Will Smith played 13:27 on Tuesday, his second-lowest of the season.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Sharks lost at the Edmonton Oilers 5-3.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> are 1 point out of the playoffs right now<\/p>\n \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Warsofsky, on moving Misa off of center: “I’m just trying to get someone to play with Mack.”<\/p>\n That was also basically his explanation for rotating 3 wingers, Misa, Graf & Smith with Celebrini from the second period on<\/p>\n \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The San Jose Sharks had the day off yesterday, today\u2019s a new day, so here\u2019s what Smith and Warsofsky had to say.<\/p>\n Warsofsky did move Smith off Celebrini\u2019s line, but he\u2019s still in the top-six with Alex Wennberg and Pavol Regenda.<\/p>\n Smith is also still on the top power play unit.<\/p>\n He\u2019s been pointless in his last four games and has two assists in his last seven.<\/p>\n Will Smith, on Warsofsky\u2019s message to him:<\/p>\n Just as it comes to the end of the season, just make sure I\u2019m competing. Like I\u2019ve said before, there\u2019s a lot of points on the line here, especially for the playoffs coming up. Just gotta be better.<\/p>\n Smith, on the difference between the playoff-like hockey now as opposed to earlier this season:<\/p>\n Every team is playing harder. It\u2019s a tight race.<\/p>\n It\u2019s just more physical. I think faster. I think everyone\u2019s, like I said, getting ready for the playoffs. So it\u2019s a different level of game.<\/p>\n Smith, on if he wants to shoot more:<\/p>\n I always want to shoot more. I think when you have a shooting mentality, you\u2019re always going to score more. So definitely got to shoot more.<\/p>\n Smith, on what he wants to bring from well-played but scoreless games at Boston and Montreal, into tonight\u2019s game:<\/p>\n I think I was skating. I think I was making a lot of plays. And just want to bring that to tonight.<\/p>\n Ryan Warsofsky, on his message to Smith:<\/p>\n Just go play. He\u2019s overthinking at times, and he\u2019s hit a little speed bump in developing, and we\u2019re there to help him and push him and grind, get through it with him.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n You\u2019re going to have this [speed bump] again in his career, maybe be three years now. Might be five years now.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re maybe not chipping in as much offensively, how else can you impact the game?<\/p>\n Warsofsky, on if he wants Smith to shoot more:<\/p>\n 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\u2019s got the skill and the ability that we\u2019ve seen him do that. Just gotta get his confidence back.<\/p>\n Warsofsky, on moving Tyler Toffoli and Smith to different lines:<\/p>\n Just trying to get guys going. Toff has played with Mack. He\u2019s played some really good hockey with him.<\/p>\n He\u2019s a guy that can score, put it in the back of the net, especially this time of year. That\u2019s part of it.<\/p>\n And with Smith, just to get him going, I think Wenny can complement him really well. Balances our lines and we\u2019ll see how it plays out.<\/p>\n San Jose Sharks (32-28-6)<\/p>\n Alex Nedeljkovic will start.<\/p>\n Shakir Mukhamadullin will come in for John Klingberg.<\/p>\n Toffoli-Celebrini-Graf Orlov-Desharnais Nedeljkovic<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s gotta be better,\u201d Warsofsky said, on his message to Klingberg. \u201cThat\u2019s really it.\u201d<\/p>\n Warsofsky spoke on keeping Leddy in the line-up: \u201cHe helped us break out pucks. I thought he stabilized some things back there as being a veteran guy and he\u2019s played in these moments, so he\u2019s earned another shot of giving us what he did the other night against Edmonton.\u201d<\/p>\n The bench boss recognized that Leddy had both high-and-low moments in that game: \u201cEvery 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\u2019s earned it.\u201d<\/p>\n Warsofsky also added, about Mukhamadullin\u2019s return to the line-up: \u201cJust play. Just go play and use his skating, use his strengths and take it one shift at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam Dickinson will get on the power play.<\/p>\n PP1: Orlov-Celebrini-Smith-Toffoli-Wennberg What do #SJSharks<\/a> want from Dickinson on PP?<\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n Check out SJHN Instagram \u2013> https:\/\/t.co\/wRQiveg6rT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Askarov and Chernyshov skated on their own today, says Warsofsky, both good signs.<\/p>\n But no update on their timelines.<\/p>\n Dellandrea is still considered week-to-week<\/p>\n \u2014 Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Buffalo Sabres (42-20-6)<\/p>\n Alex Lyon should start.<\/p>\n Tuch skated with Thompson and Benson so signs are he\u2019s back in. #Sabres<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Where To Watch<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Smith-Wennberg-Regenda
Eklund-Misa-Sherwood
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette<\/p>\n
Dickinson-Ferraro
Mukhamadullin-Leddy<\/p>\n
PP2: Dickinson-Eklund-Misa-Sherwood-Regenda<\/p>\n