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New Jersey Devils: Yegor Sharangovich Will Be Next Breakout Star

By Samanew Annaluru |
Jack Hughes #86 and Yegor Sharangovich #17 of the New Jersey Devils line up against the Washington Capitals during the second period of the game at Capital One Arena on March 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Jack Hughes #86 and Yegor Sharangovich #17 of the New Jersey Devils line up against the Washington Capitals during the second period of the game at Capital One Arena on March 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The New Jersey Devils have been quite bad for the last decade, outside of the one playoff appearance. However, the 2022-23 team seems to have a lot of promise. The Devils’ scouting department did a masterful job at some of the recent NHL Drafts. While there have been plenty of misses (Daniil Misyul and Chase Stillman come to mind), the late-round drafting has been particularly remarkable. It’s likely the next Devils breakout star comes from a drafted prospect.

Yegor Sharangovich is a 24-year-old left winger/center that hails from Belarus. After being selected in the 5th round in 2018, many thought that Sharnagovich would end up being a career AHLer. And to be fair, that was true until the COVID year. Many European players headed home to play in leagues still running, like the KHL. This is where Shrangovich broke out with 25 points in 34 games for Dinamo Minsk. He continued this rapid pace when he returned to the NHL, scoring 30 points in 54 games in his rookie year. He showed his skating and shooting ability and proved that he belonged in the NHL.

The following year started out rough. He was a passenger for most of the early part of the season, and as a result, rarely appeared on the score sheet. While this coincided with the injury to Jack Hughes, it was still discouraging seeing Sharangovich have a tough time. The second half of the season, however, is a completely different story.

With Hughes back and healthy and some newfound confidence courtesy of Sergei Brylin, Sharangovich finished the year on a 30-goal pace. His defensive play at 5v5 and particularly on the penalty kill was a promising sign of a guy poised to break out.

Next. Point Predictions For 2022-23 Season. dark

This is why Sharangovich becomes a bonafide top-6 winger this year. Playtime with Hughes/Jesper Bratt/Nico Hischier should help him get the shots he needs to be an effective goalscorer. I think Yegor posts a 35-goal, 60-point season this year. It’s also why I have been stressing about getting him under a contract extension before his eventual breakout. A four-year deal worth $4.125 million per season seems to me a quite realistic rise in pay. The Devils locked up Jonas Siegenthaler after his great year and they should do the same with Sharangovich.

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