Sharks Lose Veteran Defenseman Ahead of Flyers Game

Injuries continue to pile up for San Jose as they prepare for a three-game road trip.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:04pm

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The San Jose Sharks will be without defenseman Vincent Desharnais for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, and potentially the start of their upcoming three-game road trip. Desharnais is dealing with an upper-body injury, while the Sharks are also missing forward Tyler Toffoli due to a lower-body injury sustained in the team's previous game.

Why it matters

The Sharks are already dealing with a number of key injuries, including to their starting goaltender and other forwards. Losing Desharnais, one of their top penalty-killing defensemen, is another significant blow as the team tries to stay in the playoff race in the competitive Western Conference.

The details

Desharnais' injury is described as the result of an accumulation over time rather than a specific incident. He has averaged just under 21 minutes of ice time per game in 10 games this month. The Sharks are also without forward Tyler Toffoli, their third-leading scorer, who sustained a lower-body injury in the team's previous game and will miss the Flyers matchup.

  • On March 21, 2026, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky announced that Desharnais is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
  • On March 21, 2026, Warsofsky said it remains unclear whether Toffoli will travel with the team on March 22 when they leave for a three-game road trip.

The players

Vincent Desharnais

A Sharks defenseman who has been one of the team's top penalty-killing players when healthy this season.

Tyler Toffoli

The Sharks' third-leading scorer with 44 points in 67 games, who sustained a lower-body injury in the team's previous game.

Ryan Warsofsky

The head coach of the San Jose Sharks.

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What they’re saying

“Desharnais' injury is more the result of an accumulation over time than any one incident.”

— Ryan Warsofsky, Sharks Head Coach

What’s next

The Sharks will play the Nashville Predators on March 22, the St. Louis Blues on March 24, and the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 26 during their upcoming three-game road trip.

The takeaway

The Sharks' injury woes continue to mount, putting additional strain on the team as they try to stay in the playoff race in the Western Conference. Losing key players like Desharnais and Toffoli makes their upcoming road trip even more challenging.