Sharks to activate Jacob MacDonald from IR

The Sharks will activate defenseman-turned-forward Jacob MacDonald off injured reserve before Monday's game against the Canucks, head coach David Quinn told Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News.

MacDonald, 30, has missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury and has not played since the Sharks’ back-to-back 10-goal concessions against the Canucks and Penguins earlier in November. Those are his only two appearances this season. He's posted a goal, an assist and a -5 rating.

The Oregon-born journeyman will slot in on the fourth line alongside a pair of similarly seasoned veterans, Ryan Carpenter and Givani Smith. MacDonald, in the second season of a two-year, $1.525M contract, came to the Bay Area via trade from the Avalanche last season. He appeared in 25 contests for the Sharks after the trade in 2022-23, notching a goal, five assists, and a -11 rating.

An undrafted free agent signed by the Panthers back in 2018, MacDonald played three full pro seasons in the AHL and ECHL after graduating from Cornell University before finally earning an NHL deal. Since then, he’s played in 103 games, including a career-high 58 split between the Sharks and Avalanche last year.

Standing at 6-feet and over 200 pounds, MacDonald will likely remain on the roster for the time being as a solid supplementary veteran presence. He will need waivers to head to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda if the team chooses to demote him to the minors, where he hasn’t played since 2021-22.