SAN JOSE — Kevin Labanc’s return to the lineup appeared imminent earlier this week however now the Sharks are contemplating shutting the winger down for the remainder of the season.
Labanc on Thursday visited the Los Angeles surgeon who carried out his shoulder surgical procedure and coach Bob Boughner mentioned the Sharks’ medical staff has been proud of how the ahead has healed.
However with lower than a month earlier than the tip of the common season and the Sharks out of playoff competition, Boughner mentioned Labanc would possibly stay out of the lineup for the ultimate 14 video games after Saturday to let the shoulder proceed to heal.
“I feel (out of an abundance of warning), I feel there’s an opportunity they need to take a look at the danger/reward, see what number of video games are left within the season and is it price it or not,” Boughner mentioned of a Labanc return.
“The extra time he has, clearly, the higher the rehab course of [is] going to be, so it'd come to some extent in time the place we'd shut him down for the season. However he feels good. Each day he comes, he’s stronger and (the shoulder is in) a extremely great place, however it’s only a matter of danger/reward at this level.”
Labanc, within the second 12 months of a four-year, $18.9 million contract, hasn’t performed since Dec. 11 in opposition to Dallas when he was injured by a success into the boards by Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. Labanc has joined the Sharks for on-ice drills in latest days, together with on Monday and Tuesday when he went by practices with contact.
Labanc on Tuesday sounded excited a couple of return and added it was essential to him to start out enjoying once more.
“I simply need to get again to competing, profitable video games, and getting again heading in the right direction, as a company, a staff, and myself,” Labanc mentioned. “So we’ve bought loads of enterprise to maintain on the ice and I need to assist the staff as a lot as I can, and I do know I can.”
The Sharks (29-30-8) entered Saturday’s sport with the Dallas Stars in seventh place within the Pacific Division and 14 factors again of the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild-card spot within the Western Convention.
Each defenseman Mario Ferraro and winger Jonathan Dahlen are returning to the Sharks’ lineup. Ferraro has missed the final 5 weeks after he had surgical procedure on Feb. 27 to restore a fracture in his decrease left fibula, an harm he suffered the day earlier than in a sport with the Boston Bruins.
Dahlen has missed the final 5 video games after he was struck within the face by a puck in the course of the Sharks’ March 20 sport with Arizona.
Labanc had six factors in 21 video games on the time of his harm. He didn't participate within the Sharks’ morning skate Saturday at SAP Middle.
“I feel he desires to play, clearly,” Boughner mentioned. “However the medical staff, clearly we have now to defer to them. The medical doctors have all mentioned that it seems good they usually’re blissful. It’s time. It’s main surgical procedure and it’s time, it simply wants time.”
GADJOVICH UPDATE: Ahead Jonah Gadjovich, out with an undisclosed harm, took half in Saturday’s morning skate however stays day-to-day. Boughner mentioned there's a probability Gadjovich may return to play both Tuesday in opposition to Edmonton or Thursday in opposition to Calgary, however in any other case will probably be accessible someday in the course of the Sharks’ five-game street journey from April 9-17.
DAHLEN ON EKLUND: Dahlen has been retaining a detailed eye on the Swedish Hockey League sequence between Timra, his former staff, and Djurgarden, the staff that William Eklund, the Sharks’ 2021 first-round draft decide, performed for this season.
Timra swept Djurgarden four-games-to-none within the best-of-seven sequence, so it can stay within the top-tier SHL, whereas Djurgarden can be relegated to the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-best league subsequent season.
After he had 4 assists in 9 NHL video games, Eklund, 19, was despatched again to Sweden by the Sharks in November in order that they didn’t burn the primary 12 months of his entry-level contract.
It was hoped this is able to be a growth 12 months for Eklund, as he performed in 30 video games and had 14 factors for Djurgarden. He additionally performed in two video games for Sweden on the World Junior Championships in December earlier than that was halted over COVID-19 points.
“He’s a younger child. Clearly, it’s not simple,” mentioned Dahlen, who talks to Eklund regularly. “So that you’ve bought to grasp that and I feel he’s nonetheless performed an excellent job this 12 months and gained loads of expertise, so I’m blissful for him anyway. I feel it’s been an excellent 12 months.”