Sergei Murashov arrived in Cranberry earlier this month as a late addition to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ annual development camp having produced encouraging numbers in his native Russia over the last few seasons.
The 20-year-old goaltender, a fourth-round (No. 118 overall) pick by the Penguins in 2022, made his first trip to North America and fit in nicely, becoming one of the standouts of camp.
Now, he’ll undergo a formal transition to North American hockey, as the Penguins announced Tuesday that Murashov had inked a three-year entry-level contract with the club.
Sergei is signed ✍️
The Penguins have signed goaltender Sergei Murashov to a three-year, Entry-Level Contract.
Details: https://t.co/Iwn3XTiqp3 pic.twitter.com/drAyvjlQf4
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 30, 2024
That likely will mean assignment to either the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL or the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.
How exactly Murashov fits into the equation remains to be seen, with the Penguins currently having promising goalie prospects coming off strong seasons at both affiliates in 23-year-old Taylor Gauthier (Nailers) as well as 22-year-old Joel Blomqvist (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton).
Regardless, the Penguins can take a closer look at a player that’s intrigued them from a distance.
“Getting to know him was great,” said Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos at the club’s now-completed camp. “All of our staff think he’s a fantastic kid. His English is really good. Just spending time with him on and off the ice, everyone has really enjoyed that. Watching him compete in drills, he’s relentless on the puck, which is a great asset for goalies. Then watching him in the games, it was impressive. We’re all really excited that he’s here.”
The 6-foot, 167-pound Murashov saw action in seven total Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games over parts of two seasons, posting a 4-1-2 record, 1.71 goals-against average and .928 save percentage at the highest level of Russian pro hockey.
Last year, in 34 games with Loko Yaroslavl of Molodezhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga (MHL), Russia’s top junior league, Murashov was 24-4-2 with a 2.03 GAA and .930 save percentage.
Now, he’s in position to take the next step of his developmental journey in a country he enjoyed visiting earlier in July.
“I like it (in the U.S.),” Murashov told reporters in Cranberry during development camp. I like it because there’s (so many) friendly people. Of course, there are some differences between Russia and the USA, but I (thought) it would be harder to adapt here. It’s been OK.”
Note: Per Cap Wages, the Penguins now have 48 contracts for the 2024-25 season, two short of the league limit of 50. This excludes four players (forwards Tanner Howe and Brayden Yager as well as defensemen Harrison Brunicke and Emil Pieniniemi) who are eligible to return to the junior level and can have their entry-level contracts “slide” or begin once they turn professional.
