The San Jose Sharks will continue to be without forward Will Smith on a week-to-week basis as he recovers from an upper-body injury sustained earlier this month, head coach Ryan Warsofsky confirmed. SMITH WILL REMAIN OUT The 20-year-old Smith has been sidelined since suffering the injury in the third period of the Sharks’ 6–5 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 13. In the aftermath of that game, San Jose placed both Smith and fellow forward Philipp Kurashev on injured reserve, a move that underscored the organization’s cautious approach as Smith progresses through his rehabilitation. Selected fourth overall in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Smith has rapidly justified the Sharks’ confidence in him. After spending his first post-draft season at Boston College, the highly touted forward made his NHL debut in 2024–25 and has since entrenched himself as a staple atop San Jose’s forward corps. The hit that has Smith on the mend. “[Smith] is gonna be out week to week,” Warsofsky told reporters on Monday. “I think we’re gonna re-evaluate him in the new year.” Although Smith was held off the scoresheet in the overtime victory over Pittsburgh in which he sustained his injury, his season-long production remains notable. Through 33 games, the 6-foot, 180-pound forward has compiled 12 goals and 29 points, continuing the upward trajectory that saw him record 45 points in 74 games as a rookie last season. Along the way, he forged a particularly effective on-ice partnership with Macklin Celebrini. Driven largely by the emergence of Celebrini and Smith, the Sharks have established themselves as one of the league’s most markedly improved teams to open the 2025–26 campaign. San Jose currently sits just two points outside the Western Conference playoff picture with a 17–16–3 record through 36 games. Already amassing 37 points, the club stands only 15 shy of matching its total from all of last season—a testament to a rebuilding effort that is beginning to bear tangible results. NEXT GAME Merry Christmas, Sharks fans. The Sharks will return to action on Saturday to face the Vancouver Canucks on the road. Coverage begins at 9 p.m. local time. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/12f90d2f-0b83-43a8-91b6-15a9738995a1.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
