SAN JOSE — San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg was placed on injured reserve on Monday with a lower body ailment and will have to miss at least the next two games.
Klingberg was injured in the Sharks’ New Years Eve game against the Minnesota Wild and did not play in Saturday’s home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Defenseman Timothy Liljegren stepped into the lineup for the Sharks on Saturday in what became a 7-3 loss to the Lightning.
The Sharks play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and travel to play the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
Klingberg, 31, in second in scoring among all Sharks defenseman with 16 points in 31 games. He is also second among all Sharks skaters in average time on ice (21:37).
The Sharks recalled center Patrick Giles from the Barracuda to take Klingberg’s spot on the roster. Giles was also recalled by the Sharks earlier this season, played three games and had an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 2.
Also on IR for the Sharks right now are forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev and defenseman Vincent Desharnais. All are out with upper body injuries. Smith and Kurashev are considered week-to-week, with both expected back before the Olympic break in early February, and Desharnais is closer to day-to-day after he missed all of December.
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