Kovalenko (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News.
This move frees a roster spot for Ty Dellandrea (upper body) to be activated off injured reserve. Kovalenko won't return until after the 4 Nations Face-Off -- the Sharks first game following the tournament will be Feb. 23 versus Calgary. He has five goals and 16 points in 45 appearances between Colorado and San Jose in 2024-25.