SAN JOSE — The Sharks resumed team practice after taking two days off, but they were missing a few bodies as the team deals with a mix of injury and illness.
Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski and Erik Karlsson all were absent from morning skate Wednesday. Burns missed both practices ahead of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks because he had the flu. After that game, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said the flu bug was going around the dressing room.
“Anyone who wasn’t out there was dealing with that,” DeBoer said after Wednesday’s skate, before adding: “Other than Karlsson.”
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Karlsson has been missing from practice since aggravating a groin injury Feb. 26 against the Boston Bruins. DeBoer said Wednesday that Karlsson isn’t quite ready to return yet, meaning the defenseman likely will miss the rest of the Sharks’ current homestand.
“Making progress, but he’s not going to play this week,” the coach said. “We’ll look at next week, based on the progress he’s made through the rest of (this) week.”
On a positive note, winger Evander Kane participated in Wednesday’s practice after missing the last two contests with an undisclosed injury. Kane told the media that “things are progressing,” but he’s “not sure yet” if he’ll be ready to play in San Jose’s next game.
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San Jose Sharks
“He went out for a skate today,” DeBoer said. “He wasn’t 100 percent, but we’ll see how he feels tomorrow. That was the first step.”
The Sharks continue their four-game homestand Thursday as the Montreal Canadiens make their only trip of the season to San Jose.