Sharks Recall Top Prospect, Send Thompson & Cardwell Down

RALEIGH, N.C. — The San Jose Sharks have recalled Shakir Mukhamadullin.

This is a long-awaited recall, as Mukhamadullin was expected to compete for a job with the NHL club during training camp.

But the 2020 New Jersey Devils’ first-round pick, one of the centerpieces of the Timo Meier trade, missed all of camp with a lower-body injury.

He got back to game action on Oct. 30, but with the San Jose Barracuda.

Offensively, he’s had a slow start to the season with zero goals and six assists through 14 games. That’s not quite his 7-27-34 line in 55 games last year and 1-9-10 in his 12-game Barracuda debut in 2022-23.

Mukhamadullin did notch two assists in the Barracuda’s last tilt on Dec. 8, a 2-1 victory over the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The San Jose Sharks are sending right-handed blueliner prospect Jack Thompson down in favor of Mukhamadullin.

The #SJSharks have recalled D Shakir Mukhamadullin from the @sjbarracuda.

F Ethan Cardwell and D Jack Thompson have been assigned to the Barracuda.

— San Jose Sharks PR (@SanJoseSharksPR) December 11, 2024

The 6-foot-3 Russian left-hander, who projects as a solid two-way defenseman at the NHL level, could possibly make his San Jose Sharks’ season debut on Dec. 12 at the St. Louis Blues.

He previously made his NHL debut last year, notching an assist in three games.

UPDATE: Ryan Warsofsky says Mukhamadullin will join the Sharks in St. Louis for practice on Wednesday. The Sharks have also sent forward Ethan Cardwell down, perhaps Marc-Edouard Vlasic will finally make his return to the 23-man roster.