sharks, Kovalenko has picked up five assists and four shots in eight games.

Grundstrom exited Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames after only 1:34 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury. The 27-year-old forward has five points (1G / 4A) in 30 games this season.