VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Defenseman Jake Walman has a lower-body injury and will be out of the lineup Monday night when the San Jose Sharks face the Vancouver Canucks in the last game before the Christmas break for both teams.
Walman was injured during the Sharks’ game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday is now considered day-to-day, coach Ryan Warsofsky said.
It’s a considerable loss for the Sharks, who have lost four straight games. Walman leads all Sharks defenseman with 25 points, including 20 assists, is a significant presence on both the power play and penalty kill, and leads all team skaters in average time on ice (22:50).
“Can break out pucks, is obviously a really good skater, can get out of our own end, defends with a purpose,” Warsofsky said. Helps on our power play, so we need some guys to step up tonight.”
Henry Thrun will take Walman’s spot on the left side of the Sharks’ top defense pair alongside Cody Ceci, at least to start the game.
Thrun was a healthy scratch for recent Sharks games against St. Louis, Utah, and Winnipeg but dressed for the last two games, at home against Colorado and in Edmonton, in a third-pair capacity.
“I thought he put his two best games together here as of late,” Warsofsky said of So he’ll get the first crack at that spot with cease, and we’ll go from there.
Thrun averaged 14:37 in ice time in those two games but is getting an opportunity to take on a bigger load Monday.
Please check back for updates to this story.
