Sharks recall trio of players after clinching last place in league

The San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Daniil Gushchin, defenseman Jack Thompson and goaltender Georgi Romanov for the final two games of the season. 

These moves come after San Jose officially clinched last place in the league yesterday, following a 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

Both Gushchin and Thompson have played in NHL games this season, but this is the first call-up of Romanov’s career. The 24-year-old netminder is in his first North American season after spending the majority of the last two years with Gornyak-UGMK of the VHL, Russia’s second-tier league. 

He posted a .916 save percentage across 80 VHL games, performing well enough to earn an undrafted free-agent contract with San Jose last May. Romanov has since spent most of this season in the AHL, recording nine wins and a .904 save percentage in 29 games, though he’s also played in seven ECHL games. 

A start in the NHL would make him the second Sharks goalie this season to play in all three leagues, joining Magnus Chrona, who’s managed a .859 in nine NHL games.

The trio of Gushchin, Thompson and Romanov could each be poised for strong ice time in San Jose’s final games, as the team gets a look at prospects on the fringe of the lineup. That could mean less ice time for the few 30-year-olds on the roster, including Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jan Rutta and Ryan Carpenter. 

Gushchin has appeared in four NHL games across the last two seasons, recording three points, while Thompson has only managed his NHL debut, playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning in January. Both players will be searching for their first NHL goal of the season.