New San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has run the defense for the last two seasons but now has a chance to lead the way in development plans for top defense prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin.
New San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has run the defense for the last two seasons but now has a chance to lead the way in development plans for top defense prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin.
New San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has run the defense for the last two seasons but now has a chance to lead the way in development plans for top defense prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin.
Mukhamadullin was a critical piece in Timo Meier's return from the New Jersey Devils, and in three NHL games last season, he didn't look out of place.
When asked about what is following in his development, Warsofsky had high hopes for the 22-year-old.
"I think his body is going to continue to develop. He came up [to the NHL] and was really good," Warsofsky said in a scrum following his official announcement press conference. "I thought he was really good at times and with a Barracuda. It takes defensemen a long time to play this position."
Warsofsky used Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling as an example of a player who took some time to grow into a full-time NHLer.
"I had Gustav Forsling in Charlotte, and if you had told me in six years he was going to be on the top pair in Florida, I couldn't tell you that, but I did think he was going to be an NHLer," Warsofsky said. "It takes defensemen a long time to learn this position."
The Sharks have many young defensemen, like Henry Thrun and Ty Emberson, to accompany Mukhamadullin. Warsofsky understands that his job is to get these players to the next level, which he feels depends on their confidence.
"Henry Thrun is going to be a really good player. He's just going through some ups and downs. We saw that this year, and he'll start figuring it out. A lot of that comes from confidence, and it's up to me to give players confidence," Warsofsky explained. "You're the best player when you're confident. You're the best bank teller when you're confident in what you do when you hand out the money. We need to be confident players and it's up to me to put that confidence and instill that in them."
Warsofsky has a track record of working with defensemen and turning them into terrific players, which bodes well for the Sharks.
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