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 Year’s 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 host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and travel to play the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said he didn’t believe Klingberg’s injury would keep him out of the lineup long-term. After Wednesday, the Sharks return home play the Dallas Stars on Saturday and the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Klingberg, 31, in second in scoring among all Sharks defenseman behind Dmitry Orlov with 16 points in 31 games. He is also second among all Sharks skaters in average time on ice (21:37). Orlov has 20 points in 41 games and is averaging 21:38 in ice time per game.

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. Giles has nine points in 28 games with the Barracuda this season.

OTHER INJURIES

While Klingberg will miss at least the next two games, two other Sharks players appear close to a return.

Defenseman Vincent Desharnais, out with upper body injury since late November, practiced again Monday. Warsofsky said he would get a medical report on the 29-year-old defenseman before determining whether he would be available to play against the Blue Jackets.

If Desharnais is activated off of IR, the Sharks, who are already at 23 players, would have to clear a roster spot for him. Desharnais’ last game came on Nov. 26 when the Sharks lost 6-0 to the Colorado Avalanche.

Forward Adam Gaudette (lower body) also practiced again Monday and said afterward that his body felt good. Gaudette had to leave the Sharks’ game against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 29, saying Monday he “pulled something,” forcing him to miss the last two games.

“My hips have been off since I took (a) puck to the foot, and things were just not aligned right,” said Gaudette, adding that he needed a few days, “just to get back to normal, get everything sorted out and the soreness to stop. But I feel like I’m in a good spot now.”

Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin, who was injured during Saturday’s game, felt better Monday, Warsofsky said, and is considered day-to-day.

Forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev are considered week-to-week, with both expected back before the Olympic break in early February.

The Sharks (20-18-3) entered Monday just outside of a playoff spot, with the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings occupying the two wild card spots in the Western Conference. San Jose, Seattle and Los Angeles all have 43 points, but the Sharks have played more games and have a lower points percentage (.524) than the Kraken (.551) and Kings (.538).