The Sharks faced a challenging situation last night in Boston, going up against the Bruins without their starting goalie, Yaroslav Askarov. This unexpected twist meant Alex Nedeljkovic had to step up as the starter, while Kyle Chauvette from the University of New Hampshire suited up as the backup, with no time to call someone up from the West Coast. With Askarov expected to miss at least another game due to an undisclosed issue, the Sharks have bolstered their roster by recalling Laurent Brossoit from AHL San Jose.
If Brossoit gets the nod to start, it would mark his first NHL appearance in almost two years. With 140 NHL games under his belt, Brossoit was once considered one of the top backup goalies in the league.
Heading into free agency in 2023, he was coming off impressive back-to-back seasons with a .927 save percentage, playing for the Golden Knights and Jets. However, after securing a two-year, $6.6 million deal with the Blackhawks, his career hit a snag with meniscus surgery, which led to a series of lower-body issues.
These setbacks cost him the entire 2024-25 season and the start of the 2025-26 campaign due to a hip procedure.
Brossoit made his return in December, but with Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom solidifying their spots in Chicago, and the team not wanting to hinder Drew Commesso’s development in the minors, Brossoit found himself on the move. After proving his fitness with a .901 save percentage in six games with AHL Rockford, San Jose seized the opportunity to acquire him, needing a reliable third option.
Since joining San Jose, Brossoit has been outstanding in the minors. Over 14 games, he’s posted a .915 save percentage, a 2.48 goals-against average, and an impressive 11-2-1 record.
He ranks seventh in save percentage among goalies with at least 20 appearances this season across both Rockford and San Jose. As the Sharks aim for their first playoff berth in seven years, Brossoit looks to be a dependable stopgap behind Nedeljkovic.