The New Jersey Devils had a lot of expectations for Yegor Sharangovich entering the season. He really impressed Lindy Ruff and the coaching staff during training camp and to start the season. And while he has gone through some ups and downs, Sharangovich is adjusting to the NHL game quickly and showing he can be an impact player for the Devils for years to come.
Yegor Sharangovich Continues To Show Growth For The Devils
Entering camp, Yegor Sharangovich, 2018 fifth-round pick, had a leg up on most of the players. While the players in North America were just training, Sharangovich was playing with Minsk Dynamo of the KHL. In 34 games while playing in Russia, Sharangovich recorded 25 points including 17 goals. There was a reason why the Devils brought him over for training camp.
He had that scoring touch the Devils have been looking for.
And early on, his scoring touch carried over to success at the NHL. Sharangovich was consistently getting shots on goal. And the results were showing as in he had two points including his first career NHL goal in the first three games of the season. From there, the rest of the league started to catch up to Sharangovich as he recorded only one point in the next 11 games. However, Sharangovich put in the work during practice and over the next 14 games for the Devils, he has recorded nine points (five goals and four assists).
What Has Made Sharangovich So Successful
A big reason why Sharangovich has been so successful has been his ability to take advantage of the opportunities given to him. With no Jesper Bratt to start the season, Sharangovich was playing on the top line. Having the opportunity to play on the top line with Jack Hughes and Kyle Palmieri will really help his game. Since Bratt’s return, Sharangovich moved down the lineup. But that is ok because this has helped him grow as a player.
But being put on a line with Travis Zajac and Janne Kuokkanen was the best thing for Sharangovich. This combination is the Devils best line and against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night their magic continued. The line combined for six points on the night as each forward recorded two points. With Sharangovich and Zajac each recording a goal and an assist.
Playing alongside Kuokkanen and Zajac has helped Sharangovich work on his defensive game. As we have seen in the league, playing a strong defensive game can lead to great chances in the offensive zone. And the results have shown as Sharangovich has recorded 12 points in 28 games this season for the Devils. While he may not be a top-three finalist for the Calder Trophy, he should receive some votes.
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How To Remain Successful For The Rest Of The Year
One of the biggest things for Sharangovich to do for the rest of the season is to play with the same intensity game-to-game. Head coach Lindy Ruff feels that is why Sharangovich has been so successful in his rookie campaign. He does not take nights off. Sharangovich, since arriving has been able to maintain a high level of play despite not having the results on the scoresheet. That is a hard thing to do for a young player. The question will be for Sharangovich will the schedule catch up to him and that line?
So far it has not, but you see it every season with young players not used to playing this amount of games eventually things catch up to them. But maybe a silver lining is that the season is only 56 games and that Sharangovich will not hit a brick wall in his play.
Sharangovich has been a bright spot for the Devils this season despite not having much success in the standings. However, the team is 4-1-1 over the last six games and they can have Sharangovich to thank for that.
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