Sharks defenseman Knyzhov’s injury considered long term

The Sharks are going to be without Nikolai Knyzhov for the foreseeable future as the defenseman’s lower-body injury, which has kept him off the ice since the start of training camp, has not responded well to rehabilitation.

Knyzhov was skating on his own late last week, but Sharks coach Bob Boughner said the defenseman’s progression has stalled and that he was flying out Wednesday to visit a specialist.

The Sharks had recently considered Knyzhov week-to-week and were hoping he could join the team on its upcoming five-game road trip to continue to rehabilitate. But Boughner said Sunday the possibility also existed that Knyzhov would not be healthy enough to travel.

Knyzhov, 23, was the Sharks’ top rookie from last season as he played in all 56 games, had 10 points, averaged 16:26 of ice time per game, and became Erik Karlsson’s defense partner.

It is not immediately clear who would play with Karlsson on Saturday when the Sharks host the Winnipeg Jets in their regular-season opener.

Tennis

DIMITROV DOWNS TOPSEEDED

MEDVEDEV IN 3 SETS AT INDIAN WELLS » Grigor Dimitrov outlasted top-seeded Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, extending the parade of upsets that has knocked out several top players.

Medvedev’s loss left the combined ATP and WTA tournament without its top two men’s and women’s seeds. Karolina Pliskova lost in the third round. No. 2 Iga Swiatek went out in the fourth round.

Motor sports

STEWART ENTERS NHRA

WITH FIANCÉE LEAH PRUETT, MATT HAGAN » First came the woman, then the fastest cars in racing.

Tony Stewart, who fell in love with NHRA while tagging along with fiancée Leah Pruett at her races the past two seasons, will be an official part of the sport in 2022.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame driver will add two full-time NHRA entries to Tony Stewart Racing next season — a Top Fuel entry for Pruett and a Funny Car for Matt Hagan.

NBA PELICANS’ WILLIAMSON OUT AT FIRST WEEK OF REGULAR

SEASON » Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is now expected to miss at least the first week of the regular season because his recovery from surgery to repair a right foot fracture is taking longer than anticipated.

The Pelicans first made public Williamson’s health status on the eve of training camp last month, and Williamson said then that he planned to be ready to play in time for New Orleans’ regular season opener Oct. 20 against Philadelphia.

Griffin said that while doctors are “very encouraged” by the progress of Williamson’s recovery, they want him to delay his return until after they’ve had an opportunity to reevaluate bone scans of his repaired foot.

The Pelicans have seven regular season games scheduled between their opener and the end of October.