Sharks send Raffi Torres to AHL on conditioning assignment

The Sharks assigned forward Raffi Torres to their AHL affiliate on Wednesday as he nears return from a 41-game NHL suspension.

With his 41-game suspension over, the San Jose Sharks have sent forward Raffi Torres to the AHL's Barracuda on a conditioning assignment. 

Torres received the suspension, the fifth of his career, for an illegal check to the head of Jakob Silfverberg during a preseason game against the Anaheim Ducks in October​​. Before the ban, Torres missed the 2014-15 season due to a knee injury that resulted in the removal of his ACL. He is in the final season of a three-year deal with San Jose, and has played just 16 NHL games since 2012-13. 

• Raffi Torres apologizes for headshot, accepts 41-game suspension

“We're proud of how hard Raffi has worked over the last four months to continue to rehab from his injury,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said. “We know Raffi can be a very effective player for our team and this assignment will allow him to get back into game shape.”

The Sharks also placed forward Dainius Zubrus on injured reserve.

-- Cait Platt