He's the player the Sharks could really use right now (hint: it's not Panarin)

"CHICAGO San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky was complimentary of both forward Philipp Kurashev and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin in their first games back in the lineup after both spent multiple weeks on injured reserve. But there's at least one another injured player who the Sharks could desperately use right now. While the Sharks activated both Kurashev and Mukhamadullin before their game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, forward Kiefer Sherwood remained on IR, with no specific indication of when he'll be healthy enough to play."

"Sherwood's availability probably can't come soon enough for a Sharks team that has now gone a pedestrian 4-4-1 since a 5-4 home win over the Dallas Stars on Jan. 10. They also enter Sunday in sixth place in the Pacific Division, one point out of a wild card spot and three points back of the third place Seattle Kraken. In losing to the Flames, the Sharks failed to muster a consistent forecheck the bread and butter of their offense and managed just 17 shots on net through the first two periods."

Ryan Warsofsky praised Philipp Kurashev and Shakir Mukhamadullin after they returned from injured reserve. Forward Kiefer Sherwood remains on IR with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day, getting closer but not fully available. The Sharks would need to open a roster spot to activate Sherwood, who has been on IR since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 19. San Jose has gone 4-4-1 since Jan. 10 and sits sixth in the Pacific Division, one point out of a wild card and three points behind third-place Seattle. The team struggled to sustain a forecheck and managed just 17 shots through the first two periods against Calgary.

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