It\u2019s been a lost season for Shakir Mukhamadullin so far, but it\u2019s not too late to find his game.<\/p>\n
The brand-new father, who missed practice on Friday for the birth of his first child, scored the game-winner in the San Jose Sharks\u2019 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, snapping his team\u2019s five-game losing streak, and keeping them in the periphery of the playoff race. He also made the save of the game, stopping Jack Roslovic\u2019s open net bid in the first period.<\/p>\n
But perhaps more importantly, the 6-foot-4 blueliner was solid defensively and moved the puck assertively.<\/p>\n
\u201cSees the ice well,\u201d head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. \u201cGood details with his stick.\u201d<\/p>\n
The question for Mukhamadullin, however, isn\u2019t talent. The 2020 first-round pick is long, mobile, and better with the puck than without.<\/p>\n
Instead, the question is consistency and health.<\/p>\n
Mukhamadullin has been plagued by injuries, big and small, throughout his career. Just this season, Mukhamadullin has missed time because of three short-term injuries.<\/p>\n
Consequently, Mukhamadullin has played just 27 games this season, notching four goals and eight points, while averaging 16:20 a night. He\u2019s also been healthy scratched with regularity though, not a consequence of his injuries.<\/p>\n
Speaking with multiple NHL scouts throughout the season, the truth of the matter is, that\u2019s on Mukhamadullin. None of them blame the San Jose Sharks coaching staff or other popular boogeymen.<\/p>\n
For whatever reason, Mukhamadullin hasn\u2019t been able to establish himself as an everyday blueliner on a very shallow Sharks defense. Only two defensemen, Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro, have avoided healthy scratches this season. Frankly, the San Jose blueline is a land of opportunity right now for any reliable rearguard.<\/p>\n
Mukhamadullin is 24 and not waiver-exempt anymore, so the clock is ticking on the once-top prospect to once and for all seize regular minutes on the San Jose Sharks.<\/p>\n
The pending RFA has 25 games to go this year to show his mettle.<\/p>\n
Forget the first two thirds of the season. Tonight was a good start for a brand-new campaign for Mukhamadullin.<\/p>\n
Can he, in the first meaningful NHL games of his career, begin to live up to his top-four potential?<\/p>\n
Macklin Celebrini<\/p>\n
Celebrini\u2019s thoughts on his empty net goal:<\/p>\n
Probably get [the shot] off as fast as possible.<\/p>\n
I saw [Dmitry Orlov] out of the corner my eye. I thought he was [onside]. But, when you look back at it, it\u2019s a little closer than I thought.<\/p>\n
We just tried to attack quick, and I realized [Connor Ingram] wasn\u2019t in net.<\/p>\n
“He’s such a special player and a special person. It was great to get to know him over there and play with him.” <\/p>\n
Macklin Celebrini chats with @GenePrincipe<\/a> about the @SanJoseSharks<\/a> massive win over the Oilers and what it was like to play with Connor McDavid in Milan \ud83d\udc47 pic.twitter.com\/ZTn9tSKfIO<\/a><\/p>\n