Sharks Recall Brossoit From Barracuda After Askarov Injury Scare

Yaroslav Askarov tweaked an injury during the Sharks' Thursday tilt in Boston, and San Jose's response illustrated just how thin the NHL goaltending depth had become: the club was forced to suit up Kyle Chauvette, an emergency backup signed to an amateur tryout, before recalling Laurent Brossoit from the AHL's San Jose Barracuda on March 13.

Brossoit, who went 11-2-1 with a .915 save percentage and a GAA reported between 2.46 and 2.48 since joining the Barracuda, is expected to back up Alex Nedeljkovic on Saturday in Montreal. The Sharks remain on the road until March 19, when they return home to host the Buffalo Sabres.

The recall completes a remarkable bounce-back stretch for Brossoit, who missed the entire 2024-25 season with a knee injury. Acquired by San Jose from the Chicago Blackhawks on January 8, the veteran netminder took hold of the Barracuda crease and did not let go, posting a record that left him among the more reliable backstops in the AHL this season.

Nedeljkovic remains the primary option for San Jose after signing a two-year, $6 million contract on March 6, giving the Sharks a committed starter for the stretch run and beyond. Brossoit's role is depth insurance, but it is depth insurance the organization plainly needed after the Askarov scare stripped the NHL roster down to an amateur tryout.

There is a footnote to Brossoit's career that adds texture to the recall. His NHL debut came in April 2015, when he stopped 49 shots in a game against the very franchise now counting on him. Originally selected by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, Brossoit has taken a winding path back to the NHL level, and the Sharks' roster crunch handed him the opportunity.

The move also carries a roster management subplot. Defenseman Nolan Allan, a 22-year-old acquired midseason as part of the transaction that brought Brossoit to San Jose, has posted two goals and eight assists in 20 outings with the Barracuda since the trade. Allan was recalled to the NHL level only to be sent back to AHL San Jose without playing a game, part of a flurry of transactions that also saw 34-year-old Nick Leddy recalled on March 8 after a stint with the Barracuda.

With Askarov's availability unclear beyond the initial injury report, Brossoit arrives in Montreal as the answer to a problem the Sharks did not anticipate needing to solve this week.