Daniil Gushchin

July 2024 – Potentially receiving less NHL time than expected, Gushchin primarily played for the Barracuda in 23-24, recording 20 goals and 34 assists in 56 games. He only played four games with the Sharks, two coming at the very end of the season, where he managed to post a goal and an assist. With Gushchin, the offensive skill and upside remain apparent. Expect him to receive more of an NHL opportunity in 2024-25 as he looks to solidify his place in the Shark’s plans. John Gove

June 2022 – Guschin moved from the USHL to the OHL this season and continued to pour in points despite playing on the worst team in the league. In 51 games, he finished with 41 goals which is over twice as many as his closest teammate, and 71 points. Gushchin remains one of the Sharks’ most electrifying prospects. His small stature and game style means that he’ll need to be in a scoring role to play in the NHL but his potential is undeniable. Donesh Mazloum

October 2020 – An absolutely electrifying player to watch with the puck. Gushchin is most dangerous on the rush, with hands that make highlight-reel dangles on a regular basis. At times his decision making with the puck has been called into question, although many scouts are forgiving due to the lack of talent surrounding him on the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Not unlike his frame at 5-8, Gushchin uses a small stick, making it extraordinarily difficult to strip him of the puck without physicality. His aforementioned size his a point of concern, but the Sharks organization seems to have a game plan that involves smaller skilled players for the future. Keep an eye on the shifty Russian as he brings his talents to the OHL’s Niagra Ice Dogs for the 2020-21 season. Alex Howes

October 2020 – Gushchin was selected 76th overall in the 2020 draft but the San Jose Sharks. Tony Ferrari 

September 2020 – Daniil Gushchin is one of the most fun players to watch in this year’s draft class. That comes from both a good and bad place. On the good side of things, the Russian import forward is a speedy, skilled winger who has the predatory instinct of the best offensive players in the game. His puck skills are impressive, juking and dodging through traffic as if he were a shifty NFL running back. It can be incredibly fun to watch when he is successful and devastating for the mentality of his opponents as they are often left reaching for air as he maneuvers the ice. On the flip side, the reason he was doing all of the driving of play was the fact that he had no one to help him on most nights and because of that, as the season wore on he began looking off passes and getting a little too greedy with the puck. The decision-making faltered at times because of that and while his team’s skill level isn’t a fault on Gushchin, he needs to trust and rely on his teammates more often. After a productive season with Muskegon in the USHL, he is making the move to the OHL with the Niagara IceDogs where he should be able to take some of the load off himself. He did a good job of working around his size in the traditionally heavier USHL so his size shouldn’t impede his play in the OHL. There is a chance that a team gets a top-20 talent from this draft class outside the top-50 if the diminutive forward falls a bit but he could also never make ‘the Show’ if he can’t figure out how to more consistently utilize his teammates and take too much onto himself. Tony Ferrari