61 Justin Braun D

Sharks' Justin Braun: Sneaking back into lineup

Pending his removal from injured reserve, Braun reportedly will link up with Tim Heed in the upcoming contest. It's a third-pairing assignment, and we'll be able to determine whether the defenseman is near 100 percent if he ends up coming close to the 19:55 of ice time that he's averaged through 42 games this season. The 31-year-old remains a streaky offensive contributor with his upside seemingly capped at about 35 points per season.

Sharks' Justin Braun: Not looking good for Thursday

Braun needs a miraculous turnaround in order to be cleared for the upcoming game in Sin City. As far as we know, the defenseman hasn't been able to practice since sustaining his injury last Wednesday, and it's confirmed that he remains on injured reserve for the time being. Still, we'll keep you posted if it starts to look like he may be able to return ahead of Saturday's home game against the Senators.

Sharks' Justin Braun: Lands on IR

Braun's placement on IR was almost certainly made retroactive to Jan. 2, but he'll still miss San Jose's next three contests at a minimum. The recently recalled Jacob Middleton will likely slide into Braun's spot in the lineup for Saturday's matchup with Tampa Bay.

Sharks' Justin Braun: Reveals knee injury

Braun hopes that a couple days of rest will allow him to return to action Friday, but there's no guarantee at this point that will be the case. Should he wind up missing another game, the team may be forced to add another blueliner from the minors if Radim Simek (concussion) and Tim Heed (undisclosed) can't play either.

Sharks' Justin Braun: Questionable to return

Braun logged just 5:40 of ice time prior to his exit, failing to make his way into the box score. The Sharks will roll with one fewer defenseman in his absence, while Braun's status remains unclear for the rest of the night. If he's unable to return, the blueliner will have a pair of days to rest up before the Sharks return to action Saturday against the Lightning.