Sharks assign top winger prospect to AHL

The San Jose Sharks have assigned top winger prospect Igor Chernyshov to the AHL following the end of his season with the OHLs Saginaw Spirit.

Chernyshov signed his entry-level contract on Aug.

1, just over one month after the Sharks drafted him with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Chernyshov underwent surgery to address a shoulder injury soon after signing his entry-level contract.

The procedure forced him to sit out until January 30th.

In that time, Chernyshov moved from Russias Dynamo Moskva to the OHLs Saginaw Spirit where he quickly made up for lost time.

He scored two goals in his OHL debut, then followed it up with a jaw-dropping 19 points in his first six games in the league.

Chernyshov was a scoring machine on the OHLs second-highest-scoring offense, and posted seven different games of at least four points versus just five games with no scoring.

His OHL season ended with an incredible 19 goals and 55 points in 23 games or an average of 2.39 points-per-game.

That scoring pace was the highest in the CHL this season, and ranks as the fourth-highest in the OHL since 2000, just behind Chicago Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane .

Chernyshovs scoring output ranks him among some of the best scorers in OHL history but his game is far less flashy than many of his contemporaries.

Hes instead an aggressive and cerebral forechecker who earned his points on the back of tireless pressure and smart positioning.

Chernyshov didnt shy away from contact after undergoing surgery either and his muscular six-foot-three, 205-pound frame clearly stood out in the junior league.

He seemed poised for immediate pro games after splitting last season between 34 games in the KHL and 22 games in the MHL.

An OHL stint helped cushion him after an injury emerged, and Chernyshov took full advantage.

Hell enter North American pros with plenty of momentum behind him, and look to use his feisty style and cerebral scoring to support the San Jose Barracuda to a deep playoff run.

This article first appeared on Pro Hockey Rumors and was syndicated with permission..

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