The Sharks were forced to watch Igor Chernyshov head to the locker room Thursday night, and San Jose quickly labeled the winger doubtful to return against the Ottawa Senators with an injury.
The issue seemed to happen late in the first period. Chernyshov took a Nikolas Matinpalo shot off his left arm, then came off in discomfort before heading down the tunnel. He did not come back.
By the time he exited, Chernyshov had logged 4:54 of ice time, with the game tied 1-1. His night ended with one shot, two hits, and the blocked shot that led to the injury.
An update on Chernyshov’s condition is expected after the game, or later if the Sharks need more evaluation before Saturday’s matchup with the Boston Bruins.
The injury comes during a somewhat quiet start for Chernyshov, especially compared with last season’s production and the top-line opportunity he’s received alongside Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Through 10 games this season, he has two goals and two assists for four points.
With Chernyshov unavailable, Collin Graf has moved into the top-line left wing spot with Celebrini and Smith. That combination has a decent track record: in 299:39 together across their careers, the trio has outscored opponents 15-11 and posted a 49.11% 5v5 expected goal share, according to Natural Stat Trick.
If Chernyshov has to miss additional time, the Sharks’ likely next move would be to turn to Adam Gaudette, their only healthy scratch at forward. Gaudette has not yet appeared in a game for San Jose this season.
Chernyshov was San Jose’s second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, taken 33rd overall. He made a quick impression in the organization, debuting late in the next season with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL before earning a full-time NHL role the season after that.
In Other News...
Sharks Suddenly Face A Bigger Wennberg Problem Than Expected
Alexander Wennbergs absence has become a more meaningful issue for the Sharks than it first seemed. The veteran center left a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an upper-body injury, missed the next couple of games and has forced San Jose to keep its forward group unchanged for the time being, with Collin Graf sliding into the middle in his place.
The immediate concern is less about one lineup shuffle than how long the Sharks will have to manage without a player they were counting on for stability down the middle. The club is treating the situation cautiously and will have a better read once it gets back to San Jose from the road trip, when Wennberg is due for another evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Just Exposed A Canadiens Problem That Could Keep Hurting Them
The Canadiens came into their matchup with San Jose looking for a steadier start to a season that had already begun to wobble, and instead they left with another reminder of how fragile their early leads have been. Montreal was sitting at 4-3-2 and still outside playoff position, a spot that feels increasingly uncomfortable for a club that entered the year with better expectations.
What happened against the Sharks fit a pattern that has started to follow the Canadiens around, with a two-goal cushion slipping away for the fourth time this season before the game turned into a 4-3 overtime loss. For San Jose, it was another example of a young team hanging around long enough to punish mistakes, while for Montreal it added fresh urgency to a problem that does not look like a one-off anymore. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Game Suddenly Drew Attention For A Trade Story Fans Should Watch
A routine Canadiens-Sharks matchup in Montreal suddenly looked a lot more like a trade-radar night, with scouts from 17 NHL teams in the building. When that many front offices show up for the same game, it usually means the interest goes well beyond the final score, and the leaguewide buzz quickly followed the action on the ice.
The chatter swirling around the scene has centered on goaltending, with reports and rumors tying Karel Vejmelka to possible Rangers trade interest as part of a broader web that could involve multiple teams. Nothing is confirmed, and the names being floated also include Connor Hellebuyck and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but the fact that so many clubs were watching in person suggests this is the kind of story that could keep developing well past one night in Montreal. [Read more 🡒]