SAN JOSE – It appears being one of the NHL’s leading scorers in the preseason was enough for Danil Gushchin to land a spot on the San Jose Sharks season-opening roster.
Gushchin practiced with the Sharks on Monday morning as the team assigned defensemen Luca Cagnoni and Jack Thompson, plus forwards Ethan Cardwell and Collin Graf to the Barracuda of the AHL.
Gushchin had one goal and eight assists in four exhibition games, including a five-assist night in the Sharks’ 6-5 comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday in the final preseason game for both teams. Gushchin’s nine points were tied for the most in the NHL in the preseason with Mat Barzal of the New York Islanders.
Gushchin skated on a line Monday morning with Nico Sturm and Ty Dellandrea.
The Sharks have not yet announced their season-opening 23-man roster. NHL teams need to finalize their salary-cap-compliant rosters of no more than 23 players to the league office by Monday at 2 p.m. (PT).
Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin practiced with the Sharks on Monday morning, and, per San Jose Hockey Now, will begin the season an an injured non-roster player. Mukhamadullin missed most of training camp with a lower body injury and returned to practice on Saturday, taking part in the team’s optional skate.
Macklin Celebrini was also on the ice for the Sharks on Monday morning, marking the first time he’s practiced with the team since he aggravated a lower-body injury in a preseason game last Tuesday at SAP Center.
Celebrini was back in the spot he had been in for most of training camp, as the Sharks No. 1 center. He was on a line with Tyler Toffoli.
Please check back for updates to this story.
