NJ Devils Ink Mukhamadullin: A Story of Growth and Potential

Contractual Details

According to Cap Friendly there is a European Assignment Clause during this contract in which he is also waivers exempt, a slide candidate, and has arbitration rights that are available in 4 pro years.

Hockey Career 2019-20

Shakir Mukhamadullin in his first season with his parent club Salavat Yulaev. He scored 10 points in 39 games in what was a big jump after a hard learning curve in 2019-20 with 1 assist in 27 games. In that 2019-20 season flourished and developmentally grew in the MHL the junior league that he had 10 points in 13 games played and 8 assists.

The 2020-21 rolls in a season after Shakir’s success at the U-20 and U-18 Russian National team tournaments gaining exposure to the best competition at his age group. In the U-18’s Mukhamadullin shined like the North Star with 4 assists and 6 points in 15 games played. This is where the Devils and GM, Tom Fitzgerald took notice of the tall and mobile physical 2-way defenseman.

2020-21 Growth In His Game

One of the things I noticed recently in the 2020 World Juniors U-20 tournament was that Shakir not only ate up big minutes but he helped lead a great passing game and outsmarted what would be a gold medal USA hockey club on opening night. Seeing him and his linemates pass and skate so gracefully, and picking apart the Americans and also played in other games where he was on the power play.

In the 2021-22 season Shakir Mukhamadullin has 7 points and 4 assists in 34 games played versus his past 2020-21 seasons production in 39 games played at 7 assists, and 10 points. In a 56 game full KHL season Shakir is looking at 12 points, 7 assists, and 5 goals. So that kind of productivity for Shakir on loan I find would be nice to see him in Utica to play in the AHL.

Near Term Solution & Intel

Why Shakir should play in Utica before his NHL debut? Assistant coach Sergei Brylin who is Russian and has a fellow defenseman in Nikita Okhotyuk. Okhotyuk who is a fellow Russian defenseman and is a bit older, and is far more sounded as a defenseman after playing his first 3 seasons with the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL. Getting Nikita and Shakir to play together in the AHL in Utica could be very beneficial to both players in numerous ways.

One of the many ways is the compete level because Tom Fitzgerald and his staff want to play not only competitive but build a winning culture. Language, yes you’ll have Nikita helping Shakir assimilate to North America on and off the ice because of its cultural aspects, and even learning English with the help of a teammate that speaks Russian. However, this isn’t the case due to the fact that Shakir will finish up on loan this and next season for Salavat Yulaev.

So It looks like the 2023-24 is the estimated time of arrival for Mukhamadullin to arrive in The Garden State of Hockey. Devils fans should be very excited to see that Mukhamadullin has a very lethal slap shot with lots of whip from below a 180-degree angle. There have been times where Shakir’s shot has pocked radar guns at 100 miles an hour from the points, and if the Devils can fix their power play system and implement him in overtime having the likes of Dougie Hamilton, Damon Severson, and Shakir Mukhamadullin over time prove very lethal.

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