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San Jose Sharks defenseman Radim Simek is facing more adversity as he is now considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury he sustained last weekend in a game against the Washington Capitals.
Simek left Saturday’s home game with the Capitals before the start of the third period with what were later described as upper and lower body injuries. On Tuesday morning, before the Sharks play the Colorado Avalanche, head coach David Quinn said Simek’s latest upper-body injury was “a recurring situation.”
Simek, 30, has had two concussions this season, forcing him to miss about eight weeks of games.
Simek had just returned last month from his last concussion, which occurred Dec. 31 in a hit by Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, sending him to 20 games from Jan. 1 to Feb. 20. Simek was officially cleared to play on Feb. 22, and he dressed for last week’s Sharks games against Montreal and St. Louis. Louis before being injured again on Saturday.
Simek also missed four games from November 15–21 due to a mild concussion he suffered as a result of a hit by forward Mason Shaw in the Sharks’ November 13 game against the Minnesota Wild. Simek returned in late November and played 12 games in a row.
Simek, 30, is in the third year of a four-year, $9 million deal he signed in March 2020. He has been plagued by injuries at times during his six seasons with the Sharks organization, most notably a right ACL and MCL he suffered in March 2019. This season, he played in 34 games, mostly as a third-double defender.
UP, DOWN: Defender Derrick Pouliot, officially called up from Barracuda on Tuesday morning, will play the Avalanche in what will be his first NHL game since May 1, 2022, when he was with the Seattle Kraken. Pouliot signed an AHL contract with Barracuda in August and a two-way NHL contract with the Sharks on March 2.
“He’s balanced with the puck, he makes good passes, he’s done a better job on defense,” Quinn said of Pouliot. “He has to make sure he has good gaps, he defends well. This guy has played 200 games in the National Hockey League, so this is nothing new for him.”
Nick Cicek was assigned back to Barracuda following the Sharks’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Asked why the Sharks made the trade, Quinn said: “As an organization, we felt Pouliot deserved this opportunity.”
Defender Jacob MacDonald was injured on Monday and is unavailable. Forward Jonah Gadjovich (Upper Body) is traveling with the Sharks but is not expected to return.
It’s all in the details. 💍
How amazing are the @Avalanche Stanley Cup Rings? 😍
(📸: @Avalanche) pic.twitter.com/F6Qzah5i67
—NHL (@NHL) October 11, 2022
PLAYING TRUE: Sharks center Nico Sturm will receive his Stanley Cup ring from the Avalanche after Tuesday’s game.
According to NHL.com, the 14k white gold ring is studded with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. The Avalanche logo and “STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS” are placed above 18 custom-cut sapphires. The ring also features six rubies. The 19 diamonds total 0.22 carats, a tribute to Stan Kroenke’s 22 years of ownership.
“I saw pictures of him earlier in the year when other guys got it, but honestly, I haven’t given it much thought since then,” Sturm said. “Tonight after the game is going to be a big night and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Sturm was acquired by the Avalanche from the Minnesota Wild on March 15, 2022. During Colorado’s Cup run, Sturm averaged 8:27 in ice time in 13 games and played in all six games of the finals against Tampa Bay Lightning.
“It’s a unique experience, those three or four months,” Sturm said. “The ups and downs, the mental ups and downs you go through as a group right up to the final touch. There won’t be any friends during the game, but I’m sure once they go in and get the ring, there are sure to be some exciting moments. I’m really excited about tonight.
#San #Jose #Sharks #Radim #Simek #Nico #Sturm #Colorado #Avalanche
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