As part of pre-planned play-management for the 19-year-old rookie, Smith will have the night off on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Smith is averaging 14:01 time-on-ice through his first four NHL games this season, with zero points and a -2 plus/minus rating.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury and was considered questionable for tonight's game. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice. He is expected to be a game-time decision on Thursday.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Liljegren will make his season debut on Wednesday, sending Conor Timmins to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 25-year-old Liljegren tied a career-high last season with 23 points (3G / 20A) in 55 games.
The 24-year-old Kovalenko made his NHL debut with the Avalanche this season but has struggled adapting to the North American rink after being dominant in the KHL the past several seasons. In his past two campaigns with the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo (KHL), Kovalenko scored 89 points (32G / 57A) in 98 games.
The 24-year-old Kovalenko made his NHL debut with the Avalanche this season but has struggled adapting to the North American rink after being dominant in the KHL the past several seasons. In his past two campaigns with the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo (KHL), Kovalenko scored 89 points (32G / 57A) in 98 games.
Thompson will take Macklin Celebrini's spot on the Sharks roster after he was moved to IR. The 22-year-old defenseman appeared in two NHL games with the Sharks last year, but spent most of the season in the AHL, where he had nine points (1G / 8A) in 16 games.
The Sharks have placed Celebrini on IR and will be without this summer's No.1 overall pick for at least a couple of weeks. This is a terrible break for Celebrini, who had one goal, one assist and two SOG in his NHL debut on Thursday. Mikael Granlund will move up and centre the top line and Klim Kostin will draw into the lineup to replace Celebrini.
With Aleksander Barkov's injury status up in the air for Saturday's contest, Florida has recalled Patrick Giles from Charlotte (AHL) for some offensive depth. The 24-year-old undrafted right-winger has yet to make an NHL appearance but had 13 goals, 23 points and 31 PIMs in 66 games with Charlotte (AHL) in 2023-24.
Celebrini is battling a lower-body injury and is questionable for Saturday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky would not specify if Celebrini absence is due to a new injury or something that was previously lingering. The 18-year-old Celebrini made his NHL debut on Thursday and recorded two points (1G / 1A) in a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Noah Juulsen will draw into the lineup on Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers to replace Desharnais. The 28-year-old Desharnais, in his first season with the Canucks, played 13:11 in their season opener, recording four penalty minutes and a -2 plus/minus.
