SAN JOSE – Injuries have been an issue so far for the San Jose Sharks in training camp with defenseman Radim Simek becoming the latest player to be sidelined, at least in the short term.
Simek was injured late in the first period of Wednesday’s preseason game with Anaheim as he collided with Ducks forward Nikita Nesterenko inside the Sharks’ zone. Simek was not able to put much weight on his leg as he remained on the ice for several seconds before he went to the bench and limped down the tunnel to the Sharks’ dressing room.
Simek did not return to the game, a 4-2 Sharks loss, and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body malady, a relatively positive prognosis considering the defenseman’s injury history over his NHL career, which began in 2018.
Simek suffered ACL and MCL tears in his right knee in March 2019 and has been sidelined at times with various ailments over the last four years. Last season, Simek was hampered by concussion issues and played only 44 of 82 games, averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time per night.
“I felt good for him that this was a hockey injury he hasn’t had in the past,” Sharks coach David Quinn said of Simek Thursday. “It’s nothing more than something a little time will heal without him wondering when (he might return).”
Injuries have forced a handful of players to miss precious days in camp with the Oct. 12 season-opener against the Vegas Golden Knights two weeks away.
The Sharks are already without captain Logan Couture, who is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury as he still has not skated in camp. Fellow center Mikael Granlund, also with a lower-body issue, skated Thursday but left the ice with about 20 minutes left in practice.
“It’s all precautionary. He wanted to go and try it, he felt some discomfort and went off,” Quinn said of Granlund. “But the fact that he was able to get out there today and get to that point … we’ll just probably err on the side of caution moving forward here and monitor as we continue to go.”
Sharks winger Filip Zadina, also hurt in Wednesday’s game after he was hit from behind by Ducks winger Alex Killorn late in the third period, did not practice Thursday but could be back on the ice as soon as Friday, Quinn said.
Fabian Zetterlund, who had a lower-body injury late in Tuesday’s game, skated Thursday. Kevin Labanc did not practice Thursday and Quinn said the forward felt some discomfort in his upper body and stayed off the ice.
Sharks forward Adam Raska also had to leave the ice midway through the first period Wednesday after he was struck in the side of the face by a shot from the point inside the Ducks zone. Raska, though, was able to return in the second period and finished with four shots on goal in 8:41 of ice time.
Quinn said he’s not concerned about the number of injuries in camp, at least not yet.
“It will be if it’s long term, but none of them will be, I don’t think,” Quinn said.
“You’re going from summer hockey to this, so I think it’s an indication of how hard these guys have worked. They’ve put a lot of work into everything we’ve done. I couldn’t ask for any more out of these guys. They have been dialed in mentally and physically. It’s been a good camp.”