Danil Gushchin is not leaving the San Jose Sharks organization for the KHL.
Last week, Sport Express claimed that Gushchin might be willing to move to CSKA, the team that holds his KHL rights, this summer. Gushchin, however, has one year left on his entry-level contract, meaning for him to go, he’d have to break his NHL contract or GM Mike Grier would have to loan him to CSKA.
Neither seemed likely, but Gushchin himself put that rumor to bed today.
“I don’t know about this news. It’s not true,” Gushchin told San Jose Hockey Now. “I never spoke with CSKA. I don’t know where this news comes from.”
The 2020 San Jose Sharks’ third-round pick says he will be at training camp this fall, competing for an NHL job.
The 5-foot-10 winger has enjoyed another productive AHL campaign, posting 17 goals and 31 assists in 53 games. The 22-year-old was set to become the Barracuda’s lone All-Star at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic at Tech CU Arena, before an upper-body injury took him out of a commission for about a month.
Gushchin made his NHL debut last year, and in parts of two seasons with the San Jose Sharks, has one goal and two assists in four appearances.
“It’s probably not the question for me, right?” Gushchin said, when asked if he was unhappy to still be in the AHL despite his strong showing there. “I do my best here and do my best to help the team win some games. Score some goals, block shots, and stuff. But I just come to the rink and have some fun with the boys. We’ll see what happens.”
Naturally, Gushchin wants to be in the NHL, but he says that he’s still enjoying himself with the Cuda.
The Sharks are out of post-Trade Deadline AHL regular recalls, so for Gushchin to be called up by the end of this regular season, it would have to be on an emergency basis.
This summer, Gushchin said that he’s going to work on his shot and play without the puck. Scouts from outside the San Jose Sharks organization have told SJHN that he could also use gains in quickness and strength.
Regardless, Gushchin is a very good Sharks prospect, top-10 in SJHN’s opinion, with an excellent shot at making the rebuilding big club next year.
For what it’s worth, Gushchin declined to commit to staying with the organization beyond training camp, if he doesn’t make the Sharks for opening night next season. That doesn’t mean that he’s leaving, it’s not a threat, but could be a situation worth monitoring.
Because Gushchin is under contract, however, any player movement next year would likely be under the San Jose organization’s discretion.
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