CRANBERRY, Pa. -- When Penguins goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov was last here at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, he was still deciding where he'd even play next season. He could return to his KHL club Lokomotiv, sign with a new KHL club ... or make the move to North America.
"I need to make a decision where I'm going, because I have different ways for my next season," Murashov explained early in development camp. "Development camp for me is also to watch how it works in the USA, how Pittsburgh looks like, and so on."
Murashov evidently liked what he saw. He signed his three-year entry-level contract in July, and will be playing somewhere in the Penguins' organization this coming season.
"There were many factors of my decision," Murashov told me Thursday before the prospects departed for the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, N.Y. "I talked to many people about it, and just got some recommendations. My visit to the U.S. at camp impressed me, and I really enjoyed my time. So I am looking forward for the season now, and it's a great, great opportunity for me to be in such an organization. So, thank you to the Pittsburgh Penguins. I'm really happy to be here."
Murashov coming into the fold creates a bit of a problem ... but a great problem to have. The Penguins have too many goalies, too many goalie prospects, and not a single one of them should be in the ECHL. Even so, one or two very well may end up there. After Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, Murashov joins a group that includes Joel Blomqvist, who is coming off of an excellent rookie year in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, reigning ECHL goaltender of the year Taylor Gauthier, and recently-signed Filip Larsson, who was one of the top goaltenders in the Swedish league last season and surely didn't leave Sweden with the expectation of playing in Wheeling.
Murashov said that he doesn't know where he'll end up. The organization hasn't had those discussions yet -- one would presume because the camp battles haven't happened yet -- and Murashov isn't thinking that far ahead himself either. His priority is preparing for the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, N.Y. this week.
"I just focus on the present," he explained. "Focus on the moment and everything I need to just work and enjoy this time."
Asked what he needs to do to set himself apart in those upcoming battles, Murashov gave a classic goalie answer: "Just stop pucks, as always."
He's certainly been doing a lot of that. Murashov played in three games in the Penguins' development camp tournament and conceded a whopping total of one goal, to then-top prospect Brayden Yager in the championship game. Murashov has been back in town for a little while now, and has had the opportunity to participate in scrimmages with players from the NHL roster. Sure, they're only informal skates, but they have a good pace and the skaters are actually putting in effort to score. Hardly anyone is getting past Murashov. If he has a strong performance at the Prospects Challenge this week, he could make the situation all the more interesting.
"Yeah, every goalie here wants to be the first," he said. "But for me, I focus on my own game, focus on my own stuff and just try to improve myself. Don't look at other goalies. It's real work, real life, and all I can do is just prepare well, work hard and enjoy this time, because now it's in my control. Worry about the things just in my control, and I don't care about things which are out of my control."
Outside of maybe the recently-acquired Rutger McGroarty, there isn't a more intriguing prospect in the organization than Murashov. The hype is real and deserved. He was dominant this season in the Russian junior league, recording a 2.02 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in 34 games. But he also got a decent look in the KHL and fared well in his six games, recording a 1.84 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. The 6-foot-2, 172-pound netminder is a more athletic goaltender, but one of his best attributes is his ability to read plays ... and he only just turned 20 years old in April. He's incredibly young.
Murashov lit up when talking about the reception he's received from fans already, saying the support he got when he signed his contract was "maybe even more than on my birthday."
"I'm really looking forward to playing for Pittsburgh," Murashov said. "It's amazing, really. It's a dream. So, thank you to all the fans. We are doing our best to return all the winning traditions to Pittsburgh."
