Sharks’ Nick Leddy out with an upper-body injury

According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, the San Jose Sharks will have to go without veteran defenseman Nick Leddy for at least the team’s next two games.

Leddy suffered an injury on Thursday night during the team’s thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, and now he’ll miss the remainder of a long San Jose road trip, which includes stops in New Jersey and Minnesota before a return to the Bay Area.

A 34-year-old veteran and Minnesota native, Leddy had recorded two points in seven games to start his first season with the Sharks. Leddy spent the past four seasons with the St. Louis Blues as part of a prolific career that has also included stops in Detroit, Long Island and Chicago.

San Jose is also without John Klingberg on the blue line, and had been missing Timothy Liljegren before he made his return to the lineup against New York.

Leddy’s replacement is fairly apparent, as talented rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson drew out of the lineup and served as a healthy scratch to accommodate Liljegren’s return. Head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters after the team’s morning skate Thursday that Dickinson was likely to play Friday anyway with it being the second half of a back-to-back.

Before San Jose’s win over the Rangers, which was highlighted by a Macklin Celibrini hat trick and a game-winning goal by Will Smith, the Sharks were the last winless team remaining in the NHL.

The team had coughed up a couple of brutal overtime losses to start the year before losing a few in more convincing fashion. The Sharks then started this road trip with a 4-3 loss to the Islanders before finally getting in the win column last night.

With the win, San Jose climbed out of last place in the Pacific Division, passing the 1-6-1 Calgary Flames in points with a game in hand.