SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks believed winger Nikolai Kovalenko could be part of their future after they acquired him as a part of the commerce that despatched goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche in December.
However after a irritating first few months in San Jose, Kovalenko’s outlook with the Sharks seems murky at finest, with the 25-year-old ahead saying Thursday that he’d wish to be again with the staff however provided that his utilization modifications and his enjoying time will increase.
Between accidents and repeated wholesome scratches, together with seven in a nine-game span from March 15 to April 5, Kovalenko had 12 factors in 29 video games with the Sharks as he was moved up and down and out and in of the lineup.
Because the commerce, Kovalenko averaged 12:40 in ice time with the Sharks, ninth most amongst all forwards nonetheless with the group. The Sharks (20-50-12) ended their season with a 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and completed final within the NHL with 52 factors.
Kovalenko, a pending restricted free agent, revealed Thursday that two basic managers from the Kontinental Hockey League, the place he spent five-plus seasons earlier than coming to North America final April, have already contacted him.
In a current interview with Russia Hockey, Nikolai’s father, longtime NHL participant Andrei Kovalenko, mentioned, “Overall, there’s discontent from (Nikolai’s) side,” and that his son’s agent was speaking together with his former KHL staff, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, a few potential return.
The web site additionally reported that Andrei Kovalenko lately met with Sharks basic supervisor Mike Grier, his former Oilers teammate.
Nikolai Kovalenko mentioned his dream is to play within the NHL. On Thursday, when the Sharks met as a staff for the ultimate time this season, he was requested if he needs to stick with San Jose if he stays within the NHL.
“I think it’s a good question for Mike Grier, not for me,” Kovalenko mentioned, “and if he would like me to stay, we’ll have a conversation about this. If not, OK, we’ll find just another team.”
The Sharks have to situation a qualifying supply to Kovalenko by late June in the event that they wish to retain his rights. If Kovalenko leaves for the KHL with no commerce to a different NHL staff, the Sharks would nonetheless maintain his NHL rights.
Does Kovalenko wish to return to San Jose if Grier needs him again?
“I think if it will be the same thing like this year, obviously not,” Kovalenko mentioned, referring to his enjoying time. “So, maybe if something changed, or something like that, we can have this conversation.”
Kovalenko missed 14 video games with the Sharks this season due to damage, together with 9 straight video games from Feb. 4 to March 4. He returned to the lineup on March 6 when the Sharks performed the Avalanche in Denver and dressed for six of the following seven video games.
Kovalenko was scratched for six straight video games from March 27 to April 5. The scratches coincided with the arrival of ahead prospect Cam Lund, who signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks on March 21 and made his NHL debut six days later.
Requested about his message to Kovalenko, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, earlier this month, mentioned, “I think every time you’re on the ice, if it’s a practice, if it’s a morning skate, that’s your game. You’re always being evaluated.”
Kovalenko performed the season’s last six video games and noticed elevated ice time, enjoying at instances on a line with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Within the last six video games, Kovalenko had a aim and two assists and averaged over quarter-hour in ice time, revealing that he can maybe be an asset to the Sharks.
Sharks veteran heart Alexander Wennberg noticed Kovalenko’s potential however famous that if somebody needs to play extra, it have to be on benefit.
“I feel like you kind of earn your ice time,” mentioned Wennberg, who simply completed his eleventh NHL season. “Clearly, everybody needs to play extra, however you’ve obtained to depart all of it on the market. I don’t have any secret recipe for the way you play extra or not. However for those who look across the room, there are such a lot of proficient gamers. Everybody needs to play extra. Everybody needs to play the ability play and all that.
“So it comes down to you, your work ethic, and how much you want to do it, and (Kovalenko’s) doing a good job. But obviously, it’s competitive. Everyone here wants to do the same thing as well. So the only thing you can do is try to be better than the guy next to you. That helps everyone push to a higher level and helps the team.”
GEORGIEV GONE: Alexandar Georgiev’s time with the Sharks is ending, with the goalie saying after Wednesday’s recreation that Grier advised him the staff goes in a special path on the place.
Georgiev is within the last yr of a three-year, $10.2 million contract he signed with Colorado in July 2022 and he’s set to change into an unrestricted free agent. The Sharks acquired Georgiev, Kovalenko, and two draft picks within the Blackwood commerce.
Georgiev, 29, went 7-19-4 with an .875 save proportion in 31 video games with the Sharks.
As a staff, San Jose had the NHL’s worst targets in opposition to common (3.75) and third-worst save proportion (.881), solely forward of Buffalo (.879) and Philadelphia (.872).
MUKHAMADULLIN UPDATE: The Sharks introduced Thursday that defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin had surgical procedure final week to restore his left shoulder. Mukhamadullin mentioned Thursday that he’ll be prepared for coaching camp in September.
Initially Revealed: April 17, 2025 at 5:16 PM PDT
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