Another blow for the Sharks — Vincent Desharnais is sidelined with an upper-body injury, and it might trigger bigger lineup changes than expected. But here’s where it gets interesting: his absence could quietly solve one of San Jose’s most complicated roster puzzles.
In Las Vegas, head coach Ryan Warsofsky confirmed that defenseman Vincent Desharnais has been dealing with a nagging upper-body issue. “He’s been managing it for a while, and now we need to have it checked out,” Warsofsky said. Officially, Desharnais is listed as day-to-day, but he has already missed Friday’s clash against the Vancouver Canucks and will also sit out tonight’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.
If the injury lingers long enough to land Desharnais on injured reserve, it could help clear up San Jose’s tricky roster situation — the team currently sits with 12 forwards and nine defensemen. With a demanding five-game road trip starting December 5 in Dallas, the Sharks could use that roster flexibility to bring in an extra forward for depth. It’s a small silver lining in an otherwise unfortunate situation.
Sharks Morning Skate in Vegas
It was a light, optional skate for the Sharks this morning at T-Mobile Arena — only about half a dozen players hit the ice. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is confirmed to start in net tonight. On defense, Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nick Leddy are rejoining the lineup, replacing young blueliners Sam Dickinson and Vincent Iorio.
Warsofsky explained the decision, noting the team’s busy schedule and the need to manage fatigue during back-to-backs. Nineteen-year-old Sam Dickinson has only played in one of the four back-to-backs so far this season. After practice, both Dickinson and Iorio stayed on the ice for extra work with the assistant coaches — the kind of focused development time young defensemen benefit from during the grind of an NHL season.
Aside from those defensive swaps, the Sharks’ lines will look familiar:
Toffoli – Celebrini – Smith
Eklund – Wennberg – Gaudette
Kurashev – Dellandrea – Graf
Goodrow – Ostapchuk – Reaves
Orlov – Liljegren
Ferraro – Klingberg
Leddy – Mukhamadullin
Nedeljkovic
Vegas Golden Knights
For the Golden Knights (10–6–8), Carl Lindbom is expected to get the start between the pipes. Their lines are projected as:
Barbashev – Eichel – Bowman
Holtz – Hertl – Dorofeyev
Marner – Howden – Stone
Reinhardt – Sissons – Kolesar
McNabb – Theodore
Hanifin – Whitecloud
Hutton – Korczak
Report courtesy of Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6), November 29, 2025.
Where To Watch
Tonight’s puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights is set for 7 PM PT at T-Mobile Arena. Fans can catch the action live on NBC Sports California or tune in via the Sharks Audio Network.
Here’s a thought that might stir debate: should the Sharks actually welcome this injury break if it gives them a chance to balance the roster and bring up fresh energy? Or is this just another setback for a team finally starting to find some momentum? What’s your take — smart roster luck, or another frustrating twist in a bumpy season?
