Injured San Jose Sharks’ Vlasic, Mukhamadullin and Askarov improve

SAN JOSE – Injured San Jose Sharks defensemen Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Shakir Mukhamadullin as well as goaltender Yaroslav Askarov could all start skating again soon, although questions remain about whether any of the three will be ready to start of the regular season.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Sunday that Vlasic (upper body), Mukhamadullin (lower body) and Askarov (lower body) are all getting closer to skating alone, but will not practice with the team right away.

Vlasic, Mukhamadullin and Askarov have been out since the start of training camp on September 19 as the Sharks have tried to remain patient with each player’s recovery.

Yet starting Monday, the Sharks will have just three practices and three games left before Oct. 7, when teams must submit cap-compliant rosters of up to 23 players to the NHL.

The Sharks’ season opener is October 10 at home against the St. Louis Blues.

Mukhamadullin and Askarov, both on waivers, could be assigned to the Barracuda once they are healthy. Askarov’s injury would seemingly allow the Sharks to start the season with two goalies, Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek.

But if Vlasic has to start the season on injured reserve, that would open up a spot for another defenseman.

The Sharks’ top six defensemen are Matt Benning, Cody Ceci, Mario-Ferraro, Jan Rutta, Henry Thrun and Jake Walman. Jack Thompson, followed by Jimmy Schuldt, Jake Furlong and Luca Cagnoni, lead the competition for seventh place.

Vlasic is entering his 19th NHL season, all with the Sharks. He was sidelined for several games in the first half of last season, but played in every game for the team in March and April, scoring five points in 24 games and averaging 16:31 in average ice time.

“He understands what it takes to win in this league,” Warsofsky said of Vlasic, who played 1,296 games in the NHL. “He understands how to win in this league, and the little habits that you have to play with, and those winning habits that we try to build into our team, and I think he understands that.”