San Jose Sharks’ Blackwood expected to miss game with illness, MacDonald on injured reserve

The San Jose Sharks have announced that goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and defenseman Jacob MacDonald will not be in the lineup for the Wednesday matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. The NHL comes back with a bang as 28 out of the 32 clubs will be in action tonight for the first time since before the Christmas break.

Blackwood is dealing with an illness and did travel with the team to Los Angeles but won’t be in net tonight. MacDonald is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. In a corresponding move, the Sharks have called up rookie netminder Magnus Chrona from the San Jose Barracuda.

The Sharks have had a poor season on the ice so far and currently sit in last place in the NHL. Blackwood has done his best as the starting goaltender in San Jose but there is only so much he can do to buy the team a couple more wins here and there. Right now, he has a record of 4-14-2 with a 3.92 GAA and .889 save percentage. He spent the previous five seasons as a 1A/1B with the New Jersey Devils and never fulfilled his potential as a legit starting goalie.

If the Sharks had any playoff hopes for this season at the start, they don’t have them anymore. The goal for this year is to finish at the bottom of the standings and hope they win the draft lottery and have the opportunity to select Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick.

Being a rebuilding team does have it’s perks, however. There are opportunities for younger and overlooked players to get a chance at making a name for themselves in the NHL. One of those players is Magnus Chrona, who the Sharks just recalled from the minors. He played part of one NHL game this season, letting in four goals on 17 shots but could get another chance in the crease at some point. He has played in the NHL, AHL, and ECHL this year and would be quite the story if he breaks in to the NHL.