SAN JOSE — Forward Givani Smith — out with a lower-body injury that cost him two months of playing time — will return to the lineup Saturday when the San Jose Sharks host the Nashville Predators at SAP Center.
Smith (lower body) had been out since before Christmas but was activated off injured reserve Wednesday after Jacob MacDonald was placed on waivers and subsequently assigned to the Barracuda of the AHL.
“First thing I’m looking to do is play with energy, play fast, and play physical,” said Smith, who had three points and 33 penalty minutes in 26 games before Saturday. “It’s been a while since I played a game at SAP. I’m ready to go.”
Smith said he endured some setbacks during his recovery from a knee injury, as a bone bruise he had needed time to heal. He’s participated in Sharks practices for close to two weeks.
“Just had to be sure and feel confident to be ready to go,” Smith said, “and now I’m ready to go.”
Smith was injured during the Sharks’ game against the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 21 by a knee-on-knee hit from defenseman Matt Dumba, who is known — at least partly — for his hard-nosed style. He has 134 hits this season.
In the opening game of the first-round playoff series between Dallas and Minnesota last season, Dumba, then with the Wild, laid a crushing hit on Stars forward Joe Pavelski. The ex-Sharks captain missed the rest of the series but came back for the start of the second round after Dallas dispatched of Minnesota in six games. Dumba wasn’t suspended.
Matt Dumba absolutely NAILS Joe Pavelski and chaos ensues pic.twitter.com/YVNG1gFt3T
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 18, 2023
Smith told this news organization earlier this month that he didn’t think Dumba’s hit on him was clean.
“It definitely caught me off guard. I thought it was a pretty dirty play,” Smith said. “Regardless of whoever it was, but a pretty dirty play. Forgive but don’t forget.”
Smith said Saturday that Dumba did not reach out after the hit, adding that he does not have a relationship with him.
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“When I first got hurt, I thought it would be a lot worse,” Smith said. “Very grateful and lucky that it was only what I had.”
The Sharks host the Coyotes on April 7, although Dumba, slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, could be on another team by then.
Dumba, a mobile defenseman with 245 points in 645 NHL games, should be sought after by playoff-contending teams, as Arizona has fallen out of the postseason chase this month with a 0-7-1 record in February.
The Sharks entered Saturday with a 1-3-0 record since they returned from their bye week on Feb. 14.
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