Sharks’ Timothy Liljegren sidelined with upper-body injury

San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren will be out of the lineup for the immediate future due to an upper-body injury, reports Max Miller of The Hockey News.

Facing the Pacific Division rival Calgary Flames on Sunday, Liljegren left midway through the second period and did not return, while post game, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky indicated that Liljegren’s status continues to be evaluated.

Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in late October in exchange for fellow blue-liner Matt Benning plus third- and fourth-round draft selections, Liljegren has since made 44 appearances with the Sharks in which he has scored four times and added five assists for nine points alongside 26 penalty minutes and a minus-16 rating. Prior to arriving in San Jose, Liljegren had made a lone appearance with the Maple Leafs this season in which he finished with two penalty minutes.

Originally chosen 17th overall by Toronto in the 2017 NHL Draft, the 25-year-old Swedish-born blue-liner has totaled 241 career contests between the Maple Leafs and Sharks in which he has tallied 18 goals and 56 assists for 74 points. With the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, Liljegren reached a career-high 23 points counting five goals and 18 assists coming in 61 outings. Liljegren has also added one point through 13 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Per PuckPedia, Liljegren is in the first year of a two-year pact that carries a $3-million annual average value.

With Liljegren sidelined, Warsofsky confirmed that Sharks veteran rearguard Marc-Edouard Vlasic will re-enter the lineup Monday versus the Winnipeg Jets.

Scratched for the past four games, Vlasic’s last appearance came January 30 against the Seattle Kraken where through 18:17 time on ice he finished with a minus-one mark. Limited to seven appearances on the season, Vlasic has notched two assists and a minus-two rating. Vlasic has one full season remaining on his eight-year deal that carries a $7-million annual average value.