Sharks rookie forward to miss game against Florida Panthers

Rookie forward Will Smith has an upper-body injury and will not play Saturday when the San Jose Sharks face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.

Smith, who has 11 points in 24 games this season, is considered day-to-day. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Saturday that he wasn’t exactly sure when Smith was injured, only that it happened near the end of a recent game.

So far this season, when Smith has not dressed for games, it’s because the Sharks have given him what they’ve called ‘development days,’ which were introduced in part to help reduce the 19-year-old’s chances of getting injured. Before Saturday, though, Smith had played in seven straight games from Nov. 23 to Thursday, collecting three goals and four assists.

After playing the Panthers, the Sharks will face the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and finish their road trip on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.

With Smith out, rookie Ethan Cardwell, who has sat out the last two games, will draw back into the Sharks lineup. Warsofsky wouldn’t specify where Cardwell will play. Smith had been playing on a line with Mikael Granlund and Klim Kostin.

The Sharks are also making one change on defense, with Henry Thrun replacing Jack Thompson.

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will start for the Sharks, who are looking to bounce back after an 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

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