Yaroslav Korostelyov is set to leave his KHL deal behind and join the Sharks organization, according to the reporting that surfaced Saturday. Sharks president Jonathan Becher appeared to back up Garrett’s report that day, though by Sunday morning San Jose still had not put out a formal statement or posted anything about it on social media.
The 21-year-old goaltender brings a strong recent track record from Russia’s junior circuit. In 2025-26, Korostelyov went 14-5-0 with a .917 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average in 20 games for Russia’s MHL, the KHL’s junior-tier league. Across parts of five MHL seasons, the Sharks’ 2024 seventh-round pick has posted a 46-18-3 record with a .926 save percentage and a 2.29 goals against average in 74 appearances.
Korostelyov, who is from St. Petersburg, Russia, is expected to land with either the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda or the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder next season.
His arrival comes during a busy stretch for San Jose. At the end of July, the Sharks signed Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf to contract extensions, with Celebrini’s deal set to pay him $18.8 million beginning in 2027-28. Celebrini was also named the cover athlete for EA Sports NHL 27.
Celebrini, 20, turned in a massive 2025-26 season for San Jose, piling up 45 goals and 70 assists for 115 points. That total broke the franchise record for points in a single season, and he finished fourth in the NHL in goals, seventh in assists and fourth in points.
In Other News...
Sharks Are Taking An Early Goalie Prospect Gamble
The Sharks are already taking a long look at Yaroslav Korostelyov, a recent seventh-round pick whose path to North America is arriving sooner than many late-round goalie selections do. After spending most of his time in Russias MHL and getting only a brief taste of the pro level in the VHL, the young netminder is set up as more of a developmental project than a finished product, the kind of swing San Jose can afford to take at that stage of the draft.
Korostelyov has ended his contract with SKA St. Petersburg and is slated to join the Sharks organization for the 2026-27 season, giving the club a chance to bring him into its system and evaluate him up close. The early expectation is that he may begin with Wichita in the ECHL instead of jumping straight to San Jose in the AHL, which tells you plenty about how measured this move is likely to be as the Sharks try to build depth in goal. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Dickinson Puts Sharks In A Crucial Development Dilemma
Sam Dickinsons first NHL season gave the Sharks exactly the kind of reminder they hoped to avoid, even if it came with the benefit of seeing a prized young defenseman against top competition. The 19-year-old was pushed into the league before he was fully ready because of the way the eligibility rules shook out, and the results were uneven. His defensive numbers were rough, the offense did not pop, and yet the broader picture still looked familiar to anyone tracking young blue-liners around the league.
Kevin Korchinskis path in Chicago only sharpens the stakes for San Jose. He looked like a comparable player at a similar age, but his development went backward after a trip to the AHL, which is exactly the sort of detour the Sharks want to avoid with Dickinson. San Jose now has to thread a narrow needle with him, figuring out how to protect the long view without losing the value of immediate NHL experience. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Fans Are About To Feel How Different This Roster Looks
The Oilers offseason turnover has already started to reshape the picture for one familiar face, as Darnell Nurse heads to San Jose with a chance to give the Sharks a different kind of presence on the back end. Edmontons roster churn has been wide-ranging, with Jack Roslovic landing in Toronto and Calvin Pickard going to Minnesota, but Nurse is the one whose move carries the most immediate intrigue for a Sharks team looking to make every addition count.
What makes the deal worth watching from San Joses side is not just the name, but the fit. The Sharks are trying to balance needs on defense with the reality of a changing roster, and Nurse arrives after a season that showed he can still handle a heavy role. Edmonton, meanwhile, will open next season looking very different, and the ripple effect of those departures should be felt well beyond the Oilers locker room. [Read more 🡒]