2025-26 Barracuda Most Valuable Player: Filip Bystedt

Center Filip Bystedt finished his second North American pro campaign leading the Barracuda in points (60), assists (38), game-winning goals (6), and overtime goals (2), while ranking second in goals (22). The 22-year-old, selected by the Sharks in the first round in 2022, became just the fourth player in franchise history to reach the 60-point mark in a season, and the second in as many years (Andrew Poturalski – 73). He set career highs in games played (65), goals, assists, points, power-play goals (6), game-winning goals, and shots (119).

Bystedt joins Andrew Poturalski (24-25), Shakir Mukhamadullin (23-24), Andrew Agozzino (2022-23), John Leonard (2021-22), Alex True (2020-21, 2018-19), Maxim Letunov (2019-20), Antoine Bibeau (2017-18), Troy Grosenick (2016-17), and Ryan Carpenter (2015-16) as winners of the team’s MVP Award.

Barracuda Rookie of the Year: Igor Chernyshov & Quentin Musty

Rookie forwards Igor Chernyshov and Quentin Musty each made a significant impact in their first full AHL seasons, earning co-honors as the Barracuda’s Rookie and Prospect of the Year for 2025-26.

Chernyshov split the season between the Sharks and the Barracuda, appearing in 28 NHL games and recording 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists). In 41 games with the Barracuda, he totaled 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists), along with 36 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. He was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month for October after posting 16 points (10 goals, 6 assists) in 13 games, helping guide the Barracuda to a 10-1-1-1 record during the month.

Musty, a Sharks 2023 first-round selection, was among the AHL’s top rookie producers, finishing tied for fourth in goals (21) and tied for seventh in points (45). He also ranked tied for third in both power-play goals (8) and assists (13), third in power-play points (21), and second in shots (168) among first-year players.

Chernyshov and Musty join Luca Cagnoni (2024-25), Ethan Cardwell (2023-24), William Eklund (2022-23), Nick Cicek (2021-22), Brinson Pasichnuk (2020-21), Joachim Blichfeld (2019-20), Josef Korenar (2018-19), Rudolfs Balcers (2017-18), Danny O’Regan (2016-17), and Nikolay Goldobin (2015-16) as recipients of the team’s Rookie of the Year honors.

Most Inspirational Award: Patrick Giles

In his first full season with the Barracuda, Patrick Giles proved to be a huge piece of the team’s success both on and off the ice. Used in all situations, the six-foot-six forward was a Swiss Army knife for John McCarthy’s team, playing both center and winger and being deployed frequently on both the penalty kill and second power play. The 25-year-old set career highs in assists (14), points (24), and shots (126).

He was also named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the San Jose community during the 2025–26 season.

Giles joins Jimmy Schuldt (2024-25), Scott Sabourin (2023-24), Patrick Sieloff (2022-23), Adam Raska (2021-22), Brandon Coe (2019-20), Manny Wiederer (2019-20), Jeff Viel (2018-19), and John McCarthy (2016-17, 2017-18) as winners of the award, which was implemented following the 2016-17 season.

Hard Hat Award: Anthony Vincent

Anthony Vincent goes back-to-back-to-back as the Barracuda’s Hard Hat Award winner. The third-year pro set career highs in 2025-26 in penalty minutes (111), shorthanded goals (2), and shots (121). The hard-nosed forward was part of a spirited fourth line that brought energy and grit to the team each and every night.

Aside from Vincent, Ozzy Wiesblatt (2022-23) is the only other winner of the Hard Hat Award.

Jimmy Huntington Fan Favorite Award: Jimmy Huntington

In year one with the Sharks organization, forward Jimmy Huntington immediately ingratiated himself within the locker room and among the fans for his determined and spirited style of play. That was on full display when he dropped the gloves with six-foot-six Keaton Middleton in a game on April 4 against the Colorado Eagles.

Despite missing almost all of 2024-25 with injury, Huntington came back as good as ever in 2025-26, setting career highs in games (71), assists (33), points (48), penalty minutes (60), power-play goals (5), and shots (118).

Huntington joins Yaroslav Askarov (2025-26), Georgi Romanov and Magnus Chrona (2023-24), and Thomas Bordeleau (2022-23) as winners of the Fan Favorite Award.