Sharks’ Will Smith out until at least new year, Warsofsky says

SAN JOSE — Will Smith will be out a while longer for the Sharks. 

San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said Monday that the second-year winger will miss time until at least January with the upper-body injury he suffered on Dec. 13 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“Smitty’s going to be out here week to week,” Warsofsky said. “We’re going to reevaluate him in the new year.”

Warsofsky declined to share further details of the injury but said Smith is “making steps daily to getting better. So that’s the big positive.”

Smith was placed on injured reserve last Monday. His status highlights another round of concerning injuries for the Sharks, which now includes fellow winger Collin Graf.

The 23-year-old took a puck to the face Monday morning after Mario Ferraro’s shot was deflected up during a drill. Graf received stitches after bleeding.

The Sharks did not provide an update on Graf’s status as of early Monday afternoon, including whether he would travel with the team to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.

“He’s gonna get stitched up and get looked at here by our docs,” Warsofsky said. “So we’ll see what they say. Anytime someone goes down, the human side of it really (is unfortunate). Not so much of how he’s been playing. But to see the blood, not a great look. So hopefully he’s OK.”

Graf has played well since elevating to the Sharks’ top line alongside Macklin Celebrini and Igor Cheryshov, scoring three goals in San Jose’s last two games and adding an assist in a loss to Dallas.

Overall, Graf is on a four-game point streak dating back to the Sharks’ game against Pittsburgh. He has six goals and nine points in San Jose’s last eight contests.

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