Mukhamadullin Candid About His Confidence, Last Season’s Surgery, Who’s Keeping Him Positive (+)

PHILADELPHIA — Shakir Mukhamadullin’s confidence is certainly shaken.

Mukhamadullin, on the verge of his fourth-straight healthy scratch, spoke one-on-one with San Jose Hockey Now after San Jose Sharks’ morning skate on Tuesday.

The top prospect shared what the coaching staff’s message has been to him through these scratches, if he agrees, and who’s been keeping his confidence up in these hard times.

“Kind of hard right now to stay [confident] because you’re not playing,” Mukhamadullin said. “I’m gonna find a way to stay [confident] every game, and when I come back, make sure I play my best game.”

Here’s the full interview.

Shakir Mukhamadullin, on his mind-set right now:

You know, just try to stay positive. Keep working hard.

For [any] place, hard time when you’re not playing. But we have a team, we have a really good team. Everyone working hard and everyone tries to play well. And we actually win the last game. I don’t know what I can say more, but it’s gonna happen with everyone. But I gotta stay positive, just working hard.

Mukhamadullin, on the message from the San Jose Sharks coaching staff to him:

I would say, just play my game, first of all. [Also] play more physical. Play more aggressive.

I actually want to play better with the puck. I want to play more in O-zone as well. Just be aggressive in each zone and be confident.

Mukhamadullin, if he agrees with this assessment of his game:

Sometimes, we agree. Sometimes we’re not [agreeing]. But coaches see more and they know more than us. They know better what their plans [are] for me. They know how I can play, and they try to find a way, how I can do that. It’s hard to give you answer. Because I always agree with the coach, because he’s my coach.

Mukhamadullin, on why it’s been a challenge to re-capture his late-season form from last year:

I think I had pretty good pre-season games. Had really good camp. I worked hard in the summertime, so I prepared really hard.

When the season started, it’s like up-and-down for me, in and out, scratch, not scratch. It’s always hard. It’s always hard for players, but I gotta find a way to play every game, every day.

Mukhamadullin, on if last season’s shoulder surgery impacted his off-season training, and start to this season:

No, I think it’s…nothing changed for me. I think I probably worked harder than last [off-season] as well.

[Training camp] testings, I had some really good results…I had a big jump, like physically.

No, I don’t worry about my injuries. It’s gonna happen every game. [I think about] hockey like I was four years old. So I’m just worried about the game. And I love the game.

Mukhamadullin, on where his confidence is right now:

After pre-season, I felt pretty confident.

After a couple games, I make a couple mistakes, made me sometimes scratched. Kind of hard right now to stay [confident] because you’re not playing. But I will say it again, I’m gonna find a way to stay [confident] every game, and when I come back, make sure I play my best game.

Mukhamadullin, on who’s keeping his spirits up now with the San Jose Sharks:

I’m talking with everyone. I’m talking with coaches. The biggest guy for me right now is Dmitry [Orlov]. We talk everyday together, and he’s helped me a lot.

It’s not like I’m not on the team right now because I’m not playing. No, we’re all together every time. Everyone is a scratch sometimes, but it’s nothing changed for us. We’re still one team, all together in bad times, we’re together in good times.

Mukhamadullin, on what he’s going to bring when he’s back in the line-up:

I hope you guys will see this. Just try to show my best and play aggressive everywhere. Play with the puck and play hard in the D-zone.