Ryan Warsofsky knew Shakir Mukhamadullin had two assists in the opener. He knew, no joke, that he was actually hurting his leading scorer.
But there's more to being a defenseman in the NHL than just two secondary assists.
It wasn't just his two stick penalties, a high stick and an uppercut, that got Muhammadullin sent off.
“I think as the game went on, his legs started to move,” Warsofsky said.
This is not a compliment.
San Jose Sharks bench boss says Mohammadullin didn't “start the game on time.”
“When he skates, he’s very efficient,” Warsofsky said.
According to Warsovsky, the 6-foot-4 Russian didn't do that early in the game, which diminished his effectiveness in all areas.
“Just his puck battle, getting the puck back, first touch,” Warsofsky said. “Obviously, penalties-wise, we have to continue to work with him and control his stick and move his legs more.”
The coaches' feelings, as they often do, were ultimately expressed in the use of Mukhamadullin: The 23-year-old played just 12 minutes and 45 seconds and was the only San Jose Sharks blueliner to skate less than 18 minutes against the Vegas Golden Knights.
“I think the other combinations are very good and very fast. [in Vegas]so we like our top four,” Warsovsky said of his Nick Leddy-John Klingberg and Mario Ferraro-Timothy Liljegren pairings as well as Dmitry Orlov.
It's tough love for the young blueliner, but that's the depth of the Sharks defense this season as they try to get top prospect Sam Dickinson into the lineup.
Dickinson will make his NHL debut Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks, with Mohammadullin set to debut in the game.
Dickinson always had a joke, even on the eve of his NHL debut.
His brother Jack can't make it to San Jose today: “He's having a watch party at home. In our basement. I don't know if my parents know about it.”
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 11, 2025
Wasovsky did stress that he didn't think Mohammadullin's performance was “terrible” — but simply put, the bar to stay in the lineup is higher this season with the likes of Dickinson and Vincent Desharnais also on the roster.
“He's going to be a good player,” Warsovsky said of Mohammadullin. “At the beginning of the season we want to bring in some players.”
San Jose Sharks (0-0-1)
Yaroslav Askarov will make his first start in the 2025-26 season.
The Sharks’ lineup is as follows:
Kurashev-Celebrini-Smith
Eklund-Weinberg-Toffoli
Skinner-Dela Graff
Goudreau-Gaudy-Reeves
Leidy Klingberg
Ferraro-Lijgren
Dickinson-Orlov
Askarov
Afanasyev is also close and has been ill in recent days
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 11, 2025
“I guess,” Dickinson deadpanned, wondering if he was happy about childhood teammate Beckett Senek's first NHL goal.
“I used to play center and he used to be my winger… gave him about six drives a game and he never scored, and then they put him on defense,” Senek joked. (HT/HT @ZachKraft)
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 11, 2025
Anaheim Ducks (0-1-0)
Anaheim Ducks Morning Skate Line @ San Jose 10/11 – 12/13 Exchange, 34 songs:
Creed Carlson Terry
Gauthier-McTavish-Senecker
Vatrano-Granlund-Geelung
Johnston Paulin Nesterenko
Colangelo
Lacombe-Gudas
Zellweger-Trouba
Mintyukov-Helerson
Mrazek-Dostal#一飞 pic.twitter.com/Ryoy31Lzzc
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) October 11, 2025
Where to watch
The pitching contest between the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks will take place at the SAP Center at 7 p.m. PT. Watch NBC Sports California live. Listen on Sharks Audio Network.