BARRACUDA ANNOUNCE 2024-25 TEAM AWARD WINNERS
Apr 14, 2025San Jose, Ca – The San Jose Barracuda (@SJBarracuda), proud American Hockey League (@TheAHL) affiliate of the San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks), announced today the individual team award winners for the 2024-25 season as selected by the players, fans and media.
Barracuda Most Valuable Player: Andrew Poturalski
Signed as a free agent this summer by the Sharks, Andrew Poturalski re-wrote the Barracuda’s record books in 2024-25, setting new single-season marks in goals (30), points (73), and power-play goals (13). He also skated in three games with the Sharks, collecting one assist. The two-time Calder Cup champion notched 21 multi-point games this year, including matching a franchise record with five points in a game on March 2 against Henderson. On March 22, he collected a natural hat trick—all in the third period—in an 8-6 win at Bakersfield.
Poturalski joins 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 & Prospect of the Year: Luca Cagnoni
A key cog in the AHL’s top power-play unit, 20-year-old rookie Luca Cagnoni put together one of the best seasons by a Sharks defensive prospect in AHL history in 2024-25. He led the league in power-play points (32) and ranked within the top five in both power-play goals (10) and assists (22). Among fellow defensemen, he finished top six in goals (14), points (49), and assists (35). On March 20, he made his NHL debut, and on March 22, he collected his first NHL assist in a win over the Boston Bruins.
Cagnoni joins 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 winners of the team’s Rookie of the Year award.
Most Inspirational Award: Jimmy Schuldt
In his first season under contract with the Sharks, Jimmy Schuldt immediately made an impact for the Barracuda, anchoring the blueline while wearing the “C” for the first time in his six-year career. On March 6, he skated in his first NHL game in nearly six years. Schuldt leads the Barracuda in plus/minus (+21) and ranks in the top 10 in the league in that department.
Schuldt joins 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 2016-2017 season.
Hard Hat Award: Anthony Vincent
Anthony Vincent goes back-to-back as the Barracuda’s Hard Hat Award winner. The second-year pro has blown past his rookie statistics, setting new personal bests in games played (66), goals (9), assists (9), points (18), plus/minus (+18), penalty minutes (84), and shots (101). The hard-nosed forward has had an incredible knack for drawing penalties this season, while playing an in-your-face style that has pulled the team into the fight every game he’s been on the ice.
Aside from Vincent, Ozzy Wiesblatt (2022-23) is the only other winner of the Hard Hat Award.
Fan Favorite Award: Yaroslav Askarov
In year one with the Sharks organization, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov has become an instant fan favorite for both his play on the ice and his infectious personality off of it. Askarov began his tenure with the Barracuda with a bang, collecting back-to-back shutouts and wins in all five games in October. He’d go on to split the year with the Cuda and the Sharks, cementing himself as a key building block for the future in between the pipes.
Askarov joins Georgi Romanov and Magnus Chrona (2023-24) and Thomas Bordeleau (2022-23) as winners of the Fan Favorite Award.
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