Pacific Notes: Chernyshov, Pettersson, Holtz, Barr
Sharks 2024 second-round pick Igor Chernyshov has officially found a place to play this season. As he said was likely the case last week, he’s inked a scholarship and development agreement with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League, per the club.
The 33rd overall pick in June was originally supposed to remain in his native Russia next season. He had one year left on his contract with Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League, but he bought himself out of the deal last week and subsequently signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks.
Chernyshov, 18, will attend training camp for a brief period in San Jose before being returned to Saginaw, likely for the entire 2024-25 campaign. Doing so will slide the beginning of his entry-level contract to 2025-26.
The 6’3″, 203-lb winger had three goals and one assist for four points in 34 KHL games last season. He was much more productive in the junior ranks, posting 28 points (13 G, 15 A) in 22 games with MHK Dynamo Moscow.
More out of the Pacific Division:
- When Chernyshov’s move to Saginaw was announced this morning, there was a brief thought that Ducks 2024 second-rounder Lucas Pettersson might join him in Michigan. That won’t be the case, however. Sources told Max Miller of The Hockey News and Scott Wheeler of The Athletic that he’ll remain in his native Sweden after being selected by the Spirit in the CHL Import Draft. Pettersson, 18, was selected two picks after Chernyshov in June. He’ll likely get some action in the pros with MoDo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League, but could still spend a solid chunk of 2024-25 with their junior team. The 5’11” center was one of the Swedish junior circuit’s leading scorers last season, posting 57 points (27 goals, 30 assists) in 44 games for MoDo’s U-20 club.
- The Golden Knights bought low on 2020 seventh-overall pick Alexander Holtz this summer, only parting ways with depth forward Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-rounder to acquire him and Akira Schmid from the Devils. Speaking to reporters, Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Holtz was “a player we had tremendous regard for as an amateur. We’re taking a swing at his upside and what a change can do sometimes for young players” (via James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now). McCrimmon thinks Holtz has “untapped potential that we feel we can unlock here to some degree with the opportunity,” he added. With Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson among the key departures from Vegas’ forward group this summer, Holtz will be relied upon as a top-nine scoring option for the Knights in 2024-25 with the potential to challenge for top-six minutes. The 22-year-old had 28 points in 82 games in New Jersey last year.
- The Ducks have added to their minor-league coaching staff, hiring Dave Barr as an assistant for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, per a team release. Barr, 63, spent last season as an assistant with the Chicago Wolves during their one year of operating independently of an NHL affiliation. He has 12 years of experience as an assistant at the game’s highest level, spending time on benches for the Avalanche, Wild, Devils, Sabres, Panthers and Sharks from 2008 to 2020. Before joining the Wolves last season, he spent two years as the head coach of the Vienna Capitals in Austria’s ICEHL.
Afternoon Notes: Perfetti, Chernyshov, Wranglers
Recent trade rumors have suggested the Winnipeg Jets offered Cole Perfetti for Carolina Hurricane forward Martin Necas. However, Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Suns has emphasized that there’s no truth to the claim, though Carolina did show interest in acquiring Perfetti. Billeck adds that Necas wasn’t interested in signing long-term in Winnipeg, driving a wedge into trade negotiations.
Necas, 25, has since signed a two-year extension that walks him to unrestricted free agency in 2026, giving him a chance to hand-pick where he spends his prime years. Necas has come into form over the last two seasons, posting a collective 52 goals and 124 points in 159 games. He’s developed into a high-energy scorer with the ability to play both wing and center.
Perfetti, 22, offers that same flexibility, though he’s still searching for his footing at the NHL level. He managed 19 goals and 38 points in 71 games this season despite inconsistent, and controversial, ice time. Perfetti looks poised to join Necas’ ranks of top-six goal-scorers over the next few seasons, though the pair’s age disparity makes them tough to evaluate side-by-side.
Other notes from around the league:
- San Jose Sharks prospect Igor Chernyshov shared with Sergey Demidov of Russia’s Responsible Gaming that he’ll likely be moving to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit after San Jose’s training camp. Chernyshov signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks on Thursday and will move to the CHL with rare pro experience, having played in 39 games with the KHL’s Dynamo Moskva over the last two seasons. He’s scored just five points in those appearances – deceptively low considering the impact he brings shift-to-shift. Chernyshov showed a bit more offense in the MHL – Russia’s U21 junior league – with 66 points in 60 games over the same span. He will now be tasked with finding his footing and rediscovering that production in Saginaw, as he fights to earn a spot among San Jose’s pro ranks.
- The AHL’s Calgary Wranglers have announced the signings of forward Connor Mylymok, defender Charles Martin, and goaltender Connor Murphy. Mylymok and Martin have inked two-year AHL/ECHL contracts, while Murphy re-signs with the Wranglers on a one-way AHL deal. Murphy found his stride after earning an AHL call-up last season, posting a .922 save percentage across 15 games with the Wranglers. With Dustin Wolf set for a promotion to the NHL, Murphy will battle with Devin Cooley and Waltteri Ignatjew for a hardy AHL role. Meanwhile, Mylymok and Martin will continue their pursuit of a call-up from the ECHL.
Sharks Sign Igor Chernyshov To Entry-Level Contract
The San Jose Sharks have signed another player from their excellent 2024 draft class as the organization announced they have signed forward Igor Chernyshov to his entry-level contract. It was reported only yesterday that Chernyshov had terminated his contract with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL and would be heading to North America for the 2024-25 season. PuckPedia reports that the deal will carry a $975K AAV and breaks down as follows:
2024-25: $852.5K salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $25K games played bonus, $85K AHL salary
2025-26: $877.5K salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $85K AHL salary
2026-27: $877.5K salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $85K AHL salary
Even with the entry-level contract for Chernyshov, there is little to no chance he will crack the Sharks’ opening night roster. San Jose will either loan Chernyshov to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit or allow him to play with their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. The Spirit selected Chernyshov with the 56th overall selection of the most recent OHL Import Draft.
The young Russian forward slipped quite a bit in the 2024 NHL Draft, as TSN’s Bob McKenzie projected that he would land in the mid-to-late first round. As things would turn out, Chernyshov fell out of the first round entirely and landed with the Sharks in the second round with the 33rd overall pick. As his developmental path plays out, Chernyshov could be one of the sneakier selections in a very deep draft class.
Chernyshov spent much of the last three seasons with the MHL’s Dynamo Moscow where he recorded 38 goals and 77 points in 78 games. After nearly averaging a point per game in Russia’s top junior league, Dynamo Moscow of the KHL gave Chernyshov an opportunity before he had turned 18. Playing in arguably a top-three professional league in the world, Chernyshov scored four goals and one assist in 39 games.
A Russian prospect signing this quickly after being drafted is a good sign for the Sharks as it is apparent Chernyshov is excited about getting an opportunity in the NHL. After playing against some of the best talent in Russia for the last two years, sending Chernyshov to the OHL for a year may be a step back for the forward. Curtis Pashelka of San Jose Hockey Now reports the Sharks organization is set to decide on his future in the next couple of weeks.
International Notes: Team Canada, Kuznetsov, Chernyshov, Rendulic
Team Canada is already making significant preparations for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament that is set to take place in mid-February next year. The organization announced four assistant coaches who will be on the bench with the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper. Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights, Peter DeBoer of the Dallas Stars, Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks, and Misha Donskov of the Stars will all represent their native Canada in next season’s tournament.
All four assistant coaches have previously served with Team Canada in varying capacities. Cassidy suited up for Team Canada in the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship but did not earn a medal while also playing for Canada’s National Team during the 1986-87 season where he scored three goals and nine points in 12 games. As a player and a coach, the 4 Nations Face-Off will be Cassidy’s official return to Team Canada.
Tocchet joins Cassidy as the only other member of the staff to be joining Team Canada as a coach for the first time. Tocchet played in the 1987 and 1991 iterations of the Canada Cup where Canada secured gold against the Soviet Union and the United States. Vancouver’s head coach suited up for Team Canada’s World Championship after his dominant 1989-90 season concluded.
DeBoer and Donskov have considerable experience coaching Team Canada with most of their work coming in the World Junior Championships. DeBoer served as an assistant coach with Team Canada for the 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015 tournaments with Canada winning gold in the final year. Similarly, Donskov served as a video coach to Team Canada during their pursuit of gold in 2015 while winning another gold medal with the team in 2016 as an assistant coach.
Other international notes:
- Former forward for the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, Evgeny Kuznetsov will be leaving for his native Russia as SKA St. Petersburg announced they had signed the veteran to a four-year contract earlier today. Kuznetsov will earn $950K in each year of his deal with access to substantial bonuses. According to Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org, Kuznetsov will earn $3.5MM if he reaches the top three in scoring, $3.5MM if he reaches the top three in goal scoring, $3.5MM if he reaches the top three in +/-, and $1.2MM for winning the Gagarin Cup. This means that on his four-year contract, Kuznetsov will have the opportunity to earn $47MM in salary if he can achieve all his bonus markers.
- Beat writer for the San Jose Sharks, Curtis Pashelka, reports that Sharks’ prospect Igor Chernyshov has terminated his contract with Dynamo Moscow and will head to North America for the 2024-25 NHL season. There has been no indication that San Jose is trying to sign Chernyshov to his entry-level contract. Chernyshov was a potential first-round talent in the 2024 NHL Draft that fell to 33rd overall in the second round. The OHL’s Saginaw Spirit selected Chernyshov in the most recent OHL Import Draft with the 56th overall selection, and he will likely suit up for them next season.
- Former depth forward for the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks, Borna Rendulic, has decided to extend his stay with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. According to EliteProspects, Rendulic is in agreement with St. Petersburg on an extension that will keep him with the organization for the 2024-25 KHL season. Rendulic was acquired from HC Sochi last year and 11 goals and 27 points in 51 games to close out the season.
Sharks Notes: Celebrini, Chernyshov, Afanasyev, Ulmer
Sharks first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini will decide whether he’s turning pro for 2024-25 shortly after this week’s development camp ends, he told reporters yesterday (via San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng). The high-end two-way center prospect won the Hobey Baker Award for the top player in college hockey last season after recording 64 points in 38 games for Boston University as a freshman and didn’t turn 18 until well after the season had ended.
It’s overwhelmingly likely he’ll be in the San Jose lineup come opening night, as Peng says he’s been led to believe Celebrini is turning pro for months now. Only two first-overall picks out of college in recent memory – Erik Johnson (2006) and Owen Power (2021) – have returned to school after their draft year. In Johnson’s case, it wasn’t a return, either. He’d spent his draft year in the U.S. National Team Development Program before attending the University of Minnesota in 2006-07. Either way, both players were defenders, and neither was viewed as the true franchise talent Celebrini is.
Elsewhere out of the Bay Area:
- San Jose is also facing a similar decision from their third pick of the draft – Russian winger Igor Chernyshov, who they picked up with the first pick of the second round (33rd overall). While he was under contract to continue with Dynamo Moskva in the Kontinental Hockey League, that may no longer be the case. Mikhail Zislis of Sport-Express reports he’s terminating the deal to head to North American juniors. Chernyshov’s agent, Dan Milstein, followed up to Peng that there’s “nothing imminent” about Chernyshov’s decision for next season but did confirm it was up in the air. If he is joining the junior ranks on this side of the Atlantic, it would be with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. They selected Chernyshov in today’s CHL Import Draft.
- While one Russian is getting closer to San Jose, another appears to be leaving. Peng reported earlier this week that RFA forward Egor Afanasyev is set to sign a two-year deal in the KHL, presumably with CSKA Moskva, who owns his rights. The Sharks acquired Afanasyev’s signing rights in a swap with the Predators last month, sending 2020 first-round pick Ozzy Wiesblatt the other way. He made just two NHL appearances with Nashville last season but had 54 points in 56 games on assignment to AHL Milwaukee.
- On the off-ice side, the Sharks are reportedly adding to their coaching staff in the form of former AHL Abbotsford assistant Jeff Ulmer, The Hockey News’ Max Miller reports. It’s unclear in what capacity, although there is one assistant opening on the Sharks’ bench under first-year head coach Ryan Warsofsky. Ulmer, 47, had spent the last three seasons in the Canucks organization as an assistant in Abbotsford and was also a member of the Coyotes’ player development department from 2019 to 2021.