San Jose Sharks prospects had a good showing at the 2023 Rookie Faceoff. Here are three takeaways from their performance.
Finishing with a 2-1 record at the 2023 Rookie Faceoff, the San Jose Sharks prospects showed that the future is getting brighter.
Here are some takeaways from the weekend:
1. Shakir Mukhamadullin is close to the NHL
Acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the Timo Meier trade, Shakir Mukhamadullin's prospect profile wasn't fully known.
The Russian defenseman had ten points in 12 games with the San Jose Barracuda last season. He displayed a strong skating ability and a sound defensive game.
Mukhamadullin played all three games at the Rookie Faceoff and was by far the best defenseman for the Sharks. Mukhamadullin quarterbacked the top powerplay and was the first defenseman over the boards anytime there was a critical situation.
He seemed to get more comfortable as the weekend went on. With Henry Thrun as his d-partner during the first game, Mukhamadullin played a more conservative game.
Thrun didn't play the final two games of the tourney, which allowed the 21-year-old to showcase his abilities.
Against the Arizona Coyotes, the defenseman was constantly creating turnovers in the defensive zone, quickly turning up ice, and jumping into the offensive rush.
Although the belief is he will start in the AHL, Mukhamadullin showcased why he was the main prospect in return for Meier. Expect him to make his NHL debut this season.
2. Mason Beaupit struggles
John McCarthy was the head coach for the San Jose Sharks during the Rookie Faceoff and rotated his goaltenders to each get one game.
Georgi Romanov made 41 saves, and Magnus Chrona wasn't busy but made some ridiculous saves.
For Mason Beaupit, however, it was more of a struggle. The netminder wasn't horrible, but he wasn't at the level of his peers.
The 2022 fourth-round draft pick has yet to find his footing whenever he has skated with the Sharks. Beaupit allowed five goals in the Sharks final game of the tourney, which was also the team's only loss.
By no means does a bad game mean that Beaupit played horribly. He made some solid saves but ultimately couldn't do enough.
Beaupit bailed the team out early after a costly turnover but, unfortunately, couldn't consistently make the big save.
Many questions surround the 19-year-old goalie. Will he get better as he gets older? Is he just struggling to adjust to higher-level shots? Are his struggles confidence-related?
These questions and more are why the San Jose Sharks have yet to sign him to an entry-level contract. The signings of Romanov and Chrona are also reasonable indications that the front office may be losing some hope.
Not all hope is lost with Beaupit. He got invited to training camp, where he will once again try to prove he's worth a contract within the organization.
3. Mike Grier's competitive image is obvious
"Compete level." "Internal competition." "Everyone needs to earn their spot on the team."
These are all phrases that San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier and other front office members have echoed.
Grier and head coach David Quinn's image of bringing more competition to the ice was easily seen in Vegas last weekend.
The Sharks were a scrappy bunch throughout the three games. All three games were physical. Team Teal played with pride and for each other. They worked as a unit but played with a chip on their shoulder every second.
Lesser-known prospects like Artem Guryev and Bradley Marek made an impact.
As seen in the fight above, Guryev got into a massive scrap with the Los Angeles Kings. He played with composure and structure. He was apparent in every game.
He earned himself an alternate captain role during the tournament's second game.
Even when losing to the Arizona Coyotes, the San Jose Sharks never gave up. They continually found answers to get back into the game.
Even after the next goal, Team Teal scored, a fight broke out afterward.
Thomas Bordeleau scored two goals against the Vegas Golden Knights. His first goal is a perfect representation of not giving up.
The forward was knocked down in front of the net but remained engaged in the play by deflecting a shot for a goal while sitting on his backside.
The San Jose Sharks rookies brought their A-game, and fans should be excited about the development of these young players.
