Will Smith played 13:27 on Tuesday, his second-lowest of the season.

Notably, he was pulled off the 6-on-5 at the end of the game, a customary spot for him, when the San Jose Sharks need a goal.

The Sharks lost at the Edmonton Oilers 5-3.

After the game, a frustrated Ryan Warsofsky made these comments, when asked about taking Smith off the 6-on-5 and rotating three wingers, including Smith, alongside center Macklin Celebrini for the last two periods of the game.

Warsofsky didn’t say much post-game, but this was a statement: “For four years, we’ve worked on development and getting guys better, kind of handing some things to some players. You got to earn your ice from hereonout.”#SJSharks are 1 point out of the playoffs right now

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 18, 2026

Warsofsky, on moving Misa off of center: “I’m just trying to get someone to play with Mack.”

That was also basically his explanation for rotating 3 wingers, Misa, Graf & Smith with Celebrini from the second period on

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 18, 2026

The San Jose Sharks had the day off yesterday, today’s a new day, so here’s what Smith and Warsofsky had to say.

Warsofsky did move Smith off Celebrini’s line, but he’s still in the top-six with Alex Wennberg and Pavol Regenda.

Smith is also still on the top power play unit.

He’s been pointless in his last four games and has two assists in his last seven.

Will Smith, on Warsofsky’s message to him:

Just as it comes to the end of the season, just make sure I’m competing. Like I’ve said before, there’s a lot of points on the line here, especially for the playoffs coming up. Just gotta be better.

Smith, on the difference between the playoff-like hockey now as opposed to earlier this season:

Every team is playing harder. It’s a tight race.

It’s just more physical. I think faster. I think everyone’s, like I said, getting ready for the playoffs. So it’s a different level of game.

Smith, on if he wants to shoot more:

I always want to shoot more. I think when you have a shooting mentality, you’re always going to score more. So definitely got to shoot more.

Smith, on what he wants to bring from well-played but scoreless games at Boston and Montreal, into tonight’s game:

I think I was skating. I think I was making a lot of plays. And just want to bring that to tonight.

Ryan Warsofsky, on his message to Smith:

Just go play. He’s overthinking at times, and he’s hit a little speed bump in developing, and we’re there to help him and push him and grind, get through it with him.

Is it going to happen overnight? No, but we continue to work on it and get better at it. Will is certainly aware, and we know he can play better.

You’re going to have this [speed bump] again in his career, maybe be three years now. Might be five years now.

When you’re maybe not chipping in as much offensively, how else can you impact the game?

Warsofsky, on if he wants Smith to shoot more:

Just when he has the puck on his stick, I want him to keep the puck on his stick and drive pucks and be aggressive. You have a lot more time sometimes than you think to go make plays. He’s got the skill and the ability that we’ve seen him do that. Just gotta get his confidence back.

Warsofsky, on moving Tyler Toffoli and Smith to different lines:

Just trying to get guys going. Toff has played with Mack. He’s played some really good hockey with him.

He’s a guy that can score, put it in the back of the net, especially this time of year. That’s part of it.

And with Smith, just to get him going, I think Wenny can complement him really well. Balances our lines and we’ll see how it plays out.

San Jose Sharks (32-28-6)

Alex Nedeljkovic will start.

Shakir Mukhamadullin will come in for John Klingberg.

Toffoli-Celebrini-Graf
Smith-Wennberg-Regenda
Eklund-Misa-Sherwood
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette

Orlov-Desharnais
Dickinson-Ferraro
Mukhamadullin-Leddy

Nedeljkovic

“He’s gotta be better,” Warsofsky said, on his message to Klingberg. “That’s really it.”

Warsofsky spoke on keeping Leddy in the line-up: “He helped us break out pucks. I thought he stabilized some things back there as being a veteran guy and he’s played in these moments, so he’s earned another shot of giving us what he did the other night against Edmonton.”

The bench boss recognized that Leddy had both high-and-low moments in that game: “Every player, they make mistakes. But he did some really good things. Used his legs, his skating is one of his best attributes. Had a couple good breakouts by himself, something that we need to get better at. He’s earned it.”

Warsofsky also added, about Mukhamadullin’s return to the line-up: “Just play. Just go play and use his skating, use his strengths and take it one shift at a time.”

Sam Dickinson will get on the power play.

PP1: Orlov-Celebrini-Smith-Toffoli-Wennberg
PP2: Dickinson-Eklund-Misa-Sherwood-Regenda

What do #SJSharks want from Dickinson on PP?

Also, Warsofsky said, on why it took so long to put Dickinson on PP: “Sometimes, putting too much on someone’s plate breaking into the league [can] be overwhelming.”

Check out SJHN Instagram –> https://t.co/wRQiveg6rT

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 19, 2026

Askarov and Chernyshov skated on their own today, says Warsofsky, both good signs.

But no update on their timelines.

Dellandrea is still considered week-to-week

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 19, 2026

Buffalo Sabres (42-20-6)

Alex Lyon should start.

Tuch skated with Thompson and Benson so signs are he’s back in. #Sabres

— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) March 19, 2026

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres is at 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.