San Jose Sharks sign Nikolai Knyzhov to two-year contract extension
The San Jose Sharks have signed defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov to a two-year contract extension, the club announced Wednesday afternoon.
Knyzhov, 25, averaged 16:21 in nine games for the Sharks this season. According to a report per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Knyzhov’s new contract carries an annual cap of $1.25 million in the NHL.
After appearing in all 56 games with the Sharks during the 2020-21 season, Knyzhov suffered a series of lower-body injuries, including a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg, which prevented him from playing. play on the ice for the entire 2021-22 season and most of 2022-23. He finally made his season debut with the Sharks against the Winnipeg Jets on March 6.
Knyzhov also played 13 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda this year, recording one assist. His current contract for the 2022-23 season carries an NHL cap of $850,000.
The Sharks originally signed Knyzhov in 2019 as an undrafted free agent from the SKA St. Petersburg system in Russia. The six-foot-two defenseman, who shoots on the left, made his NHL debut with the Sharks in 2019-20 before becoming a regular the following year.
In 68 career games over three seasons with the Sharks, Knyzhov had three goals and 11 points while averaging 16:26 per night. He also had six points in 46 AHL games.
The Sharks return to action at 7:30 p.m. PT Thursday night to take on the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center in San Jose.
