When the trade was first reported in June 2023 for Yegor Sharangovich, a lot of Flames fans were underwhelmed with the return for star winger Tyler Toffoli.
Everyone knew Tyler Toffoli wasn’t a long-term option for the Flames. With the disaster that was the 2022-23 season, the final season under coach Daryl Sutter, Toffoli managed to have a career year and led the Flames in points. At 31 years old, it made sense to ship him out with his value at its highest and get some future assets back.
Admittedly, I was in the crowd thinking the return was a bit low. A third-round pick and Sharan-who? Sharangovich?– a name I had heard before but certainly wasn’t thrilled by. Just one day after, the Flames locked Sharganovich up on a 2-year, 6.2 million dollar deal.
Looking at his previous season, it seemed a bit rich for the 25-year-old Belarusian who was coming off the worst season of his short career. A fifth-round pick by the Devils in 2018, he put up 13 goals and 30 points in 75 games for the Devils in 2022-23, a regression from his previous season where he put up 46 points.
How Good Has Yegor Sharangovich Been?
Based on his previous numbers, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who was predicting the incredible season Sharangovich has put forward. Yegor currently sits third on the Flames in scoring with 34 points and tied for the club lead in goals with 20 through 47 games, putting him on pace to smash his career high from 2021-22.
How good has his season been? His shooting percentage is top-10 in the entire NHL at 19.8%. Sharangovich shares the NHL lead in shorthanded points (6) with teammate Blake Coleman and Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He stays out of the box too, with just 4 penalty minutes through 47 games.
Sharangovich also passes the eye test. During a season that has been up-and-down for the Flames, Yegor stands out every night you watch the team. Sharangovich continues to impress for the Flames as he plays in every situation, and he feels like a danger to score from anywhere on the ice. If we’re being honest, Yegor deserved the Flames NHL All-Star nod over Elias Lindholm, who has struggled to score over the last month.
He’s Not Just Good On The Ice
Lovingly dubbed ‘Sharky’ and ‘Sharangoalvich’ by the Flames fanbase, Yegor also seems to be enjoying life off the ice. He recently posted a photo of himself rocking a shark shirt (embracing the nickname!) and posing with a massive Lego Eiffel Tower. The post was shared by both the Flames and the NHL, further endearing him to the C of Red.
Sharky isn’t the only one enjoying a great year. The other half of this trade, Tyler Toffoli is having a great year with the Devils. The veteran sniper has 33 points and is leading the Devils with 20 goals through 45 games.
The trade seems like the best kind: a win-win for both teams. And although this season may not end up with a deep playoff run, Sharangovich continues to impress for the Flames and fans are excited to watch him for the foreseeable future. Whether you’re a Flames fan or not, make sure to keep up with Area 51 Sports Network for plenty of great NHL content to come.