Sharks’ Jeff Skinner to return after 10-game absence

San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters Thursday that forward Jeff Skinner will be back in the lineup Friday night when the Sharks take on the Dallas Stars, according to Sharks reporter Sheng Peng.

Skinner last played Nov. 13 against the Calgary Flames, suffering an apparent lower-body injury just 43 seconds into the game after a puck battle with Flames’ forward Rory Kerins.

In 17 games this season with the Sharks, Skinner has four goals and three assists for seven points. The 33-year-old signed a one-year, $3-million deal with San Jose in the summer after a 2024-25 campaign with the Edmonton Oilers that saw him score 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points in 72 games.

Through 1,095 career regular-season games, Skinner, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has 377 goals and 329 assists for 706 points with the Sharks, Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.

Skinner scored a career-high 40 goals with the Sabres in 2018-19, and has hit the 30-goal mark six times during his 16-year NHL career. He also recorded a career-high 82 points in 2022-23.

The Sharks are 13-12-3 with 29 points, fourth in the Pacific Division and tied for seventh in the Western Conference.

Forward Macklin Celebrini leads the team in all offensive categories with 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is also second in the entire league in points. Forward Will Smith is second on the Sharks in points with 27, scoring 12 goals and 15 assists.

Yaroslav Askarov leads the way in net with a 10-7-1 record, a .905 save percentage (SV%) and 3.15 goals against average (GAA).

The Sharks face the Stars Friday night, then travel to Raleigh, N.C., to face the Hurricanes on Sunday.