Liljegren left the Maple Leafs' previous game Saturday after just 11:45 TOI due to an upper-body injury but will play Tuesday vs. Los Angeles. The 24-year-old defenseman has taken a positive stride forward in 2023-24 as he's averaging nearly a minute and a half more than his previous career-high TOI with his 19:12 TOI nightly and has an assist, and five SOG in eight games this season.
Dellandrea will return to the lineup for the Stars as the rotation between him and Sam Steel, who will be a healthy scratch, continues on Tuesday. Dellandrea has one point (0G / 1A) while averaging 12:29 time-on-ice for the Stars this season.
Vlasic will sit for the second time this season, but his first as a healthy scratch. The 18-year veteran defenseman has zero points, four blocks and a -1 plus/minus rating through four games this season. His absence will allow Thomas Bordeleau to return to the lineup.
Bordeleau was a healthy scratch for the Sharks' previous contest but will draw back into the lineup as San Jose goes back to the standard 12 forwards/6 defensemen line combos. The 21-year-old centre has a goal, five SOG, two PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus in four games with the Sharks so far in 2022-23. Bordeleau will take Marc-Edouard Vlasic's spot in the Sharks' lineup.
Dellandrea will sit in favour of Sam Steel tonight after playing in each of the Stars' first two games. The 23-year-old scored nine goals and added 18 assists in 82 games with the Stars last season. Through two games in 2023-24 he's registered no goals and one assist with an ATOI of 12:29.
Vlasic missed the Sharks' previous game due to an undisclosed injury but will return to San Jose's lineup Thursday vs. Boston. The 36-year-old stay-at-home defensemen is in his 18th NHL season (all with San Jose) and had one SOG, a +1 plus/minus and zero points in two games so far in 2023-24.
Thrun has two assists, one SOG, and a -1 plus/minus through two games with San Jose in 2023-24 but finds himself the odd man out on their roster as he was reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) Wednesday. The 22-year-old will endure his first taste of AHL action after he made the jump to the NHL straight from Harvard (NCAA) in 2022-23.
Thrun was a healthy scratch for the Sharks' previous game vs. Colorado but will draw back into San Jose's lineup as they take on Carolina Tuesday. The 22-year-old had an assist, one SOG, and a -1 plus/minus across 19:29 TOI in his only game played this season. He will replace Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the Sharks' lineup Tuesday.
Vlasic missed the Sharks' morning practice Monday after leaving their previous game vs. Colorado after just five shifts and 3:15 TOI and is expected to be out Tuesday as San Jose takes on Carolina due to an undisclosed injury. The 36-year-old veteran is in his 18th NHL season and has played in 70+ games in every full NHL season since 2015-16.
Thrun had one assist and one shot in 19:29 TOI in the Sharks season-opening loss to the Golden Knights. However, he will come out of the lineup on Saturday to make room for Nikolai Knyzhov to make his season debut.
Knyzhov was a healthy scratch for the Sharks' season-opening loss to the Golden Knights but he will replace Henry Thrun in the lineup vs. Colorado. Knyzhov had one goal and no assists in 12 games with the Sharks last season.
Desharnais had five PIMS and one shot on goal in the Oilers season opening loss in Vancouver. Desharnais will be scratched Saturday to make room for Mattias Ekholm (hip) to make his season debut.
Couture has missed the entire preseason with a lower-body injury and will be forced to miss the Sharks' season opener vs. Vegas as he is week-to-week with the ailment. The 34-year-old top-line centre is a massive loss for San Jose after he had 27 goals, 40 assists, 198 SOG, 19 PIMs, and a -30 plus/minus through 82 games in 2022-23.
Gregor was a full-time member of the San Jose Sharks the last two seasons, accumulating 40 points (18G / 22A) across 120 games. The 25-year-old centerman will provide some nice forward depth for the Maple Leafs roster.
Furlong was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft (140th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sharks on Thursday. The 19-year-old Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) captain had seven goals, 43 assists, 40 PIMs and a +47 plus/minus in 67 games in 2022-23 in the Quebec league. He has returned to Halifax for his 2023-24 season.
Couture was considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury he suffered in offseason training. According to head coach David Quinn, Couture continues to progress but he seems highly questionable for the start of the regular season.
