Chernyshov Talks Saginaw, Playing With Celebrini

The future’s so bright for Igor Chernyshov…he’s gotta wear sunblock?

That’s what the 2024 second-round pick, who just signed with the San Jose Sharks, learned recently when he was at agent Dan Milstein’s pre-Draft showcase in Florida.

According to an exclusive interview, in Russian, with Sergey Demidov of Responsible Gambling, Chernyshov “got a severe sunburn on the first day”.

“I don’t go on vacation often. I had hardly been anywhere before. I was so unaccustomed to it that I believed that nothing would happen to me. But that is not an excuse,” the 18-year-old said. “After that, I missed a few training days because I couldn’t skate, but I don’t think it affected my position in the draft. Of course, it could have. But even if it was the case, it is not significant.”

Chernyshov, thought to be a likely late first-rounder, dropped to the first pick of the second round, No. 33 to the San Jose Sharks.

Good thing for Chernyshov, the climate at the likely next stop of his career will more resemble Moscow’s, where the 6-foot-3 winger last played with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow.

“After the Sharks’ training camp, I will probably go play in Saginaw, and then everything will depend on me,” he said.

Chernyshov will also train in Saginaw, MI in preparation for NHL training camp. After signing his ELC, Chernyshov is eligible to play with the San Jose Sharks or Barracuda, but he’s ticketed for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, which is in line with what San Jose Hockey Now reported on Thursday.

SOURCE: Just-Signed Chernyshov Will Play for Saginaw Spirit Next Year

Check out Demidov’s full interview with Chernyshov!

Chernyshov spoke about what he’s heard about developing in the OHL from other Russian players, what it was like to skate with Macklin Celebrini at San Jose Sharks development camp, and more.

Special thanks to Marco D’Amico of Montreal Hockey Now and Responsible Gaming for the heads-up on this Chernyshov interview