Preview/Lines #69: Blackwood Is Back, Stamkos on Duclair’s Impact

Mackenzie Blackwood is back.

Blackwood, who left Feb. 27’s tilt against the New Jersey Devils with a minor groin injury, has been out since. He’s been a regular at practice but has been cautious in his return. Now, more than three weeks later, he’ll get the start against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Blackwood is grateful to the Sharks for their patience with his injury: “They’ve been great, especially in a year like this, you don’t want to come back too soon. If you’re fighting for a playoff spot, it kind of puts a little bit of added pressure on you internally to want to get back. But they’ve been really patient and really good, just let this thing get back to 100 percent and have no setbacks moving forward.”

The 27-year-old has learned the importance of not rushing injuries over the years.

‘Wiser’ Blackwood Handling Injuries Differently With Sharks Than He Did With Devils

San Jose Sharks (16-45-7)

Magnus Chrona was sent down and Devin Cooley will back up. Quinn says that they want to get Chrona some more games.

William Eklund is going to the fourth line. Henry Thrun will play and it sounds like Jacob MacDonald is out.

This is how they practiced this morning:

I Think Eklund is starting on the 4th line?

Kostin-Granlund-Zetterlund
Zadina- Kunin-Barabanov
Bordeleau-Sturm-Bailey
Hoffman-Carpenter-Eklund

Ferraro-Burroughs
Thrun-Rutta-MacDonald
Vlasic-Addison

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 21, 2024

Mike Hoffman took consecutive shifts with Ryan Carpenter and Eklund, but he was one of the last on the ice for morning skate. So perhaps he doesn’t feel ready to come back or he was just getting himself extra-ready for his return?

We’ll see tonight.

Tampa Bay Lightning (37-25-6)

The Sharks sent Anthony Duclair to the Lightning right before the Trade Deadline for a 2024 third-round pick and prospect Jack Thompson.

Duclair has apparently fit in seamlessly, scoring three goals in four games for the Bolts.

“He’s been a spark for us,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said this morning. “Just the skill-set that he brings, and the speed, it’s been a really big addition to our top-six. It just opens up a lot of space by utilizing that speed and that’s when you see the skill-set take over.

“Just a great guy in the room too.”

This is how the Lightning lined up in their last game:

Our crew for #TBLvsVGK 👇 pic.twitter.com/BynNsut57V

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 20, 2024

Where to Watch

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