SAN JOSE -- After an emotional couple of weeks, Evander Kane is excited to get back in the lineup as the Sharks prepare to host the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
The winger hasn’t played since Feb. 26 when the Sharks fell 4-1 to the Bruins in Boston, as Kane was sidelined with what the team classified as a mid-body injury.
Earlier this week, Kane issued a statement via social media revealing that during that stretch he and his wife lost their daughter during pregnancy. Kane returned to practice Thursday, but he wasn't in the lineup that night when the Sharks hosted the Florida Panthers.
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“It was nice to go through my pregame routine and get ready for tonight,” he told the media Saturday morning. “It’ll be nice to get back in game action.”
Since the Sharks held an optional practice Saturday morning, it isn’t completely clear where Kane will play in the lineup. However, it’s expected he will return to his place on Tomas Hertl’s wing, where he has had success.
It is possible Sharks coach Peter DeBoer could pencil Gustav Nyquist on Hertl’s other wing. While he hasn’t played with Nyquist yet, Kane was complimentary of the Sharks’ newest addition to their lineup.
“He’s a pretty crafty guy, has some good puck poise,” Kane said. “He can skate, isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas, and I think you’ve seen that with a couple of his goals recently. I think that bodes well for our group, and if we can get him going, it’s going to create more depth for us up front.”
San Jose Sharks
Kane has registered 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists) and 149 penalty minutes through 64 games played for Team Teal this season.