SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta is considered week-to-week with an upper-body he suffered against the Seattle Kraken, coach David Quinn said Friday before his team played the Montreal Canadiens at SAP Center.
Rutta didn’t play the final two periods of Wednesday’s game against the Kraken as the Sharks were blasted 7-1 at Climate Pledge Arena. As of Friday morning, though, Rutta, 33, had not been placed on injured reserve.
Rutta had played in all 19 games for the Sharks so far this season, averaging 18:37 in ice time. The Sharks’ defense corps is already without Matt Benning, although he is close to returning from a lower-body injury.
Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been a healthy scratch for the last three games. Asked what he wants to see from Vlasic if he plays Friday against his hometown team, Quinn seemed to intimate that the defenseman will be watching the game instead.
“He and I have talked about what needs to take place,” Quinn said. “He’s been an unbelievable pro. He’s handled it as well as you would expect, works his ass off, continues to have a good attitude and he’ll get back in there soon.”
Mackenzie Blackwood will start in net Friday as the Sharks start a three-game homestand. Quinn said other roster decisions would be made closer to game time with forward Kevin Labanc, injured in Monday’s game with the Vancouver Canucks, considered questionable.
The Sharks are looking for a bounce back after what they felt was an embarrassing performance against Seattle in which they allowed four goals in the first period and dropped to 0-9-0 on the road this season.
Asked if he was going to have a pregame message for his group, or have the team’s leaders relay those expectations, Quinn said, “There are times where the leadership core has to take it upon themselves. I think today’s that day.”
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