Penguins Goalie Sergei Murashov Ready to Spend Season in AHL

Sergei Murashov attends Penguins development camp // pittsburghhockeynow.com

Sergei Murashov, a talented goaltender from Russia, has gained recognition recently. The 20-year-old has played extensively for the junior and youth national teams, spending four seasons in the MHL and making his debut in the KHL at 18. Although he played only seven games for Lokomotiv in the past season, Murashov has caught the attention of other teams. After leaving his hometown of Yaroslavl, Murashov signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2022.

Before signing, he attended the Penguins' development camp, which was a positive experience. "I went through tests in the gym, and the coaches told me what I needed to improve. It was good to hear that. On the ice, we talked about many aspects of my game. Most of what the American coaches said about my game coincided with what my coaches in Yaroslavl said," Murashov said exclusively to RG.

Murashov made a good impression and even earned praise from Jason Spezza, the Penguins’ assistant general manager. Spezza said that Murashov has everything it takes to become one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.

"To be honest, I was surprised to hear that,” Murashov said. “But it's motivating to know that people believe in me. When people trust you, it feels good, but it also means you must keep working hard. I always follow my inner voice, though. It's great to receive compliments, but I must stay honest with myself and my beliefs. I don't want to be tied to public opinion."

Murashov also fondly remembered the development camp, especially the meeting with the Penguins players. "Reilly Smith, Kris Letang, and Sidney Crosby were all training together. Letang even hosted a small meeting, sharing his experiences and his hockey journey".

Murashov briefly chatted with Sidney Crosby and was impressed by Crosby's mindset and mentality. He mentioned that his fellow countryman and one of the Penguins' leaders, Evgeni Malkin, had not congratulated him on his contract yet. He hopes they will get to know each other better in Pittsburgh. However, Crosby left a lasting impression on him.

"Crosby is very easy-going, not like a star at all. It was a pleasure to talk to him as he asked questions calmly, and I asked him a few things. It was just a casual conversation but really important to me. It's so unusual—you're talking to someone, and he’s as lively as you, sociable, but then you realize he has three Stanley Cups, the Olympics gold and all that. That's pretty cool.”

There's a chance the 20-year-old goaltender won't play in the NHL immediately. Most likely, the team will want to see him play at the AHL first, and the player is ready for that.

"I can say right now that I'm ready to spend an entire season in the AHL,” Murashov admitted. “However, it’s only the beginning of August now. We'll see how it goes. It's a new challenge for me. The Penguins’ coaches have told me about the specific aspects of playing in the AHL."

Murashov admits that he doesn't have one idol in hockey, but he watches many goalies, mostly Russian. "I'm not following any specific goaltender in particular. There are several goalies whom I can learn from, such as Igor Shesterkin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Ilya Sorokin, Juuse Saros. I also enjoy watching Daniil Isayev play and practice with Lokomotiv's first team. Isayev has been named the best goalie of the KHL, and I'm not surprised. There’s a long road ahead, and I’ll keep moving forward".