The Sharks have resigned defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year deal worth 1 million dollars for next season. Mukhamudullin was a pending RFA for the Sharks.
Mukhamadullin split this past season between the Sharks and the Barracuda, scoring 9 points in 30 NHL games. Mukhamadullin showed a lot of promise at the NHL level, averaging 18 minutes a night and spending some time on the top pairing for the Sharks along with Mario Ferraro. I recently ranked him as my number four prospect in my recent Sharks prospect ranking.
Unfortunately, his season ended early due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He is expected to be ready for training camp. The Sharks are hoping for continued growth in Mukhamadullin, and he should be in line for consistent playing time in the NHL, assuming he is healthy. Next season could be his breakout campaign.
The 1 million dollar AAV supports the Shark's faith in Mukhamadullin; that is not the type of contract you give to a player not playing in the NHL, even if it does not break the bank. It will also allow the Sharks and Mukhamudullin to see how this season goes and reevaluate next off-season on a more long-term deal.
With Mukhamadullin in the fold for next season, it will be interesting to see what the Sharks do to address the Defense this offseason. I went over some possible options available to the Sharks.