SAN JOSE – Center Nico Sturm will be a game-time decision Saturday when San Jose Sharks play the New Jersey Devils at SAP Center but forward William Eklund is close to a return after missing the last week with an upper-body injury.
Sturm was injured late in the first period of Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay when he blocked a shot from Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh. Sturm crumpled to the ice but made his way to the bench and remained there for a few moments in obvious discomfort before he retreated to the Sharks’ dressing room.
Sturm returned for the start of the second period and had 8:02 in ice time as the Sharks (12-23-6) earned a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay to snap an eight-game losing streak. But Sturm did not skate Friday morning and is considered questionable to play against the Devils.
Although he hasn’t been used on the penalty kill as much as last season, Sturm, the Sharks’ fourth-line center, is fifth on the team in faceoffs taken this season (186) and first in faceoff percentage (61.8). He has nine points in 36 games, on pace to better the 13 points he had in 63 games last year.
If Sturm can’t play, Barclay Goodrow could slide from the wing to center.
“He’s playing well right now. I think he’s playing some of his best hockey,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Sturm. “So if he can’t go, it’ll be a tough loss. But we’ve got some guys that can slide into the middle that have been there and done it before, so kind of everything’s a little bit up in the air right now.”
Eklund was injured in the Sharks’ Dec. 23 game in Vancouver as he absorbed a big hit from Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers. Eklund has missed the last four games but skated again Friday morning, with his availability determined closer to Saturday’s 1 p.m. game time.
Eklund, who is on injured reserve, remains tied for second in points on the Sharks with 27 in 36 games. If the Sharks wish to activate him, they must first create a roster opening, as they are at the 23-man limit right now.
Other Sharks players who stayed off the ice Friday included defenseman Cody Ceci and forwards Alexander Wennberg and Mikael Granlund. Warsofsky said those three “should be ready for tomorrow,” with Sturm being the biggest game time decision.
Carl Grundstrom, who was placed on IR on Thursday with an upper-body injury, skated Friday morning. He is eligible to be activated on Sunday.
WALMAN UPDATE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman, who has missed five straight games with a lower-body injury, skated for the second straight day before Friday’s practice.
“So, hopefully, (he’s) moving in the right direction,” Warsofsky said.
Walman leads all Sharks defensemen with 25 points in 31 games. The Sharks were in an offensive malaise for most of December, averaging 2.08 goals in 13 games, second-fewest in the NHL, and without Walman, have scored just nine goals, including seven at even strength.
