SAN JOSE – Two weeks after Sharks rookie center Michael Misa suffered a lower-body injury, it remains unclear whether the 18-year-old will be available to play in the IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins next month in Minnesota.
Misa sustained the injury on Nov. 5 during the Sharks’ morning skate in Seattle, hours before their game against the Kraken, and was considered week-to-week at that point. Misa was at SAP Center a couple of days later, wearing a walking boot on his right foot.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Monday that Misa is further from a return than Jeff Skinner, who could begin skating again in approximately two weeks. He added Tuesday the team is “a few more days away from looking to see (if we can) get (Misa) on the ice.”
Until Misa begins to skate again, the Sharks will not know whether he’ll be healthy enough to play in the World Juniors, which begin Dec. 26. The Sharks would have to make Misa available to play in the event.
Hockey Canada is planning to hold a training camp, not a selection camp, for prospective players in Niagara Falls, Ontario, from Dec. 12-22. While the organization invited 32 players – but not Misa — to a four-day selection camp last year, a smaller group will attend this year, as Canada prioritizes preparation over evaluation. Countries may take up to 25 players to the tournament.
A healthy Misa would clearly be an asset to a Canadian team looking to win World Junior gold for the first time since 2023. Coming off a season in which he finished with a Canadian Hockey League-leading 134 points in 65 regular-season games, Misa, a native of Oakville, Ontario, had three points in seven games with the Sharks before his injury.
About a month after the Sharks took him with the second overall pick at the NHL Draft in Los Angeles, Misa played for one of the three Canadian teams that took part in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minnesota in late July. He had two goals and two assists in five games and played on the same team as Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson, who had three goals in three games.
Dickinson, 19, could also be released to play in the World Junior event for a second straight year. Going into Tuesday’s game against the Utah Mammoth, Dickinson had two points in 14 games and was averaging 14:18 in ice time.
For now, Warsofsky said Misa is continuing to rehab at Sharks Ice and is attending team meetings.
“There are still ways we can continue to develop him,” said Warsofsky, adding that Misa is in a good place mentally.
“This won’t be his last injury that he misses a little bit of time with. You could look at it as a negative, but it’s also a way (for him to learn) in different ways. So, he’s been really good. Morale is good.”
WARSOFSKY ON KLINGBERG
Sharks defensemen John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren will both be scratched from Tuesday’s game. While Liljegren will be scratched for the third time in four games, this will be the first time this season that Klingberg has sat out at the coach’s discretion.
“He wasn’t happy, and I don’t expect him to be happy. I think that’s what makes hockey players and competitive people who they are,” Warsofsky said when asked about Klingberg. “He’s a competitive guy. He wants to be out there. He wants to help his team, help us win hockey games, and do well for himself. That is very important.
“I think he knows he’s got better. We’ve talked about it; it’s a reset. It’s not like he’s never going to go back in there. We need him. We need him to help our team, and that’s really the message. He knows he can be better. I never expect a guy to be happy when they come out of the lineup. If you’re happy coming out of the lineup, you’re probably not the right guy we want here.”
Klingberg was scratched due to some puck management issues and a lack of production on the back end. Klingberg had a goal and an assist in the Sharks’ 6-1 win over the Kraken on Nov. 5, but had been held scoreless in his last five games. The Sharks’ power play had also been a 3-for-32 rut in 10 games before Tuesday.
Asked if scratching Klingberg could be limited to just one game, Warsofsky said he was just focused on Tuesday. The Sharks right now have eight defensemen, not including Vincent Iorio, who is on a conditioning loan with the Barracuda and could be back with the big club early next week.
“We’ve got some competition, so we’re going to put the best team out there that we think can help us win the hockey game,” Warsofsky said. “Each guy is in a different situation and has a different plan. You go from (Shakir Mukhamadullin) to Dickinson to (Liljegren) to Mario (Ferraro). Everyone’s in a different spot in their career, and you’ve got to balance that out.
“But ultimately, this is a team game and we need individuals to play really well to have team success.”