Sharks Place Veteran Enforcer on Injured Reserve

Reaves' injury opens door for Kiefer Sherwood's Sharks debut

Feb. 3, 2026 at 7:55pm

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The San Jose Sharks have placed veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury. This move clears a roster spot for Kiefer Sherwood, who was recently acquired by the Sharks and is expected to make his debut with the team against the Colorado Avalanche on February 4.

Why it matters

Reaves is known as one of the toughest players in the NHL and has quickly become an important part of the Sharks' roster, protecting the team's younger stars like Macklin Celebrini. His absence opens the door for Sherwood, a 30-year-old winger, to make his mark with the Sharks as they continue their rebuild.

The details

Reaves was placed on injured reserve after missing practice. As a result, the Sharks were able to activate Kiefer Sherwood, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in January, to the 23-man roster. Sherwood was seen skating on the top line at practice and is expected to make his Sharks debut on February 4 against the Colorado Avalanche.

  • Reaves was placed on injured reserve on February 3, 2026.
  • Sherwood is expected to make his Sharks debut on February 4, 2026 against the Colorado Avalanche.

The players

Ryan Reaves

A 38-year-old NHL veteran enforcer who is known for his physical, protective style of play. He was traded to the Sharks by the Toronto Maple Leafs in July 2025.

Kiefer Sherwood

A 30-year-old winger who was recently acquired by the Sharks from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for draft picks and a defenseman. He is expected to make his Sharks debut on February 4.

Macklin Celebrini

A 19-year-old phenom and former No. 1 overall draft pick who is part of the Sharks' young core of talented players.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, [I was] a little caught off guard. [The Sharks'] rebuild has probably happened quicker than they thought, and I know they have some special players coming up in their system, so it's pretty exciting.”

— Kiefer Sherwood (NHL.com)

“I've been in this role, but I've never been on a team that's had some struggles the last couple of years. Now all of a sudden, we're on the come up, and have young superstars like Mack[lin] and Smitty, and a couple of these guys that have been called up recently that are really coming into their own. It's good to watch them kind of grow right in front of right in front of my eyes, right in front of everybody's eyes. But it's definitely been fun to protect those guys and kind of teach them whatever I can. I'm not going to teach them much on the ice, but off the ice, you know, how to be a pro and how to carry yourself, whatever they need. It's been great being able to help them out.”

— Ryan Reaves (Breakaway On SI)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.