Preview/Lines #33: Will Smith Back, Kostin Goes to IR

One door opens and another closes.

Will Smith, who last played in Dec. 5 at the Tampa Bay Lightning, is back in the line-up after a minimum stay on IR.

“I just got a little banged up,” Smith said. “Just wanted to be safe and kind of strengthen it back up a little bit, and I’m ready to go.”

However, Klim Kostin, playing some of his best hockey of the year, is going on IR with an upper-body injury.

“I’m not exactly sure. I think in that scrum there,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said about Kostin, who exited the Dec. 12 game at the St. Louis Blues in the second period.

A scrum between the Sharks and Blues had exploded after Kostin caught Brayden Schenn with a hard hit.

Hopefully, Kostin’s stay on IR will be as long as Smith’s. Kostin will be out at least a week and be available, at earliest, on Dec. 21 at the Edmonton Oilers.

“He’s feeling better,” Warsofsky said.

San Jose Sharks (11-16-5)

Vitek Vanecek will start.

Tyler Toffoli (illness) is a game-time decision.

Here’s how the Sharks lined up in morning skate, obviously Toffoli playing tonight will shake these lines up.

Don’t see Toffoli on the ice either, besides Kostin’s absence. Smith looks like he’s in again.

Lines this morning:

Eklund-Granlund-Kunin
Kovalenko-Celebrini-Zetterlund
Goodrow-Wennberg-Smith
Grundstrom-Sturm-Dellandrea

Walman-Ceci
Ferraro-Liljegren
Mukhamadullin-Rutta

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 14, 2024

Power play groups:

Walman-Celebrini-Wennberg-Granlund-Kunin

Liljegren-Kovalenko-Smith-Eklund-Zetterlund

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) December 14, 2024

Utah Hockey Club (13-11-5)

Karel Vejmelka will start.

#UtahHC practice lines:

Keller-Hayton-Schmaltz
McBain-Cooley-Guenther
Maccelli-Bjugstad-Crouse
Carcone-Stenlund-Kerfoot
O’Brien

Sergachev-Määttä
Cole-Kesselring
Välimäki-Kolyachonok
Mermis

— Belle Fraser (@bellefraser1) December 14, 2024

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Utah Hockey Club is 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.