Preview/Lines #25: Barabanov, Rutta Set to Return Tonight

The San Jose Sharks are getting some reinforcements tonight.

Per the Hockey News, Alexander Barabanov, out with a broken finger since Oct. 24, looks like he’ll be skating with Tomas Hertl and William Eklund tonight.

Barabanov is pointless through six games this year, but before that, the 29-year-old winger put up 93 points in 147 games in parts of three seasons with the Sharks.

On the blueline, Jan Rutta is also set to return. The veteran defender has been out with an upper-body injury since Nov. 22.

San Jose Sharks (6-16-2)

Here’s how the Sharks looked in the morning — Mackenzie Blackwood will start:

Lines at #SJSharks morning skate:

Zetterlund-Granlund-Duclair
Eklund-Hertl-Barabanov
MacDonald-Sturm-Labanc
Hoffman-Carpenter-Bailey

Ferraro-Emberson
Addison-Benning
Okhotiuk-Rutta
Vlasic Burroughs

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) December 3, 2023

New York Rangers (17-4-1)

The Rangers aren’t holding a morning skate and Peter Laviolette isn’t talking until about 12:30 PM PT, so we won’t know much about their line-up tonight until then.

Here’s how they looked in their most recent game:

New #NYR line combos:

Panarin – Zib – Laf
Kreider – Trocheck – Brodz
Vesey – Goodrow – Wheeler
Cuylle – Bonino – Pitlick

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) December 2, 2023

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers is 3 PM PT at Madison Square Garden. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.