San Jose Sharks
Preview/Lines #31: Why Send Misa to WJCs, Askarov Ill, Desharnais Injury Update
PHILADELPHIA — So why release Michael Misa for the World Junior Championships?
Misa was officially announced on Monday as on the roster for Canada’s World Junior Championships training camp, which begins on Dec. 12.
The San Jose Sharks 2025 No. 2 pick is currently on an AHL conditioning loan, making his Barracuda debut this past weekend. The centerman had been out with a right ankle injury since Nov. 5.
“Obviously, the injuries set him back there a little bit. It just gives him a chance go down to the American League, play some games, and now go represent his country, and I think that’s important,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “With that group, they’re gonna have a good hockey team. It’s gonna be good for his development.”
Also eligible for Team Canada is defenseman Sam Dickinson, who wasn’t part of the Canadian camp roster. It’s still possible for the 19-year-old defenseman to join the team before the tournament begins on Dec. 26, but Warsofsky says there haven’t been any discussions with management yet about Dickinson joining Canada.
San Jose Sharks (14-13-3)
Alex Nedeljkovic will start. Yaroslav Askarov is ill but should likely be available to back up.
It looks like Jeff Skinner, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Vincent Iorio will sit out. Here’s how the Sharks lined up at morning skate:
#SJSharks lines at morning skate, looks like Skinner and Mukhamadullin out:
Graf-Celebrini-Smith⁰Eklund-Wennberg-Toffoli⁰Gaudette-Dellandrea-Kurashev⁰Reaves-Ostapchuk-Goodrow
Orlov-Liljegren⁰Ferraro-Klingberg⁰Dickinson-Leddy
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 9, 2025
Timothy Liljegren is a game-time decision with a lower-body issue: Warsofsky says Mukhamadullin is first up to replace Liljegren.
Warsofsky on maybe sitting Mukhamadullin again: "D played pretty well, coming off one of our best games of the season…had a good [convo] w/ Mukh…Works extremely hard. He's in the gym, doing everything we ask, he'll get his opportunity."
Spoke w/ Shakir after, look for that
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 9, 2025
Warsofsky says the Sharks haven’t discussed sending Mukhamadullin to the AHL on a conditioning loan. That’s a possibility for a non-waiver exempt player, pending his approval, if a player is healthy scratched for five-straight games.
Ryan Reaves has sat out the last two games, in part because of a lower-body injury, but Warsofsky also likes the match-up tonight, “This is a heavy team. Reavo has been off here for two games. Got a little healthier. He’s been one of our most consistent forwards.”
As for Skinner? Warsofsky praised Zack Ostapchuk.
“We like Chucky in that fourth-line center spot right now, he’s playing some really good hockey. Want to continue to work with him and develop him. Some things that we asked him to do in the Carolina game, he went and did it, and everyone else played pretty solid,” Warsofsky said. “Tough decision for a veteran guy [in Skinner], and he had some good looks against Carolina. But you know, the balance of our lines.”
#SJSharks power play groups…
PP1: Klingberg-Celebrini-Eklund-Toffoli-Wennberg
PP2: Orlov-Smith-Gaudette-Kurashev-Graf
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 9, 2025
Also, Warsofsky gave a Vincent Desharnais (upper-body injury) update:
Desharnais is skating but “weeks away”, out after Xmas break
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 9, 2025
Philadelphia Flyers (15-9-3)
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Where To Watch
Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers is at 4 PM PT at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.
