Former Sharks Prospect Signs in Russia

Former San Jose Sharks prospect Danil Gushchin is heading back to his native Russia. After not receiving a qualifying offer from the Colorado Avalanche, he has signed a two-year deal with his hometown team, Avtomoblist Yekaterinburg, in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Gushchin moved to North America nearly a decade ago, joining the United States Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks ahead of the 2018-19 season. While with Muskegon, he was drafted by the Sharks with the 76th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft.

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Gushchin made his professional debut at the end of the 2021-22 season, appearing in a few games for the San Jose Barracuda after his junior season ended. The following season, he finished his first fully professional campaign and even made his NHL debut, playing a pair of games for the Sharks.

From there, Gushchin was a regular for the Barracuda and occasionally earned NHL opportunities until he departed the Sharks organization following the 2024-25 season.

While a member of the Colorado Avalanche organization, Gushchin played exclusively at the AHL level before being allowed to hit the free agent market this summer.

During his time in San Jose, Gushchin scored 70 goals and a total of 150 points in 182 games at the AHL level. During his limited opportunities with the Sharks, he scored two goals and five points in 18 career NHL games.