Tim Heed is heating up at a convenient time for the Sharks.
Heed, who played in just three games this season before the start of 2019, has scored five points in his last five games. That includes two primary assists in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, which was the 12th straight game in which Heed suited up and Erik Karlsson did not.
Karlsson, a fellow Swede and right-handed defenseman, is a hard player to replace. Only Brent Burns has played more per game (24:52) than Karlsson (24:32), and the Sharks are a decidedly better puck-possession team with him on the ice than when he isn't.