Why Sharks have so much faith in Knyzhov after rough injuries originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Nikolai Knyzhov has played just nine NHL games over the last two seasons, but that didn’t stop Mike Grier from signing the pending RFA, not just to a one-year, but a two-year contract last month.
The GM’s commitment to the 25-year-old defenseman wouldn’t be surprising, however, if you knew how committed Knyzhov was to returning to the NHL after 20 months away because of a seemingly endless series of injuries, from hernia surgery, an infection from that surgery, groin surgery, and a torn Achilles.
Before the injuries, the San Jose Sharks’ 2020-21 Rookie of the Year’s last NHL game was April 12, 2021. 663 days later, on March 6 in Winnipeg, he was back in the best league in the world.
“Mike Grier started the conversation,” Knyzhov’s agent Dan Milstein told San Jose Hockey Now, of the two-year, $2.5 million one-way pact. “The team made it very clear they wanted Nikolai back.”
So just what makes Knyzhov a little bit different than your average athlete who’s underwent multiple traumatic injuries?
