Sharks Injury Update: “Optimistic” Smith & Kurashev Will Return Before Olympic Break, Klingberg Doubtful Tomorrow

There’s now a more definitive Will Smith injury timeline.

The young San Jose Sharks star was injured on Dec. 13 at the Pittsburgh Penguins, felled with an upper-body injury.

Smith has been pretty much week-to-week since then.

“He’s still week- to-week. He’s progressing really well, but he’s still in that week-to-week category,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said on Friday after practice.

Could this injury extend past the February Olympic break?

“We’re pretty optimistic that we’ll get them back before the break,” Warsofsky said.

This also applies to Philipp Kurashev, also felled in the same game by an upper-body injury.

The San Jose Sharks’ last game before the Olympic break is Feb. 4 at the Colorado Avalanche. Kurashev is also likely to be named to the Swiss Olympic team.

There was plenty of other San Jose Sharks injury news after practice today:

Defenseman John Klingberg (lower-body) is doubtful to play on Saturday. Defenseman Timothy Liljegren (upper-body) is probable to return in his place. Liljegren also took Klingberg’s place next to Dmitry Orlov and on the power play.

#SJSharks lines today, no Klingberg/Gaudette, Liljegren & Desharnais practicing:

Eklund-Celebrini-Chernyshov
Graf-Wennberg-Toffoli
Regenda-Dellandrea-Skinner
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Reaves

Ferraro-Mukhamadullin
Orlov-Liljegren
Dickinson-Iorio
Leddy-Desharnais

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 2, 2026

#SJSharks power play groups at practice sans Klingberg…

PP1: Orlov-Celebrini-Eklund-Toffoli-Wennberg
PP2: Liljegren-Skinner-Graf-Chernyshov-Regenda

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 2, 2026

Adam Gaudette (lower-body) is still out, but can be considered day-to-day.

Vincent Desharnais (upper-body) participated in his first full practice in about a month today and appears to be on the verge of being upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day.