Sharks D Nikolai Knyzhov suffers gruesome injury

The San Jose Sharks received some pretty unfortunate news on the injury front this afternoon.

Defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov, who missed all of last season with an injury, is expected to miss the first six months of this upcoming season after suffering a torn Achilles, for which he has since undergone surgery.  

According to Sharks GM Mike Grier, the injury was suffered during off-ice training. 

The native of Moscow, Russia was originally signed by San Jose as an undrafted free agent on July 2, 2019. In 59 career NHL games, all with San Jose, he's scored twice while also adding eight assists. He last appeared for the Sharks during the shortened 2020-21 campaign, skating in 56 games. 

Despite missing all of last season, the Sharks saw fit to bring him back on a one-year, $850,000 contract.