SHARKS RECALL THREE FROM BARRACUDA
Feb 11, 2021SAN JOSE, CA (Feb. 11, 2021) - San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the club has recalled forward John Leonard (@jleno09), defenseman Jake Middleton and goaltender Alexei Melnichuk from the San Jose Barracuda (@sjbarracuda), the team's top development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Leonard, 22, has recorded two assists in his first seven career NHL games, making his debut on Jan. 14 at Arizona. He has added one goal and one assist in two AHL games with the Barracuda, scoring his first professional goal on Feb. 7 vs. Tucson.
In his three-year stint with UMass (NCAA), Leonard scored 105 points (56 goals, 49 assists) in 106 career games. He became just the sixth member in the program's history to reach the 50-goal, 100-point club and the first to reach the milestone as a junior in the Division I Era. In his sophomore season, he was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team and the 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team. As a freshman, Leonard led UMass scoring with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists), was tied for second all-time in goals by a freshman in the program's history as a part of the Hockey East conference, was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for March 2018, and ranked fourth nationally in goals-per-game by a freshman. Over the course of his collegiate career, Leonard earned five Hockey East Player of the Week awards and was tabbed the UMass Student-Athlete of the Week five times.
The five-foot-eleven, 185-pound forward is a native of Amherst, Massachusetts and was selected by San Jose in the 6th round of the 2018 NHL Draft (182nd overall).
Middleton, 25, has appeared in one game for the Sharks this season, posting two penalty minutes, and has added two penalty minutes in two AHL games with the Barracuda.
Over his professional career, Middleton has skated in 14 NHL games, recording three assists and appeared in 208 AHL contests, recording 62 points (13 goals, 49 assists) with 257 PIM and a plus-10 rating. He was named to the AHL All-Star game in 2018-19.
The six-foot-three, 210-pound defenseman was originally selected by Los Angeles in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Melnichuk, 22, made his North American debut with the Barracuda on Feb. 7 vs. Tucson and has appeared in two AHL games for San Jose.
In 18 career KHL games from 2017-18 through last season, Melnichuk has posted a 9-5-1 record with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. He has registered a 58-11 record along with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in 74 career VHL games.
The six-foot-one, 187-pound native of St. Petersburg, Russia, was ranked eighth on NHL Central Scouting’s list of 2018 International Goaltenders.
For the Barracuda's current roster, click here.