SAN JOSE — San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier checked one item off his offseason to-do list, signing pending restricted free agent defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year, $1 million extension.
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Mukhamadullin, 23, was coming off his three-year entry-level contract he signed with the New Jersey Devils in Dec. 2021. He was acquired by the Sharks from the Devils in Feb. 2023 as part of the massive trade that sent Timo Meier to New Jersey.
Mukhamadullin played 51 games this past season, dressing for 30 games with the Sharks and 21 with their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. With the Sharks, he had nine points and averaged just over 18 minutes of ice time, and was used on their top defense pair near the end of the season before he sustained a shoulder injury in April.
Mukhamadullin drew praise from the Sharks’ coaching staff as he began to play a larger role after defenseman Jake Walman was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in March. That month, Mukhamadullin had five points in 13 games and averaged close to 22 minutes per game.
Mukhamadullin could have a similarly significant role for the Sharks once the 2025-26 season begins in October.
“Shakir earned the opportunity to be a part of the Sharks and was able to get some valuable experience playing against quality opponents that helped aid his development,” Grier said in a statement. “We look forward to his continued growth in the upcoming season.”
The Sharks have several other RFAs on their roster, notably forwards Nikolai Kovalenko, Klim Kostin, Noah Gregor, Thomas Bordeleau, and Danil Gushchin. It is unclear whether any of those players will return to San Jose. Defenseman Jack Thompson and goalie Georgi Romanov are also restricted free agents.
William Eklund, the Sharks’ second-leading scorer this past season with 58 points in 77 games, is entering the final year of his entry-level contract and is eligible for an extension after July 1. Eklund needed surgery after he sustained a cut wrist in a game with Sweden in a World Championship tune-up earlier this month, but he is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.
Grier also has, per PuckPedia, over $41 million in salary cap space available to try and improve a Sharks team that finished last in the NHL standings for a second straight year. Although the Sharks are not expected to be bidders for the NHL’s top unrestricted free agents, they still have to reach the salary cap floor of $70.6 million next season.