Sharks close to deal with former ASU defenseman

As many as 20 NHL teams were reportedly interested in Pasichnuk, who had 37 points — third most among all NCAA Division I defensemen — in 36 games this past season with the Sun Devils.

Earlier this month, TSN reported that Pasichnuk, 22, had narrowed his decision down to two teams. Monday, The Athletic

first reported that he and the Sharks were close to a deal.

If the NHL can resume the 2019-2020 season, it would allow Pasichnuk the chance to play a game with the Sharks and burn a year off what would be a two-year entry-level contract.

If the NHL cannot resume play on this season, Pasichnuk’s would-be contract would not start until the 2020-2021 season. The NHL paused its season March 12 and there has been no indication on when the league might be able to resume play.

“I do know where I’m signing, but I want to keep it on the down-low until it’s official,” Pasichnuk told TheHockeyNews.com. “I’m just waiting to see what (the NHL) is doing.”

Pasichnuk, a native of Bonnyville, Alberta, finished his college career with 39 goals and 68 assists 136 games.

“Forever Grateful that God brought me to ASU and gave me the best four years of my life,” Pasichnuk tweeted Monday.

Pasichnuk, a left-shot defenseman, went undrafted as an 18year old but attended development camps with the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild and the Arizona Coyotes from 2016-2018 before he and brother Steenn came to the Sharks’ development camp last season.

At 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, he’s been compared to

Torey Krug of the Boston Bruins and Adam Fox of the New York Rangers — smallish defenseman who make an impact with their skating and decision making.

The Sharks have three left shot defenseman signed for at least the next two seasons in Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Radim Simek and Mario Ferraro. But the Sharks used four left shot defensemen for most of the season, meaning that wouldn’t necessarily preclude Pasichnuk from being with the Sharks for the 2020-2021 season.

Other left shot defenseman in the Sharks’ system signed for next season include Trevor Carrick, Nikolai Knyzhov and Artemi Kniazev, who was drafted 48th overall in 2019.