San Jose Sharks forward Michael Misa was placed on injured reserve on Thursday.
Misa suffered a lower-body injury the morning of the Sharks’ matchup against the Seattle Kraken. The 2025 No. 2 pick in the NHL Draft was about to play his eighth career game before the injury.
Michael Misa has been placed on injured reserve by the #SJSharks. He’ll have to miss both of this weekend’s games at the very least. Tough break for him.— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) November 6, 2025
Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said Misa is still being evaluated. The extent and timeline of the top prospect’s injury are still unknown.
In response to the move, the Sharks have recalled Zack Ostapchuk from the San Jose Barracuda.
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Through nine games this season, Ostapchuk has two goals and one assist.
The San Jose Sharks might be able to benefit from Misa’s injury, as there is a chance he could be sent to the AHL on a conditioning loan. SHD has inquired with sources about the potential eligibility limits surrounding Misa for the AHL, but the information is unclear.
In the NHL’s CBA, Rule 13.8 defines what a conditioning loan is, but doesn’t say how a player can become eligible for one.
Here is the rule:
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“13.8 Conditioning Loan. Unless a Player consents, he shall not be Loaned on a Conditioning Loan to a minor league club. Such Conditioning Loan shall not extend for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days. The Commissioner may take whatever steps he deems necessary to investigate the circumstances under which a Player is Loaned on a Conditioning Loan. If the Commissioner has reason to believe or determines that the Club has used the Conditioning Loan to evade Waivers, or otherwise Circumvent any provision of this Agreement, he may take such disciplinary action against the Club, as he deems appropriate. The Player shall continue, during the period of such Conditioning Loan, to receive the same Paragraph 1 NHL Salary, and be entitled to the same benefits, that he would have received had he continued to play with the Club.”
The definitions of how long a player can be in the AHL on a conditioning loan are clear. As stated before, the only question is what makes an injured player eligible for a conditioning loan.
What examples can the Sharks take as reference points?
There are examples of players being sent to the AHL when they aren’t eligible.
One example would be Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright. In 2022, Wright was a healthy scratch for five consecutive games, allowing him to be sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint.
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The word “stint” is essential, as the San Jose Sharks would be sending Misa on a conditioning loan, should they choose to do so. A loan is used because Misa is injured, not a healthy scratch.
An example that relates closely to Misa and the San Jose Sharks situation is Kirby Dach’s rookie season. The 2019 No. 3 overall pick suffered a concussion during the 2019 preseason.
Before sending him on a conditioning loan, the Chicago Blackhawks listed Dach as an injured/non-roster player. The team then had to activate the player before the conditioning stint.
Dach, who was 18 at the time, played three games in the AHL before being recalled to the NHL. He would remain in the NHL for the rest of the season, rather than being loaned back to the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL.
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If the Sharks decide to send Misa to the AHL on a conditioning loan, the player must approve it. Teams aren’t able to freely send down an injured player whenever they want to get their roster in their desired state.
The team can also feel it is unnecessary to send Misa on a conditioning loan. Seven days following the date of the injury, the Sharks can activate Misa from IR.
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