Nikita Sokolov
If you’re looking for a summer reading inspo, Igor Chernyshov has one for you.
Three Comrades by Erich Maria Remarque. A classic story taking place in 1920s Germany. Seen as the thematic continuation of Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
An avid reader, Chernyshov has finished one third of this book so far. His favorite moments? He said, in Russian, that he’s a little bit too shy and wanted to keep them to himself.
Only to add: “You know, I can actually share one thing that got stuck in my head.”
“When the main character and his friends were sitting in a restaurant,” the 20-year-old San Jose Sharks winger continued, “and discussed yet another philosophical topic, the main character was told this advice: In life, a stupid person always wins.”
Of course, I was curious why. A proud multiple scratch-off lottery winner, I never thought of myself as stupid.
“While a smart person overthinks and sees barriers that in fact don’t even exist,” Chernyshov explained, “a stupid person does what they need and what they want.”
Truly, when it comes to overthinking, acting a bit more “stupid” is sometimes the smartest thing you can do.
Especially when you’re a rookie playing your first NHL season.
“Maybe this moment in the book helped me,” Chernyshov chuckled. “This season I didn’t have what people here call ‘overthinking.’”
And it showed.
The Russian forward scored 19 points in 28 games for the San Jose Sharks. He also added 33 points in 43 AHL games for the San Jose Barracuda — paired with the AHL Rookie of the Month title in November.
Chernyshov stormed into the NHL with the confidence required to succeed.
The only time he was in awe this season was when the Sharks played the Washington Capitals, and Chernyshov was on the ice against all-time goal-scoring leader Alex Ovechkin, 20 years his senior.
“Half of the pre-game warmups, I spent skating and looking at him”, Chernyshov laughed. “I felt like I was looking at the legend I always saw on TV. And here he is, warming up on the ice. And me? I’m just staring at him!”
Ovechkin and Chernyshov are both products of the Moscow Dynamo hockey academy. Igor moved to Moscow from his native city of Penza when he was 11 and went through all the steps – from kids’ teams to the U21 squad in the Junior Hockey League to making his KHL debut at 17.
After his first KHL season, in summer 2024, Chernyshov went to Florida for a Scouting Combine-like rookie camp before the NHL draft.
A potential first-round pick, Chernyshov joined other players on a yacht ride… and ended up badly sunburned.
“I believed in myself too much,” Chernyshov smiled. “Thought I could keep up with the sun without sunscreen. I’m a guy from the provinces, thought nothing was gonna stop me!”
The sunburn made Chernyshov skip the beginning of the camp, and some say that might have affected where he was selected in the 2024 Draft. The 6-foot-2 forward was chosen in second round (33rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks.
“I see that sunburn story as one of the anecdotes, one of many, that can happen to anyone,” Chernyshov said. “Something to remember and smile about.”
He emphasized he has no regrets about the sunburn story:
“It’s hard to say if I was upset or not… Now I understand that it helped me be where I am. I’m happy to be in San Jose.”
It’s no secret the NHL draft is not just about talent or stats. It’s also where communication skills and vibe check really matter.
Which sounded like a challenge for Chernyshov, whose English definitely needed some work.
“For me, the interview part was easy because I could barely understand anything,” Chernyshov chuckled, talking about the 2024 Draft. “We talked through an interpreter — maybe that’s why there was no extra tension.”
In January 2025, after successful shoulder surgery, Chernyshov joined the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and, despite knowing little English, immediately made an impact: 55 points in 23 games plus six points in five playoff games. The adjustment to North American hockey for the young forward seemed to go pretty smooth.
But was it?
“It was easy,” Chernyshov confirmed. “I can’t really add anything else to this answer.”
Chernyshov started this season with the San Jose Barracuda but was called up by the Sharks last December and recorded an assist in his very first NHL game. Followed by his first NHL goal against Vancouver 11 days later.
Averaging 15:03 a night, the 20-year-old rookie was getting decent ice time all season. The only exception? A game in Montreal on March 14 where he recorded 28 seconds before getting tangled up with the Canadiens’ Mike Matheson and suffering a concussion.
“It’s not really on my mind anymore,” Chernyshov said. “I completely forgot about it. Felt nothing. There are no consequences. I didn’t even have symptoms five hours after it just happened.”
He added:
“It was super light, with no problems after. That’s why I don’t even think about that hit. Especially considering I had super-super-super cool moments this season — emotions and memories that still stay in my head.”
Chernyshov said it’s hard to name the most memorable moment of his first NHL season.
“I think it’s impossible to highlight anything,” he said. “Because I remember every moment, every game, every goal, every episode. It all caused incredible emotions. It’s all important to me.”
Chernyshov didn’t just make memories this season. He also made new friends that helped him adjust to the NHL faster.
One of them is the Sharks’ goalie and a fellow Russian Yaroslav Askarov.
“Lately, I started calling Yarik [short for Yaroslav] my mentor,” Chernyshov said. “I’m impressed by how he positions himself, by his mindset. One of many aspects I’m trying to learn from him is being more open and more positive — he’s great at it.”
He also mentioned other Russian-speaking Sharks’ players, Shakir Mukhamadullin and Dmitry Orlov.
There’s an interesting detail that best describes Chernyshov’s level of respect for the 35-year-old defenseman.
He refers to him using his first name and a patronymic name – how Russians refer to paternal/maternal or authority figures: Dmitry Vladimirovich. The English equivalent would be Mr. Orlov.
The 20-year-old forward clarified that he still uses Orlov’s nickname, “Oryol” (“eagle” in Russian), when he talks to the veteran defenseman in the locker room.
“I’m just showing my respect when I talk about him in public,” Chernyshov explained.
Another person who supported Chernyshov this season is the Sharks’ director of goaltending Evgeny Nabokov.
“I can’t even find the right words to describe how much he helped,” Chernyshov said of Nabby. “You can’t find a better person to help us Russians. He’s ideal.”
For Chernyshov, this help truly meant a lot of things.
“He invited me to live in his house before the season started, and I stayed there for two, three months,” Chernyshov added. “He answers all my questions, stupid or not. He can poke fun at you – and it’s normal, I like this kind of stuff.”
Of course, that also includes help on the ice.
“Even though he’s a goalie coach, in one of the last practices this season, he remembered a skill I needed to improve,” Chernyshov mentioned. “After the practice, he told me: “Let’s go and work on it!” That’s just one example of how engaged he is.”
Speaking of summer homework, Chernyshov said the Sharks’ coaching didn’t give him anything specific.
“There wasn’t any particular plan,” he said. “I asked what they thought about the season. They asked what I thought about the season. Of course, we discussed a few moments, but overall, it went great. A very warm atmosphere.”
The Sharks’ head coach Ryan Warsofsky shared a bit more detail on an off-season plan for Chernyshov.
“One will be the conditioning aspect,” Warsofsky said. “It’s not like he’s in bad shape, but to be able to play top-six in the National Hockey League every single night, you got to be able to run. You got to be able to go and be well-conditioned, especially if you want to play with [Macklin Celebrini],” Warsofsky said. “The other side of it is just the details you got to play with, without the puck. Those are critical to play in certain situations, to play against other teams. Whether that be a top line or a second line, your details away from the puck have to be really dialed in.”
Chernyshov has big plans for this summer break. Reading. Getting ready for the camp. And improving his English with a tutor.
“I don’t want to make promises like ‘I’m coming back and will speak English better than anyone else’,’” the young forward said. “I just need to better understand people and talk more.”