William Eklund and Will Smith will not play Friday night when the San Jose Sharks play the Winnipeg Jets to finish a three-game road trip. But both forwards will be out for different reasons.
Eklund is dealing with an upper-body injury he played through during the Sharks’ 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Eklund had two assists in 19 minutes of ice time against the Hawks and stated after the game that he was far from being 100% healthy.
Smith, though, will be a healthy scratch, but not due to poor play. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Friday morning that sitting Smith against the Jets was part of the team’s development plan for the 19-year-old center, who is in his first professional season.
“Nothing to do with performance, just part of the plan, and he’ll be out tonight,” Warsofsky said of Smith.
Smith on Thursday had what Warsofsky said was his best night in a Sharks uniform.
Playing in front of about 50 friends and family members in Chicago, Smith had a career-high 19 minutes of ice time as he centered a line with Luke Kunin and Barclay Goodrow. Per Natural Stat Trick, that line had a Corsi-for percentage of 80, with the trio combining for five shots on goal.
“Best game he’s played,” Warsofsky said of Smith. “Looked more comfortable, was more engaged, was skating more, playing with the puck more. I think it was definitely a step in the right direction.”
Danil Gushchin and Givani Smith will replace Will Smith and Eklund in the lineup, although it wasn’t clear what line they’ll play on. Gushchin, a healthy scratch the last three games, skated on the Sharks’ top line with Tyler Toffoli and Mikael Granlund in Chicago on Wednesday when the banged-up Eklund did not practice.
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