Thrun Sent Down, Sharks Defense Getting Healthier

Good news, the San Jose Sharks defense is getting healthier.

Bad news for waiver-exempt Henry Thrun, the 22-year-old blueliner has been sent down to the San Jose Barracuda.

“Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. I know it was frustrating, I thought he’s been solid last few games,” San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn said of his message to Thrun. “But it’s just a position where there is huge value in going to play in the American Hockey League. He’s gonna have the puck more, he’s going to gain more confidence, he’s going to get more swagger. He’s a big part of our future.”

The top prospect, signed out of Harvard last year, has never played in the AHL.

Related, for the first time since the beginning of the regular season, Radim Simek and Nikita Okhotiuk were full participants this afternoon in Sharks practice.

Simek and Okhotiuk have been out with minor lower-body injuries since camp. They joined Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who’s also been dealing with a lower-body injury, at practice, along with Mario Ferraro, Kyle Burroughs, Matt Benning, Jan Rutta, Nikolai Knyzhov, and Ty Emberson.

That’s nine defensemen for eight roster and six line-up spots.

Quinn said that Okhotiuk, along with Vlasic, would be available for tomorrow night’s tilt against the Boston Bruins. Emberson still hasn’t played yet either.

Simek is still day-to-day, but rapidly improving.

So essentially, Okhotiuk is sliding in for Thrun on the roster.