The San Jose Sharks have an additional injury to deal with as they try to get their season back on track after yet another abysmal start.
Sharks forward Ty Dellandrea will miss Monday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club with an upper-body injury, marking the first time he’s been out of the team’s lineup this season. According to coach Ryan Warsofsky, the 24-year-old Dellandrea, per San Jose Hockey Now, is considered day-to-day.
Dellandrea did not practice at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, a day after he appeared to be injured in the first period of the Sharks’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
At the 12:54 mark of the first period, Dellandrea blocked a shot by Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore, leaving the ice surface in noticeable discomfort.
Dellandrea did not take another shift in the first period but returned for the start of the second as the Sharks went onto a 7-3 loss to Vegas, dropping their record to 0-7-2. The loss marked the first time in NHL history that a team has started a season with nine straight losses in consecutive years.
Before Monday, San Jose was 0-16-3 in October games since a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 27, 2022. The Sharks went 3-8-0 in October two years ago and were 0-8-1 in the month last season.
“It’s early in the season,” Warsofsky told the Sharks Audio Network. “We work so hard in the summer to train and get in shape, and then we come in with so much energy, and we can’t just roll over and die here 10 games into the season. So, to take from Ted Lasso, we’ve got to be a goldfish. We’ve got to have a 10-second memory and move on.”
It’s unclear when Dellandrea might return. The Sharks close October with home games against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 31.
Dellandrea, who the Sharks acquired from the Dallas Stars in June — and subsequently signed to a two-year contract extension — has one goal and is averaging 12:34 in ice time in nine games this season.
Winger Klim Kostin, a healthy scratch Saturday, entered the Sharks’ lineup Monday in Dellandrea’s place. Kostin had zero points in his first six games.
The Sharks are already without forwards Macklin Celebrini (hip injury) and Logan Couture (osteitis pubis), both on injured reserve. Celebrini is considered week-to-week, with the Sharks expected to give an update on his status sometime early next month, and Couture is out indefinitely.
SMITH SITS: After playing him in Saturday’s game against Vegas, the Sharks gave Will Smith another development day Monday, the third one he’s had this season and the second time he hasn’t had to play games on consecutive nights.
Smith had two shots on goal and went 0-for-6 in the faceoff circle in 13:04 of ice time against the Golden Knights. The 19-year-old remains without a point in seven games.
The Sharks also kept Smith out of the lineup for their Oct. 18 game in Winnipeg, the second half of a back-to-back situation. Smith could be back in the lineup against the Kings on Tuesday.
With Will Smith out of Monday’s game, Givani Smith will draw back in and start the game against Utah on the fourth line.
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Defenseman Matt Benning, a healthy scratch for four consecutive games, re-entered the Sharks lineup as rookie Jack Thompson was a scratch.
GOALIE CAROUSEL: The Sharks started Mackenzie Blackwood on Monday, potentially meaning they will give Vitek Vanecek the start against the Kings.
Vanecek stopped 35 of 42 shots against the Golden Knights, dropping his save percentage this season to .869 and his record to 0-4-0. He’s played in two career games against the Kings, going 1-1-0 with a .870 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average.