Mar 7, 2025
By Nick Nollenberger (@NickNollen)
It had been 2,162 days since Jimmy Schuldt performed in the one NHL recreation of his profession—5 years, 10 months, and 29 days. On Sunday, the Barracuda’s captain was recalled by the Sharks for the primary time after Henry Thrun was positioned on injured reserve. On Thursday, after practically six years, he was again within the NHL, taking part in 14:15 in a loss to the Avs—an unbelievable feat of perseverance and willpower.
Schuldt, the captain of the Barracuda, is in his first season underneath contract with the Sharks and his sixth as a professional. Between NHL appearances, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound defenseman performed 402 AHL video games between the common season and playoffs.
After main the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, to a 6-5 time beyond regulation win towards the Henderson Silver Knights on Sunday, Schuldt was referred to as into head coach John McCarthy’s workplace and given the information that he’d be becoming a member of the Huge Membership on their East Coast street journey. With little time to course of, he was in a position to inform his dad and mom in individual since they have been in San Jose for Barracuda Household Weekend. After that, he hurried residence, packed a small bag, hugged and kissed his spouse and canine, and was out the door to catch a redeye flight to Toronto.
“I virtually forgot it was a 3 o’clock recreation, so once they advised me I used to be going up, that usually means your flight is tomorrow,” mentioned Schuldt. “However I used to be advised to go residence, and an Uber would choose me up. So I principally walked out of the locker room, advised my dad and mom—they have been excited—and advised my spouse. I bought to the Toronto airport at 7:45 within the morning, took an Uber to the resort, which is an hour away with rush hour site visitors, showered, and headed to the rink for morning skate.”
On Monday and Tuesday, he watched from the press field because the Sharks beat the Maple Leafs and Sabres in a back-to-back. It’s frequent for the lineup to remain the identical after a win, so there was no assure he’d be getting in in any respect through the journey. However on Thursday, within the remaining recreation of a six-game street leg out of the Four Nations Tournament, the dream as soon as once more turned a actuality as Ryan Warsofsky gave the veteran professional a chance for his second look in an NHL recreation.
Regardless of the practically six-year hole between NHL video games, his dream of getting again by no means wavered.
“Generally you simply assume it is not going to occur, I am not going to get the chance,” mentioned Schuldt. “I wasn’t prepared my first 12 months once I made the Knights. I wasn’t able to be there, and I wasn’t prepared to assist the group, and I type of discovered that over my first couple of years. It is a actually laborious sport at each ranges, and watching guys do it each evening is unbelievable. I tailored over time from extra of an offensive defenseman, getting power-play time, to extra of a shutdown position as a result of I noticed my greatest probability of getting again up was to play that model.”
A extremely coveted faculty free agent in 2019, Schuldt signed an entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on April 3, 2019, making his NHL debut three days later in Los Angeles towards the Kings. In that recreation, he collected an help on a Valentin Zykov purpose and logged a team-high 21:03 of ice time. Regardless of a powerful exhibiting in his first NHL look and making the Golden Knights out of camp the next season, he wouldn’t get one other recreation with Vegas over the subsequent two years.
After signing a one-year contract with the Sabres in 2021-22, he spent the complete 12 months in Rochester, other than a while on the Sabres’ COVID Taxi Squad. The next season, with no NHL presents, he signed a one-year AHL contract with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in late September. That 12 months, he helped the Firebirds attain Sport 7 of the Calder Cup Finals. The following season, the Seattle Kraken signed him to a one-year NHL contract, however as soon as once more, he spent the complete season within the AHL with Coachella Valley, serving to the Firebirds attain back-to-back finals.
Regardless of all his AHL success, the call-up by no means got here. Now 29 years outdated, he nonetheless hoped for an additional NHL shot.
After getting a recreation proper out of faculty, he figured today would have come sooner. That being mentioned, he additionally acknowledged that some issues are simply out of your management.
“Actually, no,” mentioned Schuldt when requested if he thought it could have taken this lengthy to get again up. “Not in an overconfident approach. However I believe in all probability each man who comes out of faculty and will get a recreation thinks the identical factor. I assumed there was an honest probability I might get to play extra video games once I was youthful, but it surely simply by no means occurred. The very best factor I’ve completed through the years is concentrate on how I can assist no matter group I am on win, and I believe that is only a good mindset as a result of, on the finish of the day, that is why you play hockey.”
A local of Minnetonka, MN, Schuldt was a standout defenseman at St. Cloud State from 2015-2019. A 3-year captain, he was a dynamic offensive menace from the blue line in faculty, incomes a Hobey Baker Finalist nod as a senior. However as his professional profession unfolded, he tailored into one of many premier shutdown defensemen within the AHL.
Regardless of carving out a robust professional profession, he was by no means given one other NHL shot.
When Schuldt signed with the Sharks this summer time, he knew he’d play a serious position with the Barracuda. However he additionally noticed a chance inside a rebuilding group to earn one other NHL probability. Now that he is gotten one other recreation, he is simply appreciative of the chance.
“I’ve gotten handed up rather a lot in my profession,” mentioned Schuldt. “So it is one thing I actually respect. It’s cool to take a step again, however on the identical time, I am simply attempting to do issues the fitting approach—work laborious throughout observe, throughout morning skates, and simply attempt to be prepared. However I respect it a ton to have the chance, and it offers you perspective.”
From the second he joined the Barracuda, his professionalism set the tone. Usually the primary to reach on the rink and the final to depart, he rapidly turned a simple alternative as group captain.
Barracuda head coach John McCarthy referred to as Schuldt an inspiring instance of perseverance, willpower, and professionalism. It is also a terrific instance that if you happen to do issues the fitting approach, you may get rewarded.
“The timing of it was nice as a result of I assumed he had a extremely good set of video games earlier than he went up, which is simple to level out to the opposite guys,” mentioned McCarthy. “While you do issues the fitting approach, you may get rewarded with an NHL alternative.”
Barracuda rookie defenseman Luca Cagnoni has been Schuldt’s D-partner for a lot of the season and says the prospect to return up is effectively deserved and lengthy overdue.
“He works his butt off; he undoubtedly deserves the chance,” mentioned Cagnoni. “He is such a frontrunner, the best way he controls issues on the ice, even me on the market, speaking to me rather a lot, letting me know the place to be.”
Schuldt was assigned again to the Barracuda on Friday, which permits him to be eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Whether or not he will get one other probability with the Sharks this season or not, his strategy and willpower will not waver. However so long as he is taking part in, his motivation will lie in reaching the game’s highest stage.
