DENVER – Kiefer Sherwood will make his San Jose Sharks debut on Wednesday when they play the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche in the last game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Sherwood, who has been on injured reserve with an upper body issue, was a full participant in the Sharks’ 45-minute practice in Chicago on Tuesday as he skated on the team’s top line alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Sherwood will stay on that line for Wednesday’s game as the Sharks look to snap a three-game losing streak.
“Those guys are world-class players. Their magic speaks for itself,” Sherwood said Tuesday of playing with Celebrini and Smith. “I’ll try to play to their strengths, win some pucks back, create some space for them, and just get them the puck.”
The Sharks have tried Tyler Toffoli, William Eklund and Collin Graf on Celebrini’s line, and hope Sherwood can take ownership of that role.
“I think he can win pucks,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Sherwood. “He can help win pucks and keep pucks alive and keep that line in the offensive zone. He brings a level of physicality, which is an identity setter for our group.”
The Sharks also created a spot on their 23-man roster for Sherwood on Tuesday afternoon by placing forward Ryan Reaves on injured reserve. Reaves is considered day-to-day with an upper-body ailment.
Sherwood, with 17 goals in 44 games this season, figures be a valuable addition to a Sharks team that entered Wednesday three points back of the Seattle Kraken for the Western Conference’s second and final wild card spot.
“I’ve been itching for a long time once I found out about the trade,” Sherwood said after Tuesday’s practice. “So I’m just excited to get to know the guys, play with them, and build something special here.”
Goalie Yaroslav Askarov will start Wednesday’s game for the Sharks. Forwards Pavol Regenda, Jeff Skinner, and defenseman Sam Dickinson will be the healthy scratches.
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