It looks like the San Jose Sharks are breathing a sigh of relief on Mackenzie Blackwood’s injury.
Blackwood left yesterday’s game against the New Jersey Devils in the first period with a lower-body injury.
They put Blackwood on IR this morning, which takes him out of the line-up for at least a week, and possibly, past the Mar. 8 Trade Deadline.
“It shouldn’t be for a long time,” San Jose Sharks head coach David Quinn said today. When asked if the injury could be of the 1-to-2 week variety, he said, “I think so. That’s what it looks like.”
Of extra concern, Blackwood has gone through the injury gauntlet in his previous two seasons. Playing for the Devils, he’s only appeared in 47 games in those years because of heel, sprained MCL, and groin injuries.
Good news, Quinn says this injury is not related to those ailments.
“It’s just a fluky, playing in a full NHL season, something happens to you, you’re gonna miss a short period of [time injury],” he said. “It’s pretty good news based on what it might have been.”
If Blackwood can’t return by Mar. 8, that could complicate the San Jose Sharks’ theoretical plans to trade pending UFA Kaapo Kahkonen. Blackwood is signed for another year past this season at $2.35 million AAV.
Both Kahkonen and Blackwood, on one of the worst teams in the league, have been bright spots. Per Evolving Hockey, Blackwood has a +9.12 Goals Saved Above Expected and Kahkonen a +4.43, both above-average marks.
In Blackwood’s stead, the San Jose Sharks have recalled Magnus Chrona. Chrona is 5-13-4 with an .892 Save % with the San Jose Barracuda. The 23-year-old prospect made his NHL debut earlier this season and has a 0-1-0 record and a .724 Save %.
The Sharks do have a back-to-back on the road in the coming week, Mar. 2 at Dallas and Mar. 3 in Minnesota, so there’s a good chance that Chrona will get a chance to improve on those numbers.
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