Sharks’ Alex Wennberg out with upper-body injury

Wennberg, 32, missed 10 games earlier this season with an upper-body injury before returning for San Jose’s last two games. Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky confirmed that Wennberg’s current issue is not new, but the same as his previous injury.

“Just something we got to manage through,” Warsofsky said. “We have three (games) in four (days) coming up here, so something we got to manage. Then we get a couple days, so hopefully, we can get over the hump here.”

In 11 games played this season, the Swedish national has no goals and three assists while averaging about 20 and a half minutes of ice time. Last season, he finished third on the team in scoring with 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points in 80 games.

Wennberg is in his third season with San Jose after signing a two-year, $10 million contract with the Sharks as an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season. He is currently in the first season of a three-year, $18 million contract extension he signed in January.

Selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Wennberg played his first six NHL seasons in Columbus, including his career-best campaign in 2016-17 when he registered 13 goals and 46 assists for 59 points in 80 games, before spending time with the Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and finally San Jose.

With 18 points through 21 games, the Sharks are currently in fifth place in the Pacific Division.

After Saturday’s game in Utah, San Jose begins a four-game homestand against the Nashville Predators on Sunday.