SAN JOSE – James Reimer’s lower-body harm has left the Sharks’ goaltending scenario in a state of flux with their subsequent sport two days away. The Sharks traded Wednesday evening for a well-known face, Alex Stalock, to assist in the meantime.
Reimer was harm within the first interval of Tuesday’s sport with Vegas and stated Thursday the harm occurred after the Golden Knights’ Keegan Kolesar scored on a 2-on-1 simply 2:16 into the sport. Reimer completed the primary interval and stopped 10 of 11 pictures earlier than Zach Sawchenko took over for the ultimate two durations in what turned a 3-1 Sharks loss.
“Sort of week-to-week right here, see the way it feels,” Reimer stated, “and hopefully it’s shorter reasonably than longer.”
Adin Hill can be out with a lower-body harm and won't be accessible when the Sharks host the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Hill, who has not performed since Jan. 22, was on the ice earlier than the beginning of Thursday’s observe however left shortly after it started.
“He’s had good days and unhealthy days to this point,” coach Bob Boughner stated of Hill. “So we’re nonetheless ready for 3 or 4 good days in a row so we really feel snug placing him in. So there’s lots of query marks and we’ve obtained to see how everyone feels after at the moment.”
Sawchenko and Stalock, the one wholesome choices in internet in the intervening time, each practiced Thursday.
Alex Stalock in his first Sharks observe since 2016 pic.twitter.com/HPRznHt0q6
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) March 3, 2022
Sawchenko has appeared in three Sharks video games this season and has a .930 save share, however has by no means began an NHL sport.
Stalock, who performed with the Sharks from 2011 to 2016, was acquired Wednesday from the Edmonton Oilers for future issues. He has not began an NHL sport since Aug. 2020 when he was the Minnesota Wild’s No. 1 goalie for his or her play-in collection with the Vancouver Canucks contained in the bubble in Edmonton.
Boughner stated he would wait till after Friday’s observe to determine which goalie he would begin in opposition to the Predators. The Sharks (24-24-6), who entered Thursday 9 factors out of a playoff spot with 28 video games left within the common season, journey to play the Anaheim Geese on Sunday.
“I needed (Stalock and Sawchenko) to get the online and see the vast majority of the work at the moment as a result of we’ve obtained to make selections shifting ahead,” Boughner stated. “That’s simply the way it goes.”
Stalock has had a turbulent however in the end uplifting 18-month journey in making an attempt to get again to the NHL.
Stalock, 34, missed the 2020-21 season, as he was identified with myocarditis in November 2020 after he examined constructive for COVID-19. Oilers common supervisor Ken Holland introduced final September that the expectation was that Stalock would miss the upcoming season as properly with the COVID-related coronary heart situation.
In January, although, Stalock handed a bodily and was positioned on waivers by the Oilers, permitting him to renew his professional profession within the AHL. He went 3-1-0 in 5 video games with Bakersfield, Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, with an .862 save share.
“Early on, it was robust,” Stalock stated. “It’s 18 months off and also you’re doing lots of medical testing and it will get outdated. You get sick of it.”
In December, Stalock did a genetic check that decided he didn't carry the gene for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), permitting him to renew coaching at a extra intense degree in his dwelling state of Minnesota. He went to Bakersfield and his first sport with the Condors was on Jan. 23 in San Jose in opposition to the Barracuda.
“The good half is figuring out you'll be able to come again and play and the joy of enjoying hockey once more,” Stalock stated. “That to me was the most important factor. To get by that first sport, it was form of an emotional deal, to have the ability to say I can nonetheless do that. To be round a bunch of men once more, have enjoyable and do what I like to do is a pleasure.”
NOTES: Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Jaycob Megna and winger Rudolfs Balcers all practiced Thursday.
It was the primary full observe for Karlsson, who hasn’t performed since Jan. 20, with the workforce since he had surgical procedure to restore a small tear in his left forearm on Jan. 24. He was paired with Megna, who had surgical procedure to restore a damaged foot early final month.
Balcers was injured within the Sharks’ sport with the Geese on Feb. 22 however practiced on the Sharks’ high line Thursday with Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier.
Boughner stated Karlsson seemingly received’t play in both sport this weekend however didn’t rule out a return for Megna. If Balcers feels good after Friday’s observe, he’ll seemingly play Saturday, Boughner stated.