Nick Nollenberger, also known as "Nolly," has been the play-by-play voice of the San Jose Barracuda since 2016. Over that time, he has called more than 600 games. In addition to his work with the Barracuda, he also serves as an analyst on NBC Sports California for select San Jose Sharks games. A native of Santa Cruz California, Nollenberger is a San Jose Jr. Sharks alum and a graduate of the University of Arizona. 

Happy 4th of July! 

With Development Camp now officially in the books, the offseason feels like it has truly begun. Many players flew home back home after the game on Thursday, while others departed Friday morning. Thursday’s scrimmage was a great way to cap off a fun few days. Igor Chernyshov and Michael Misa picked up right where they left off with the Saginaw Spirit, circling the offensive zone and generating multiple high-end chances early.

The game was played in a unique format: four quarters, with the first two being 12 minutes of 4-on-4 (running clock), and the final two 10-minute quarters of 3-on-3 (also running clock).

You might have expected a lot of offense with all that open ice, but the goaltenders were outstanding, and the game turned out to be tighter than anticipated. Team Teal came away with the win—and the Marchment Cup—thanks to a hat trick from defenseman Eric Pohlkamp. Like last year, Pohlkamp was terrific, showcasing his heavy shot and offensive toolkit. After the game, he confirmed he’ll return to the University of Denver this upcoming season, with hopes of turning pro next year.

Another player worth highlighting is Joey Muldowney. He scored 29 goals last year at UConn, the second-most in the nation. He’s not the biggest guy, but he has a knack for finding the back of the net. He had a beautiful top-shelf goal in the scrimmage, set up by fellow Buffalo-area native Quentin Musty.

This year’s Development Camp was definitely on the smaller side—mostly made up of players drafted in the past two years, with a few others sprinkled in.

While it’s not officially an evaluation camp, there’s no doubt that players are being observed. It’s exciting for those attending their first camp—you’re around NHL legends like Marleau, Thornton, Nabokov, Miller, etc. You wear a Sharks sweater for the first time (even if it’s just a practice jersey), skate at an NHL facility, and receive tips on nutrition, off-ice training, recovery and more. The week culminates in the scrimmage that was played on Thursday at Tech CU Arena. Development is a like a country club compared to actual training camp—but in my opinion, everything a player does is being evaluated. So, arriving prepared and eager to learn is key.

A huge thank you to legendary Sharks broadcaster Randy Hahn, who joined me for Thursday’s scrimmage broadcast. I initially hoped he’d help out for the pregame show and maybe a portion of the game—but he ended up calling the entire thing with me. 

Baked into Development Camp week was the opening of NHL free agency. The Sharks made several moves that directly impact the Barracuda. They re-signed Colin White and Pavol Regenda to one-year, two-way NHL deals. White was one of the Barracuda’s best players during the playoffs before getting injured. His experience and leadership were invaluable in the room last season. Regenda, acquired from the Ducks in January, instantly found a home in San Jose. He excelled as the net-front presence on the power play and brought size and grit to the lineup. He’ll no doubt represent Slovakia at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, which adds a great promotional wrinkle to his return.

In addition to the re-signings, the Sharks added a trio of players on one-year, two-way contracts, all of whom are likely to spend a majority of their time in the AHL: forwards Jimmy Huntington and Samuel Laberge, and defenseman Cole Clayton.

Huntington missed most of last season due to injury, appearing in just four games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. A Calder Cup Champion, he’ll bring a valuable veteran presence to the room. Laberge plays a hard, heavy game and should be a solid replacement for Scott Sabourin, who is not expected to re-sign with the Sharks. Clayton is a right-shot, shutdown defenseman with 244 games of AHL experience under his belt.

Of course, it’s always tough to see fan favorites move on. Barracuda captain Jimmy Schuldt signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks. It’s well-deserved—before this, Schuldt had only signed one-year deals. He was outstanding last season, and while we’re happy for him, it does mean that both major free-agent additions from last summer—Poturalski and Schuldt—won’t be returning.

The Sharks also made a trade on Tuesday, sending former top prospect Thomas Bordeleau to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Shane Bowers. Bowers, originally drafted by the Avs, spent several seasons with the Colorado Eagles but has yet to reach the offensive potential projected when he was taken in the first round in 2017. Still, he’s a strong skater and a reliable two-way forward who will add depth to the Barracuda’s bottom six. Last season, he played 65 games with Utica and appeared in four NHL games with the Devils. 

The Barracuda roster will look quite a bit different next season—but there’s plenty to be excited about. There’s an influx of highly touted forwards who will likely spend significant time in the AHL, including Chernyshov, Kasper Halttunen, and Quentin Musty, among others. I’m also eager to see what strides returning players can make. Filip Bystedt came a long way last year, and with Poturalski gone, his responsibilities will increase significantly. During last year’s playoffs, when both White and Poturalski were out, Bystedt was thrust into the 1C role. That kind of experience will go a long way in his development.

Sharks GM Mike Grier mentioned during his free agency availability that the organization is looking to sign another goalie to compete for the No. 1 job with the Barracuda. The Sharks recently traded for former Calder Cup Champion Alex Nedeljkovic from Pittsburgh, and he’s expected to partner with Yaroslav Askarov as the Sharks backstop tandem.

There’s still plenty of offseason left, and more players will likely join the group in late August, as they did last year.

That does it for this edition of Nolly's Notes. It was great seeing some of you at the scrimmage on Thursday. Hope to see you again soon—thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your summer!