Timothy Liljegren to return to Sharks lineup against Rangers; Sam Dickinson to sit

San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters at Madison Square Garden after the team’s morning skate on Thursday that defenseman Timothy Liljegren is set to return to the team’s lineup for Thursday night’s game against the Rangers.

Liljegren had been sidelined with a lower-body injury and was considered day-to-day since getting hurt on Tuesday, Oct. 14 in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Swedish defenseman’s return will allow Warsofsky to deploy three pairings that each have a left-handed and right-handed shot for the first time this season.

Liljegren is likely to pair with veteran Dmitry Orlov, while Mario Ferraro will skate with Vincent Desharnais and Nick Leddy will partner with recent waiver claim Vincent Iorio.

Another veteran Swedish defenseman, John Klingberg, also suffered a lower-body injury against Carolina, and while he got some work in during Thursday’s morning skate, he is not yet ready to return to the lineup.

Liljegren, a 26-year-old former Maple Leaf, is yet to record a point this season in his three games with the Sharks. A year ago, he posted 17 points in 67 games in his first season with the club.

With his return to the lineup, someone has to come out, and on Thursday that will be Sam Dickinson, a 19-year-old rookie who made the jump straight from the OHL to the Sharks to start this season.

Warsofsky said the decision had nothing to do with his play to this point and suggested that Dickinson would be back in the lineup for the second half of a back-to-back against New Jersey on Friday night.

The Sharks are the last team in the NHL that has yet to record a win, something they’ll look to change on Thursday against the Rangers. New York is also desperate to pick up a victory, as the Rangers own an 0-4-0 record on MSG ice so far this year.