It was no secret that forward Alexander Barabanov was heading for a divorce with the San Jose Sharks in 2023-24. Barabanov was a Sharks trade candidate around the NHL Trade Deadline. And reports emerged before the end of the season that Barabanov had already played his final game with the Sharks.
Barabanov is no longer in the NHL. He hit free agency and decided to sign with Ak Bars Kazan in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League. However, the former San Jose forward did not close the book on his previous chapter without some very harsh parting words.
“The team played primitive hockey,” Alexander Barabanov told RG.org in Russian, which was translated by San Jose Hockey Now. “You run around without the puck and don’t understand why you need all this. We didn’t even try to keep the puck, play for your partner. It was the most simple hockey that kills the player in you.”
Alexander Barabanov, Sharks had disastrous 2023-24 season
The Sharks won the NHL Draft Lottery back in March. With this selection, San Jose was able to pick Macklin Celebrini at the top of the draft. However, having this selection happened due to one of the worst seasons in modern NHL history.
The Sharks finished dead last in the entire league with a record of 19-54-9. It marks the fourth-worst winning percentage in San Jose history, according to Hockey Reference. Additionally, it's the second-lowest winning percentage since the league adopted a salary cap following the 2004-05 lockout.
Alexander Barabanov didn't have the greatest season either. The former Sharks forward scored four goals and 13 points in 48 games for the team. He struggled with injuries throughout the campaign and trade rumors around the 29-year-old didn't help matters.
Barabanov did have a promising track record for production before the 2023-24 campaign. He scored 28 goals and 93 points in 147 games with the Sharks after a trade in 2021. Barabanov began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was traded after 13 games with Toronto, however.
The Sharks are moving forward with their rebuild. Celebrini joins fellow top prospect Will Smith as likely candidates to make the NHL roster in 2023-24. Additionally, San Jose added two veteran forwards this summer. Tyler Toffoli signed a four-year contract while Alex Wennberg signed on for two seasons.
It'll certainly be interesting to see how this season unfolds for the Sharks. They begin their 2024-25 season on October 10. San Jose hits home ice for the first time as they welcome the St. Louis Blues to town to ring in the new season.
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