Sharks place Thornton on injured reserve with right knee swelling

San Jose Sharks veteran Joe Thornton was placed on short-term injured reserve because of swelling in his surgically repaired right knee, the team announced Sunday.

San Jose Sharks veteran Joe Thornton was placed on short-term injured reserve because of swelling in his surgically repaired right knee, the team announced Sunday.

The 39-year-old centre, returning from reconstructive knee surgery for his second straight season, has returned to San Jose for treatment and will not be available until next Sunday at the earliest. The Sharks begin a four-game East Coast road trip Monday against the New York Islanders.

"He had a little bit of swelling after the last game, and rather than continue on the road and risk anything with it, we're going to take the safe route and get him home and get it looked at," Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said, per The Mercury News.

The 21-year veteran played in a career-low 47 games last season and had surgery in January. In San Jose's first two games Thornton has one assist, recorded in the Sharks' 3-2 overtime win at Los Angeles on Friday.

In a corresponding move, the Sharks called up centre Dylan Gambrell from the American Hockey League's San Jose Barracuda.