We are just 35 days away from the San Jose Sharks opening their season at the SAP Center against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 9 at 10 p.m.
Because of that, let’s take a look at the players in franchise history who have worn the number 35. There have only been three players to wear the number, and all of them have been goalies. The first came in 1991-92 when the Sharks entered the league, and the latest is still a member of the team. So, let’s dive into the players that have worn #35 for San Jose.
The first goalie to wear the number was Jarmo Myllys during the 1991-92 season. He spent the first three years of his NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars before joining the Sharks in his final year in the league. With San Jose, he played in 27 games and had a record of 3-18-1 with a .867 SV% and a 5.02 GAA.
The second goalie to wear number 35 is easily the most notable and one of the greatest Sharks of all time, Evgeni Nabokov. During his 10 seasons with San Jose, he wore the number 35 from 1999-2002 before switching to his iconic number 20. His time with the organization was nothing short of incredible. He posted a record of 353 wins, 227 losses, and 86 overtime losses/ties with a .912 SV% and a 2.39 GAA. He played in 563 games and started 563 of them, including 77 appearances in the 2007-08 season. After his time with the Sharks, he went on to play three seasons with the New York Islanders and one with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nabokov is hands down the best goalie to ever put pads on in the organization’s history.
The last goalie to wear number 35 was Vesa Toskala, who had it during the 2003-2007 seasons. He started with the organization wearing number 29 but ultimately made the switch. Over five seasons with the Sharks, he appeared in 115 games and had a record of 65-28-10 with a .914 SV% and a 2.35 GAA. After his time with the organization, he went on to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Calgary Flames.
