A San Jose Sharks draft pick is headed to the organization earlier than expected, and the move comes with plenty of questions attached.
Yaroslav Korostelyov has terminated his contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL and will report to the Sharks organization for the 2026-27 campaign, according to an initial report from Jeremy Garrett of Hockey News Hub that was later confirmed by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.
Korostelyov was drafted by San Jose in the seventh round only two years ago, so he does not rank among the club’s most prominent prospects, even in goal. And while the Sharks are bringing him over, his professional résumé is still extremely thin.
He has never appeared for SKA St. Petersburg despite being under contract there, and he has just one game of professional experience.
Last season, he played one game for St. Petersburg’s VHL team and spent most of his time in the MHL, Russia’s major junior league.
There, he put together a strong year, going 14-5-0 in 20 games with a .917 SV% and 2.22 GAA, plus five shutouts.
Because of that limited pro experience, Korostelyov would be more likely to land with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder than the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda next season. That makes the Sharks’ decision notable, since it means moving him into the North American system instead of leaving him to continue developing in Russia. Goaltenders usually need more time than skaters before they’re ready for the pro game, which makes this kind of transition stand out.
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