Sergei Murashov Becomes 70th Former Nailer/Thunderbird to Reach NHL
Published on November 9, 2025 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
WHEELING, WV - The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are ecstatic to announce that goaltender Sergei Murashov has become the 70th former Nailer/Thunderbird to reach the National Hockey League. Murashov made his NHL debut on Sunday afternoon with the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena against the Los Angeles Kings.
Murashov, 21, began his North American professional career last season with the Nailers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Sergei had an outstanding rookie campaign in Wheeling, as he went 17-7-1 with a 2.40 goals against average and a .922 save percentage in 26 games. The Yaroslavl, Russia native etched his name in the record books twice, as he set team records for the longest winning streak by a goaltender (13) and the longest point streak by a goaltender (15; 14-0-1). He allowed two goals or fewer in 15 of 26 games and recorded at least 30 saves on 13 occasions. One of Murashov's most notable performances was his first ECHL shutout, which was a 42-save effort against Tulsa on February 22nd.
In addition to his success in Wheeling, Sergei has thrived in the American Hockey League with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Murashov is 17-5-0 in 23 career appearances in the AHL, as he went 12-3-0 last season and he is off to a 5-2-0 start this year. The netminder earned AHL Goaltender of the Month honors for his 5-1-0 record in October, and also earned AHL Player of the Week honors. Those are the second and third league honors for Sergei, who was November's ECHL Rookie of the Month with the Nailers last season.
On Sunday, Murashov made 24 saves on 27 shots, as the Penguins fell one goal short of the Kings, 3-2. His first NHL save came against Adrian Kempe, who scored his 200th career goal earlier this season.
In addition to being the 70th former Nailer/Thunderbird to reach the NHL, Murashov is the 18th to do so as a goaltender, the 20th to debut with the Penguins, and the fifth to debut as a goaltender for the Penguins. Prior to Sergei, the last Wheeling player to make his NHL debut with Pittsburgh was fellow goaltender Casey DeSmith, who did so on October 29, 2017.
In a fun twist, Murashov's NHL debut came on the one-year anniversary of his WesBanco Arena debut, as he made 27 saves to defeat the eventual champion Trois-Rivières Lions, 4-3, on November 9, 2024.
ECHL Stories from November 9, 2025
- Gerasimyuk Reassigned from Savannah to Charlotte - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Sergei Murashov Becomes 70th Former Nailer/Thunderbird to Reach NHL - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Transactions - November 9 - ECHL
- Game Day Preview: Americans at Tulsa, 3:05 PM - Allen Americans
- Admirals Score Ot Victory Over Adirondack On Cancer Night - Norfolk Admirals
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