Nikolai Knyzhov worked his way into being a lineup regular for the San Jose Sharks in 2020-2021.
Spending a decent amount of his playing time partnered with Erik Karlsson, the young Russian found himself named the Sharks Rookie of the Year by the Bay Area media. It was a nice feather in the cap for Knyzhov, who took a winding and circuitous path to the National Hockey League.
He finished with 2 goals and 8 assists in 59 games.
Nikolai’s jersey is an intriguing one because it sends a lot of mixed signals.
The San Jose Sharks set tag has Knyzhov’s name misspelled (Kynzhov) and the set dates as being from April 1st through May 9th, 2021. According to research done by Sin Bin Sweaters (the original owner), and verified by myself, it looks like Knyzhov definitely wore this sweater in March and it’s unclear when he wore it afterward.
The black thread or threads connecting the Shark fin and the chomped hockey stick that led to photomatches in March for Knyzhov’s jersey.
There are loose threads on each shoulder patch, and a faint burn on the elbow of the right sleeve. That’s about it for wear on this sweater.
I wonder if this jersey was actually worn for just those couple of games in March and then retired just in time for him to score his first NHL goal on March 31st. It’s hard to tell, though, because clear close-up photos of the patch on Knyzhov’s jersey aren’t the easiest to find.
The Russian defender’s rookie jersey is a huge add to my Arizona collection. Even with having his Hockey Fights Cancer warmup from the same season.
That statement makes no sense unless you delve into Knyzhov’s “circuitous route” to the NHL.
Part of his path found in Arizona as a teenager playing hockey for the Phoenix Firebirds and Jr. Coyotes 16U and 18U AAA teams at Ice Den Scottsdale. He comes back and skates some in the summer in the local rinks.
Knyzhov has a bright future with the Sharks moving forward. Hopefully he’ll have a long career in the league and keep showing his face here in the desert for aspiring kids to look up to and learn from.