San Jose signs Russell
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Forward Mitchell Russell of the North Bay Battalion signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, the National Hockey League club announced.
Overager Russell leads the Battalion in scoring in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs with 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in nine games as it prepares to open the Eastern Conference Championship Series at 7 p.m. Friday against the host Hamilton Bulldogs.
Russell, a six-foot, 193-pound Peterborough native who turned 21 on March 6, went undrafted by NHL clubs through three years of eligibility before the Sharks signed him as a free agent, as they did Battalion right winger Barclay Goodrow in 2014, when he led the Troops to the OHL final against the Guelph Storm.
Russell joins right winger Brandon Coe, a fourth-round choice in the 2020 NHL Draft, as a current Battalion member who has signed with San Jose.
“I just want to take the time to thank the North Bay Battalion organization for believing in me and giving me an awesome opportunity to play in front of the best fans in the league,” said Russell, a right shot who has played all three forward positions this season, much of it on a line with Coe.
“With that being said, I’m grateful to sign my first NHL contract and want to thank everyone who has pushed me into becoming the person I am today.”
General manager Adam Dennis offered congratulations to Russell and his family.
“Our entire organization is so proud of Mitchell in reaching this achievement. He has worked so hard to earn this opportunity and has been a treat to be around for the last four years. Mitchell has been such a valued member of our team and community and will no doubt make a positive impact with the Sharks organization alongside Brandon.”
The Battalion acquired Russell in a Dec. 28, 2018, trade with the Owen Sound Attack, which made him a first-round choice in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection from the Barrie Jr. Colts minor midgets.
In 239 OHL games over four seasons, Russell scored 78 goals and earned 83 assists for 161 points with 93 penalty minutes. In 147 Battalion games, he had 70 goals and 73 assists for 143 points, tied with Luch Aquino for 21st place in franchise history. He was 10th in OHL points production this season, scoring a team-leading 41 goals and adding 47 assists for 88 points in 64 games.
