For the second time in as many years, the San Jose Sharks organization has signed another National Championship-winning netminder out of the University of Denver. The Sharks AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, announced they’ve signed goaltender Matt Davis to an AHL contract through the 2025-26 season.
The news comes exactly two years and 12 days since the Sharks signed Magnus Chrona out of the Pioneers program. Davis, who played as Chrona’s backup for his freshman and sophomore campaigns, won the first National Championship of his career in 2022. Once Chrona transitioned to professional hockey, Davis was given the reins in southern Denver once the 2023-24 season began.
It’s a move that worked out well for the program. Davis was flat-out electric in his first season as the Pioneers’ starter, managing a 25-5-3 record in 34 games with a .917 SV% and 2.34 GAA, including two shutouts. He backstopped the University of Denver to a second-place finish in the hotly contested NCHC Conference. He helped knock out the University of Massachusetts, Cornell University, Boston University, and Boston College en route to their 10th National Championship in program history.
Even though Davis did not receive any awards in the NCHC Conference, he was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and the HCA’s Goaltender of the Month for March. Remarkably, Davis had an even better season in 2024-25.
He finished his senior campaign with a 29-10-1 record in 40 games with a .924 SV% and 2.07 GAA. Unfortunately, despite knocking out Providence College and Boston College, the Pioneers ran into a red-hot Western Michigan University in the Frozen Four, ending their chance at a repeat victory. Still, he earned one NCHC Conference award, the 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Davis finished his NCAA career with a 63-17-4 record in 90 games with a .921 SV% and 2.13 GAA. Assuming Yaroslav Askarov becomes a full-time netminder for the Sharks in 2025-26, Davis has every opportunity to become the Barracuda’s leading man.
Glad Davis got signed by someone. Good guy.
I thought this was a very good signing. I watched more than a few Denver games the last two seasons and see Davis as developing into a solid 1B goalie in the NHL if given the chance.
GMMG has the Sharks with some good depth and has setup a pipeline where they have their prospects all being in different stages of their development.
I refer to it as stacking his prospects.
NHL: Askarov will be their main goalie in net next season along with the impending addition of a solid veteran goalie for him to compete with (reference GMMG’s locker room cleanout presser).
AHL: Although both of my expectations for controlling the net are RFAs this offseason, I believe GMMG will resign them. The net should go to Romanov (1A) and Carriere (1B). Romanov is in his second season in the AHL and even had a few games in the NHL when called up due to injuries and played very well in both. His play has grown this season and IMO, will be the 1A as Askarov (Asky) will be moving up to the Sharks.
Carriere started the season with the Wichita Thunder (the Sharks ECHL affiliate) and was called up o play major games for the Cuda due to injuries and was even on the Sharks roster for a game or two (but never played). In all situations he has played very well for both the Thunder and the Barracuda (Sharks AHL affiliate).
Both goalies are developing nicely in their teams and have done well enough to continue their progession IMO.
This brings us to the signing of Davis. Most articles see him challenging for a spot with the Barracuda. I think this is possible, but IMO, he lands with the Wichita Thunder as Carriere is moving up (again IMO) to the Barracuda to be the 1B.
All that would be left to do is sign a veteran for the Thunder like they did Dell this past season and their goalie slots on all three teams are filled.
In the junior leagues or other leagues GMMG has two prospects in Kirsch and Korostelyov. Kirsch is commited to Umass (NCAA Division 1) and Korostelyov is playing in the MHL (the Russian equivalent to the CHL).
Of the two I am most impressed with Korostelyov as his numbers have continued to improve after recovering from an injury last season that was part of the reason he slide on the draft. Here are his numbers this season: 27 games played, 1.53 GAA, .936 SV%, 4 shut outs and a 20-3-0 record.
He has been tagged to compete for a spot on the Russian International juniors team. Not bad for the last Sharks pick in the 7th round.
So, as a fan and looking back a couple seasons it seems to me that GMMG is finding gems and has built a decently stacked goalie pipeline. Adding Davis is just another prospect that fits into that prospect pool and slides right into a slot where they had a hole to fill.
Nice work by GMMG and great expectations of what I think is an excellent goalie and person in Matt Davis. Looking forward to seeing him in teal someday.
I should have identified that the team Korostelyov was invited to is the Russian U20 Intl. Jr. team. And I do apologize for some of the spelling/grammar errors. I should have checked what I typed before posting, lol.
mknepper — I applaud you for having the drive to get that comment done. I would’ve run out of interest long before then! :)