There\u2019s a certain level of whimsy to Sergei Murashov that seems fitting.<\/p>\n
After all, he was born on April Fool\u2019s Day (2004).<\/p>\n
A quick examination of his gear would confirm that.<\/p>\n
Inside the upper tiers of his leg pads, he has decals of Olaf, the waggish snowman from the animated \u201cFrozen\u201d movie franchise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a small part of my soul,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cI love this character, Olaf. He reminds me to stay with a smile, enjoy life and everything you\u2019re facing in this life.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was nothing foolish about the Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending prospect\u2019s first season of life in North America.<\/p>\n
A fourth-round draft pick (No. 118 overall) in 2022, the Russian-born Murashov signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins in July 2024 and split the ensuing campaign between Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton of the American Hockey League and Wheeling of the ECHL.<\/p>\n
The bulk of his time was spent in West Virginia with the Nailers. <\/p>\n
In 26 ECHL games, he posted a 17-7-1 record along with a 2.40 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and one shutout. In part because of his efforts, the Nailers set a franchise record with a 13-game winning streak throughout November and December.<\/p>\n
Murashov… you are the MAN ????@WheelingNailers<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uTP6PIUsuE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ECHL (@ECHL) February 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n His impact was no less spectacular in Northeast Pennsylvania. Appearing in 16 AHL contests, the right-catching goaltender had a 12-3-0 record, a 2.64 GAA, a .913 save percentage and one shutout. <\/p>\n In the process, he set a Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton record for consecutive wins by a rookie goaltender with 11 victories.<\/p>\n Sergei Murashov has been under siege in the middle frame, but came up with a timely glove stop here to keep the game tied at 2-2. @InsideAHLHockey<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/LT9cQisy1y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) March 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n (The previous mark of nine consecutive wins was established in 2013-14 by Matt Murray, who merely led the Pittsburgh Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017 once he graduated to the NHL.)<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really good,\u201d Penguins defensive prospect Owen Pickering said. \u201cHe\u2019s awesome. He came in and won (11) straight games for us. Set a record. \u2026 We have full confidence in him. We know he\u2019s going to give us a chance to win every night. We know he\u2019s going to compete for us. He\u2019s also just a good human. He\u2019s fun to be around.\u201d<\/p>\n Where Murashov might enjoy some fun throughout 2025-26 is a matter of debate.<\/p>\n The Penguins have a somewhat bloated stockpile of goaltenders at all levels. The only certainty appears to be 30-year-old Tristan Jarry, whose ample salary cap hit ($5.375 million) will presumably dictate he will enter the season as the NHL club\u2019s starting goaltender, despite his inconsistent nature.<\/p>\n After that, there are plenty of younger options in offseason acquisition Arturs Silovs (24), Joel Blomqvist (23) and Murashov (21). Also in the mix is 27-year-old Filip Larsson.<\/p>\n All four have viable resumes. Silovs drove the AHL\u2019s Abbotsford Canucks to the Calder Cup last season, and Blomqvist was an AHL All-Star as recently as 2023-24. And Larsson actually led all Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton goaltenders in appearances last season with 26 games (along with a 12-9-3 record, a 2.84 GAA, a .910 save percentage and five shutouts).<\/p>\n Competing for playing time doesn\u2019t seem to be something upon which Murashov dwells.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say I never really think about it, to be honest,\u201d Murashov said in Cranberry on Thursday in advance of the Penguins\u2019 participation in a rookie showcase in Buffalo beginning Friday. \u201cIf there\u2019s 10 guys (to compete against), my job is always the same. Just stop the puck and give my very, very best. That\u2019s all I need. My motivation always comes from my inner voice and my intentions.\u201d<\/p>\n Murashov\u2019s outer voice is no less profound, especially in a second language he converses in with ease. His strong command of English allowed him to adjust to North America with few impediments.<\/p>\n \u201cI (learned English in) school,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cAnd I was watching different things in English, reading and listening before coming here. Of course, I knew there would be adjustments. The hardest thing I would say is accents. I could sit at the table and try to understand what people are talking about. But now, it\u2019s pretty natural for me. Even now, I don\u2019t have to think what to say. I don\u2019t (mentally) translate it from Russian to English. I already think in English. I like this language. It\u2019s kind of simple, but there some interesting things.\u201d<\/p>\n Murashov\u2019s observations on life in North America are certainly interesting.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat impressed me the most is that you have so many choices everywhere,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cIf you\u2019re picking a restaurant or you\u2019re going for groceries and there\u2019s so many things around. So many options is what impressed me.\u201d<\/p>\n Adjustments on the rink to a smaller ice surface (European leagues typically play on Olympic-sized rinks) were minimal.<\/p>\n His job is the same no matter the dimensions.<\/p>\n \u201cStop the puck,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cThat\u2019s all you need. There are a couple of adjustments. I would say teams play more offensive. All five players are engaged in the offensive zone. The goalies should be aware of different threats of variations of (playing styles). You just need to be a little bit deeper. Maybe stay more patient on (your) feet. Just be able to move right away and be prepared for shots from everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n The combination of on-ice success and his affable nature has become a source of bullish optimism for fans of a franchise that is in the midst of rebuilding for the future.<\/p>\n Murashov values those sentiments while trying to remain grounded.<\/p>\n \u201cI am aware of it,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cPeople who surround me, they always are telling me about it. I try to stay out of social media. I definitely appreciate it. I appreciate all the fans, and I feel their support. It\u2019s really precious for me. It motivates me. Definitely motivates me. It\u2019s a gift, it\u2019s a blessing for me that people love what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n All of that has led to Murashov becoming a big part of the Penguins\u2019 future in a relatively short period of time.<\/p>\n With those lofty aspirations, Murashov realizes outlining any specific benchmarks might be a fools\u2019 errand.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely, compete for wins,\u201d Murashov said. \u201cDefinitely, be a good person all season for our team and outside of hockey. \u2026 In terms of goals, I want to just stay quiet and just do my job quietly.\u201d<\/p>\n Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n