It's one of hockey's most controversial coaching decisions: benching a player who just helped score goals in favor of someone who's never played an NHL game.
San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky is fully aware of the eyebrow-raising nature of his decision to scratch defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin. Yes, the young Russian recorded two assists in the season opener. And yes, Warsofsky acknowledges with a hint of humor that he's essentially sitting his "leading scorer"—at least in terms of points from that first game.
But here's where it gets controversial: Being an effective NHL defenseman involves far more than just contributing offensively with secondary assists. For beginners trying to understand hockey strategy, think of it this way: a defenseman's primary job is to prevent goals, not just create them. They need to win puck battles, make smart defensive reads, and maintain proper positioning—all areas where Warsofsky felt Mukhamadullin came up short.
"I thought he got his legs moving as the game went on," Warsofsky noted about Mukhamadullin's performance.
And this is the part most people miss: In coaching terminology, that's not actually a compliment. What Warsofsky really meant was that Mukhamadullin failed to "start the game on time"—a common hockey expression meaning a player wasn't mentally and physically ready from the opening puck drop.
The 6-foot-4 Russian defenseman's slow start, according to his coach, negatively impacted every aspect of his game. "Just his puck battles, going back for pucks, getting first touch on pucks," Warsofsky detailed, adding that the two stick penalties (high-sticking and hooking) were symptoms of the larger problem, not the root cause themselves.
The coach's dissatisfaction ultimately manifested in Mukhamadullin's ice time: a mere 12 minutes and 45 seconds, making him the only Sharks defenseman to play less than 18 minutes against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile, Warsofsky expressed confidence in his other defensive pairings of Nick Leddy-John Klingberg and Mario Ferraro-Timothy Liljegren, plus Dmitry Orlov.
This represents a form of tough love for the 23-year-old, but it also reflects the Sharks' deeper defensive roster this season. The team is simultaneously working to integrate top prospect Sam Dickinson into the lineup—a player so promising that the organization is willing to make difficult decisions to accelerate his development.
Dickinson will make his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks, taking Mukhamadullin's spot. The rookie defenseman maintained his characteristic humor even on the eve of his first NHL game, joking about his brother Jack organizing a watch party in their basement without their parents' knowledge.
Warsofsky emphasized that he didn't consider Mukhamadullin's performance "awful," but simply noted that the standard for remaining in the lineup has been raised significantly this season with additional talent like Dickinson and Vincent Desharnais available.
"He's gonna be a good player," Warsofsky affirmed about Mukhamadullin, while explaining that early in the season, coaches often want to evaluate different players in game situations.
The lineup changes come as the Sharks prepare Yaroslav Askarov for his first start of the 2025-26 season, with forward Egor Afanasyev nearing availability after illness.
Meanwhile, the pre-game narrative gained an extra layer with childhood teammate Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks scoring his first NHL goal. When asked if he was happy for his former teammate, Dickinson deadpanned, "I guess." Sennecke later joked about their youth hockey days: "I used to play center & he used to be my winger... gave him like 6 breakaways a game & he never scored & then they put him on defense."
So here's the question that's bound to spark debate: Is it fair to bench a player who contributed offensively for a slower start, or should production ultimately trump process? And does giving a highly-touted prospect his debut at the expense of an established player send the right message to the team?
Where To Watch: Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks is at 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.
