San Jose Sharks Prospect Nikolay Goldobin Gunning For Place With Sharks
Sep 23, 2014; Stockton, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks left winger Nikolay Goldobin (82) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL Preseason game at the Stockton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports
Nikolay Goldobin, the San Jose Sharks 2014 first-round selection, made quite the impression in training camp and preseason action a season ago, but he was one of the Sharks final roster cuts before the 2014-15 regular season began. This year, Goldobin is looking to not just push for a roster spot, he’s looking to secure one.
Goldobin, who is now listed at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, is a skilled winger who can do it all on the offensive end of the ice; however, where he needs to improve is in the other zone. Here’s what San Jose Barracuda coach Roy Sommer, who coached Goldobin at the end of last season, had to say with regards to Goldobin (quote from story by Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News):
"“He’s got offense, and when he wants to go, he’s pretty good. I think the big thing with him is that he’s got to get a lot more consistent. Offensively, he’s got all the tools. He sees the ice real well. He’s just got to play both ends of the ice and get the confidence of the coaching staff.”"
To illustrate this, Goldobin posted huge numbers in his two seasons with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In 135 games with Sarnia, Goldobin registered 162 points (68 goals and 94 assists), but he was a minus-37 overall. Last year, he split his time with HIFK in the Finnish Elite League and the Worcester Sharks, where he scored three goals and two assists in nine games, while being a minus-six.
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Goldobin, who was drafted with the 27th pick, impressed many in the Sharks organization after registering a goal and three assists in four exhibition games last year. Heading into the 2015-16 season, he should be more NHL-ready after playing against professionals in Europe and the American Hockey League. Goldobin could fill a scoring role on the wing in San Jose as the Sharks were middle-of-the-pack last season in goals per game (15th), and were worse at 5-on-5 (22nd).
If Goldobin can become more reliable on the defensive end of the ice, he could find his name on the San Jose opening night roster. Goldobin has the requisite skills, but he must refine his overall game, and he appears ready and willing to do so. Here’s his own assessment of his game:
Goldobin: "Maybe I have the skill, but I need to do the little details to play in NHL. I have skill, but it's not enough to play in NHL"
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) July 9, 2015
It’s good to see that Goldobin’s assessment of his play is right in line with Sommer’s, so he knows the areas he has to focus on.
The Sharks are a team right now that are relying upon their veterans to carry the scoring burden, but Goldobin is someone who can help shoulder some of that pressure. He’s a gifted individual who is aiming to carve out his place within the San Jose lineup.