SAN JOSE – Less than a year ago, Nikolay Goldobin was one of the more talked about players in Sharks training camp. The then 18-year-old showed plenty of offensive flash and skill in preseason action, even spending some time on the wing of Joe Thornton. He was one of the final roster cuts.
Still, Goldobin wasn’t ready for the best league in the world, if only because of his slight frame. The 5-foot-10 Russian native had to put on some weight and get more experience competing against men that were bigger, older and stronger than he was. On the advice of agent Igor Larionov and Sharks GM Doug Wilson, Goldobin spent most of the 2014-15 season in Finland, where he posted 11 goals and 21 points in 38 games in a man’s league.