The last defender on our list is one of the newest additions, Shakir Mukhamadullin.

The left-shot defenceman was acquired in the trade that sent longtime Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks. Mukhamadullin is originally a New Jersey Devils first-round selection in 2020, but was shipped over to San Jose in the Timo Meier trade. During his draft year, the Russian defenceman was playing in Russia with the Salavat Yulaev Ufa program. Mukhamadullin played 13 games in the MHL (Russia’s second division), but played in 27 games with the KHL squad. Mukhamadullin played two more years in the Salavat Yulaev Ufa program before coming over to North America.

During the 2021-22 season, Mukhamadullin got into three playoff games with the New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, before being traded during the off-season. In 2022-23, the six-foot-four defender played in 67 KHL games and 12 AHL games; 2023-24 was the first season that Mukhamadullin played completely in North America. The 201-pound defender put up a great first full AHL season with seven goals and 27 assists in 55 games played; Mukhamadullin even got in three NHL games with the Sharks. The following season, the former first-rounder played in only 21 AHL games compared to 30 NHL games.

The 2025-26 season was Mukhamadullin’s breakout campaign, as he only played with the Sharks’ big club. The former San Jose prospect played in 50 games, scoring five goals and totalling 12 points. Toward the end of the season, Mukhamadullin played about 18 to 20 minutes per night and took on some penalty-killing duties. In my viewings, the 24-year-old defender played most of his minutes alongside Mario Ferraro. Sometimes the Russian prospect would play with youngster Sam Dickinson; in these scenarios, Mukhamadullin would play his off-side. To make the Oilers’ opening-night roster, he will have to be okay with playing the right side.

One of the first aspects of Mukhamadullin’s game is his size and skating combo. Standing at six-foot-four, Mukhamadullin shows off strong skating mechanics in certain areas. The new defenceman has a good first two steps and gets his knees above his toes, like Josh Samanski; his crossovers are quick and smooth. Mukhamadullin has strong edges as well, being able to spin off of pressure and maintain his balance.

Mukhamadullin maintains a solid base while skating backward as well. Legs are apart, butt is down a good amount, good hinge at the hips, and of course the excellent length. There were instances where the former Sharks player would get caught transitioning from backwards to forward skating. If a player can get to the inside of your triangle, they will take advantage of this all day; just something minor I noticed.

There were moments when his stride got a little short, but that was rare. With Mukhamadullin’s use of crossovers and his strong first two steps, I don’t think this will be a long-term issue at all. The Russian defenceman uses his skating ability to help strengthen other areas of his game, like our next topic. I was impressed with Mukhamadullin’s retrieval game in all of my viewings. The skating helps with his retrievals, but Mukhamadullin’s pre-scanning and shoulder checking were just as impressive.

Another note I kept taking down was how Mukhamadullin used his 6-4 frame. It’s not like he’s crushing opponents, but the stout defender creates contact and gains inside positioning. More often than not, Mukhamadullin can control forechecking pressure, use his shoulder checks, and make the right decision when it comes to moving the puck. What gets me excited about Mukhamadullin is that he is proficient in what I call “the big three” for a defender: how’s your first touch (retrievals)? How do you defend your blueline (controlled entries against)? Are you able to leave the defensive zone effectively (defensive zone exits)? We already talked about retrievals, but the next one up in the big three is controlled entries against. How’s your gap control? Do you allow controlled entries? Are you applying pressure early and often?

Mukhamadullin is very mobile and has an extremely long reach; the best part is that he knows how to use it to his advantage. The offseason acquisition will be known for his defensive play, and I think you’ll see Mukhamadullin force a lot of dump-ins/turnovers this season. Not only does he defend the blueline well, but I like how quick he is on opposing forwards in the defensive zone.

There is a lot to like in how Mukhamadullin defends. Against third and fourth lines in the NHL, I can see him putting up good defensive results. Going back to the big three, the third and final crucial area I look at is: are we leaving the zone efficiently? I don’t only focus on leaving the defensive zone; I do like to see good puck movement throughout the ice, but being able to make a play on the breakout is critical. The former first-rounder is excellent when it comes to leaving his zone. In my viewings this year, I found he struggled a bit early on in the season, but with more time and experience, it started to look like he took a step in this area. There were some examples already linked above showcasing Mukhamadullin using his feet to exit the zone, but the young player can make some great passes.

Nothing crazy, but very effective. That’s all Mukhamadullin will need to be regarding his passing game; as I said, most of the value lies in how well he defends. However, we love players who can move the puck up quickly and get the offence started. That’s why I think Mukhamadullin has a bit more to give as a player. It’s because of his ability to consistently make the right play in his own zone, leading to a transition.

I think we’ll see Mukhamadullin make the Oilers’ opening day roster this year, either as their number six or seven defenceman. I think he will get some opportunities to kill penalties, but will mostly be playing against bottom-six competition while at five-on-five. I like Mukhamadullin as a bottom-pair defender already, but I believe there’s an outside chance he could develop into a serviceable No. 4 by the time he is 26 or 27.