There’s a “good chance” Igor Chernyshov will be back in a San Jose Sharks sweater before the season’s over - and if you read between the lines, it might be better than good.
The 20-year-old winger was recently reassigned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda after a 15-game run with the big club. That stretch was a tale of two halves: Chernyshov burst onto the scene with eight points in his first seven NHL games, flashing the kind of offensive instincts that turn heads.
But over his final eight, he cooled off, registering just three assists. Still, he went out on a high note - notching a pair of helpers in a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Jan.
So why the demotion? It’s less about performance and more about roster math.
The Sharks are finally getting healthy up front, and with that comes some tough decisions. Will Smith is back in the lineup.
Philipp Kurashev is expected to return before the Olympic break, and newly acquired Kiefer Sherwood is also nearing a debut. That’s three forwards pushing for ice time - and in a league where roster spots are finite, someone has to make room.
That someone, for now, is Chernyshov. But this isn’t a setback - it’s a strategic move.
“We’re getting healthy, so there will be, probably some more roster decisions to come in the next week to ten days,” GM Mike Grier said Thursday.
It’s not just the forward group that’s getting crowded. On the blue line, Grier placed veteran Nick Leddy on waivers and sent him to the Barracuda to make space for Vincent Desharnais. The message is clear: the Sharks are making moves with both the present and future in mind.
Up front, the logjam has already led to veterans like Jeff Skinner, Adam Gaudette, and Ryan Reaves sitting as healthy scratches. That’s not ideal for anyone - especially young players like Chernyshov who need consistent minutes to keep developing.
And that’s exactly what Grier wants for him.
“For Cherny, he just needs to keep playing,” Grier said. “We’ve got the Olympic break coming up here.
It’s important for him development-wise just to keep playing hockey. He showed that he can play up here and be an impact player up here.”
While the NHL hits pause from Feb. 4 to Feb. 26, the Barracuda will stay busy, playing eight games during that stretch. That’s a prime opportunity for Chernyshov to stay sharp, keep building confidence, and work on the finer points of his game - all under the watchful eye of the coaching staff.
“We expect him to go down there and pick up where he left off,” Grier added. “Keep playing and work on some of the things the coaching staff would like him to work on.”
Bottom line: Chernyshov’s NHL story this season is far from over. If he continues to develop and stay ready, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be back - and when he returns, it might be in an even bigger role.