Having undergone leg surgery on Wednesday, San Jose Sharks defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov will be forced to miss the next six months, the team announced on Saturday.
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The 24-year-old Russian player suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg during off-ice training, general manager Mike Grier said in a statement.
It will be another long absence for Knyzhov, who missed the entirety of last season with a groin injury. While he was getting better, it would have become infected, forcing him to stay on the sidelines longer than expected.
Never drafted by a National Hockey League team, the guard signed a contract with the Sharks in July 2019. He played his first and only full season in San Jose in 2020-2021, amassing 10 points in 56 games.
