Sharks’ Ty Dellandrea set to return; Nikolai Kovalenko added to injured reserve

San Jose Sharks center Ty Dellandrea will return to the lineup Thursday against the Pacific Division rival Vancouver Canucks after missing the past four games due to an upper-body injury, reports Max Miller of The Hockey News. In a corresponding roster move, right winger Nikolai Kovalenko has been added to the injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment.

Skating in his first season with the Sharks, Dellandrea has made 41 appearances in which he has registered one goal and four assists for five points alongside 31 penalty minutes and a minus-15 rating.

Acquired from the Dallas Stars last June in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, Dellandrea spent part of the past four seasons with the Stars. In all, through 192 career contests with the Stars and Sharks, Dellandrea has registered 15 goals and 32 assists for 47 points. Originally chosen 13th overall by Dallas in the 2018 NHL Draft, Dellandrea also played part of three seasons with Dallas’ AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, highlighted by the 2021-22 campaign when he put up 50 points counting 23 goals and 27 assists through 68 contests.

Per PuckPedia, the 24-year-old native of Port Perry, Ont., is in the first year of a two-year pact that carries a $1.3-million annual average value.

For Kovalenko, the 25-year-old forward joined the Sharks in early December as part of the deal that sent former San Jose goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche. Since arriving in San Jose, Kovalenko has posted eight points counting one goal and seven assists through 17 appearances. In all, through 45 outings this season with the Avalanche and Sharks, Kovalenko has notched five goals and 11 assists for 16 points with 12 penalty minutes and a minus-eight mark.

Entering Thursday’s contest against the Canucks, the Sharks sit at the bottom of the NHL standings with a 15-34-6 record and 36 points.