Shakir Mukhamadullin’s season is over.
This means not only is his San Jose Sharks’ season done, but so is his chance to help the San Jose Barracuda in the upcoming AHL playoffs.
Shakir Mukhamadullin, a bright spot in another dismal Sharks’ season, suffered an ugly-looking upper-body injury on Apr. 1, when the Anaheim Ducks’ Frank Vatrano took him into the boards.
The 6-foot-4 defenseman was spotted in a sling for his left arm days later.
It’s believed to be a shoulder injury, though the San Jose Sharks declined to confirm that.
“We’re not there yet,” Ryan Warsofsky said, when asked if Mukhamadullin will require surgery.
A full recovery is expected.
The top San Jose Sharks prospect, after struggling to start the season in part because of a serious groin injury, was enjoying a breakout March, fulfilling some of the potential that made him a New Jersey Devils’ first-round pick in 2020 and a centerpiece of 2023’s Timo Meier trade.
The 23-year-old left-hander finished the season with two goals and nine points in 30 games.
After the 4 Nations Face-Off, in particular, his game took off. Mukhamadullin, in effect, became a top-pairing defenseman for the San Jose Sharks, averaging 20:27 a night, second on the team (not counting the traded Jake Walman), and scoring one goal and eight points in his last 17 games.
Mukhamadullin is an RFA. Safe to say, the Sharks are likely to bring him back, in hopes that he can keep building on his strong second half of the season.
