Preview/Lines #72: Sharks Organization’s Defensive Depth Being Tested

The San Jose Sharks organization’s defensive corps has been rocked with injuries.

Jan Rutta is on IR.

Vincent Desharnais is nursing a day-to-day upper-body injury, which will keep him from traveling on the Sharks’ upcoming two-game road trip.

Henry Thrun has been out since Mar. 8 with an upper-body injury. Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been out since Mar. 15 with an upper-body injury.

In their places, four of the San Jose Barracuda’s top defensemen will play for the Sharks on Saturday night against the Rangers.

The Barracuda could be in trouble today. They could be without 5 of their top 6 defensemen:
Shakir Mukhamadullin
Luca Cagnoni
Jimmy Schuldt
Lucas Carlsson
Jack Thompson (missed yesterday’s game) https://t.co/r4wB0lHbNW

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 29, 2025

Meanwhile, the fifth-place Barracuda are fighting for their playoff lives against the third-place Abbotsford Canucks at 3 PM Saturday afternoon.

The Cuda blueline appears to be no healthier: Jack Thompson didn’t play on Friday night and Joey Keane left last night’s game with an upper-body injury. Keane is questionable for today’s contest.

The Wichita Thunder’s Jeremie Bucheler and John Gormley are also with the Cuda, both seem poised to play this afternoon.

Recently-signed Noah Beck also looks like he might make his pro debut for the Barracuda.

Good news for the San Jose Sharks, and by extension, the Barracuda, Vlasic might be an option tomorrow for the back-to-back game at the Los Angeles Kings.

But today?

Both the Sharks and the Barracuda are under siege.

San Jose Sharks (20-42-9)

Alexandar Georgiev will start.

Klim Kostin will replace Carl Grundstrom.

Just-recalled Barracuda captain Jimmy Schuldt will come in for Desharnais.

Best guess, considering how happy the Sharks were with how they played the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 6-5 shootout win on Thursday, they’ll keep similar lines:

Eklund-Celebrini-Smith
Graf-Wennberg-Toffoli
Dellandrea-Giles-Lund
Kostin-Ostapchuk-Goodrow

Ferraro-Mukhamadullin
Carlsson-Liljegren
Cagnoni-Schuldt

Georgiev

New York Rangers (34-32-7)

The Rangers lost 5-4 in OT on Friday night in Anaheim.

Igor Shesterkin took the loss, so expect Jonathan Quick between the pipes.

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs is 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.