The Sharks returned protection prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin to AHL San Jose on Monday, per a team announcement. The membership now has an open roster spot, which might be used to activate Klim Kostin, Nikolai Kovalenko, or Vítek Vanecek from injured reserve within the coming days.
Mukhamadullin, 23, had been on the Sharks’ roster since Dec. 10. It was his first recall of the season after he sat out the primary couple of weeks on season-opening injured reserve with a lower-body subject.
Chosen twentieth general by the Devils within the 2020 draft and traded to San Jose within the Timo Meier deal in 2023, Mukhamadullin is the second-best protection prospect within the Sharks’ system behind 2024 first-rounder Sam Dickinson and checked in at 82nd in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s league-wide prospect ranking final summer time. A well-rounded left-shot expertise checking in at 6’4″, the Russian native had a aim and a good ranking in 10 appearances over the previous couple of weeks whereas averaging 15:24 of time on ice per recreation.
Whereas it’s a small pattern and restricted minutes, Mukhamadullin has arguably been the Sharks’ most defensively competent blue-liner this season. His 1.2 objectives towards per 60 minutes at even power is the bottom on the workforce, and his 48.6 CF% trails solely Jake Walman amongst San Jose defenders with double-digit video games performed.
That’s a promising consequence for Mukhamadullin after it took him some time to get off the bottom within the minors this season. He had six assists and a minus-three ranking in 14 AHL video games after he recorded 34 factors and a plus-three ranking in 55 video games final season.
Issues are wanting up for the teenager, who will now get some extra runway within the AHL earlier than his subsequent NHL alternative. He’s set to be a restricted free agent this summer time however received’t be eligible for arbitration.
