SAN JOSE >> Shakir Mukhamadullin’s upper-body injury will keep him out of the Sharks lineup for the rest of the season and any playoff run their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, might begin later this month.

Mukhamadullin, 23, was injured in the third period of last Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. Mukhamadullin spent the next few days being evaluated to determine the severity of the injury, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Warsofsky would not say what the injury is and could not confirm whether it would require surgery.

“We’re not there yet,” Warsofsky said when asked if surgery was possible for Mukhamadullin.

After he collided with Troy Terry in the neutral zone, a play that knocked down the Ducks forward, Mukhamadullin was grabbed by Anaheim winger Frank Vatrano, who dropped his stick, threw his gloves down, grabbed the Sharks blueliner and dragged him to the ice.

Mukhamadullin, not expecting Vatrano to come after him, tried to brace his fall by putting his left arm down before the Ducks forward moved over top of him. Mukhamadullin landed awkwardly and later sat up and winced in pain as he reached for his upper body. A team trainer assisted him to the Sharks’ dressing room.

Before the injury, Mukhamadullin was on the Sharks’ top defense pair, playing with Mario Ferraro and averaging more than 20 minutes in ice time per game.

The last-place Sharks, eliminated from playoff contention last month, have only five games remaining after Monday’s game against the Calgary Flames at SAP Center. They will play their last game on April 16 at home against the Edmonton Oilers.

Last month, Mukhamadullin and forward Collin Graf were briefly returned to the AHL just before the NHL trade deadline on March 7 so both would be eligible to play when the Calder Cup playoffs began.

The Barracuda, who play their final regular-season game on April 20 in Calgary, are on the verge of clinching a spot in the playoffs, which begin shortly afterward.