Sharks Prospects Hit Early Roadblock As Camp Battle Already Changes

The San Jose Sharks face early challenges in their training camp as several key prospects are sidelined by significant injuries.

San Jose Sharks training camp opened with a rough injury update for a pair of forwards who were hoping to make noise in camp.

Quentin Musty and Cam Lund both suffered upper-body injuries during last weekend’s Rookie Faceoff at Tech CU Arena, and Sharks general manager Mike Grier said Thursday that each will miss significant time. Grier said Musty and goalie Kyle Keyser, who also has an upper-body injury, will be out “for a couple months at least.”

Lund’s situation is shorter-term, but still a setback. Grier said the injury he sustained in the first period of Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings will keep him sidelined for at least a month and through the start of the regular season.

Musty, a first-round pick in 2023, had been coming off a strong season with the Barracuda, where he finished fourth on the team in scoring last year. His injury came after a game in which he fought Kings defenseman Jared Woolley following what he believed was a questionable hit on Lund. When Musty spoke to reporters the next day, he had a visible mark on his face.

“Talking to him, he’s a little bit down and disappointed,” Grier said of Musty, a first-round pick in 2023. “But all you can do is put your head down and get back to work.

Attack your rehab, so when you are healthy, you’re ready to go and can hit the ground running. Get your game back on track, so you can get an opportunity to be the next guy called up when you do get healthy.

“(Lund) has had some bad luck here, too. Got concussed last year in the rookie tournament, had a freak injury last year where he was doing really well, so he’s disappointed.

“It’s a part of the sport. We’ve got to support them as best as we can as an organization, and they’ve just got to have a positive mindset and attack the rehab, so they come back stronger and better.”

Keyser’s injury wasn’t immediately pinpointed, but it already pushed the Sharks into action. Earlier this month, they signed former NHL goalie Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, two-way contract. Samsonov, who was born in Russia, has not yet reported to camp because he is dealing with immigration issues.

Grier also said center Filip Bystedt and defenseman Mattias Havelid, both expected to begin the season with the Barracuda, are day-to-day with injuries and could return to camp later this week.

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