Gushchin Hurt, Bordeleau & Gawanke Almost Back

Danil Gushchin is hurt.

The AHL All-Star winger left the game after the first period of Friday night’s 3-0 victory over the Calgary Wranglers with an upper-body injury.

“Something didn’t feel right,” San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy said afterwards. “They’re looking at it. I’m not sure how long yet.”

Is there a chance that the top San Jose Sharks prospect could miss AHL All-Star weekend on Feb. 4 and 5?

“I’m not sure,” McCarthy said. “They’re still kind of diagnosing and seeing what’s going on.”

McCarthy is hoping to know more tomorrow.

The Barracuda take on the Wranglers again tomorrow at 6 PM.

If Gushchin is out for any length of time, it would be a huge blow for the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate, which is struggling to fight its way back into the playoff race. Even after tonight’s win, they’re 10 points out of the last playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

The 2020 San Jose Sharks’ third-round pick is the Cuda’s lone representative at the upcoming AHL All-Star Game at Tech CU Arena, pacing the team with 37 points in 39 games. That’s tied for fourth in the AHL in scoring.

The Barracuda should get some firepower back soon though.

On the broadcast, Cuda play-by-play announcer Nick Nollenberger said star prospect Thomas Bordeleau could return tomorrow night. Bordeleau has been out with an undetermined injury since Jan. 3.

Bordeleau is skating with the team and could be back as soon as tomorrow per @NickNollen

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) January 27, 2024

Also, McCarthy shared that top offensive defenseman Leon Gawanke, who leads Barracuda blueliners with 27 points, is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Gawanke, out since Jan. 20, won’t be available tomorrow night, but McCarthy hopes that he’s ready to go for the Cuda’s last two games before the All-Star break on Feb. 2 and 3 in Abbotsford.