San Jose Sharks Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Sharks sign Egor Afanasyev to one-year contract

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Ben Steiner | Last updated May 19, 2025 2:23 PM ET

The San Jose Sharks are bringing in a player from the KHL, signing left winger Egor Afanasyev to a one-year, $800,000 contract on Monday.

The 24-year-old returns to the NHL for the first time since the 2023-24 season, when he played two games with the Nashville Predators. Most recently, he spent the 2024-25 season playing with CSKA Moscow in the KHL.

The 45th overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Predators, Afanasyev played 19 NHL games across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, netting his only career NHL goal and point to date against the Calgary Flames in April 2023.

Egor Afanasyev scores his first NHL goal. Hell of a play by Mark Jankowski to make it happen, too.

Great play by this kid! pic.twitter.com/lKb3CNHHPr
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) April 11, 2023

Most of his time in the Predators organization came with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, where he scored 52 goals and 113 points in 187 games, highlighted by a 2023-24 season which saw him net a team-high 27 goals and 54 points.

This season, he scored seven goals and 21 points in 53 games in the KHL, as CSKA finished fourth of six teams in the Tarasov Division.

“Egor brings a combination of size and skill to our forward group,” said San Jose general manager Mike Grier. “We are excited to bring him into our organization as he continues his growth in the North American game.”

Acquired in exchange for forward Ozzy Weisblatt in June 2024, Afanasyev spent his junior career with Muskegon Lumberjacks, Windsor Spitfires, CSKA Red Army Jr. and Dmitrov Zvezda VDV. He also played for his country at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he scored two goals and five points in seven games.

Led by 25 goals and 63 points from young star Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks finished the 2024-25 NHL season last in the league, with a record of 20-50-12, amassing 52 points.

They hold the second overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and will look to improve when the NHL regular season begins Oct. 7, 2025.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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