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Sharks sign Alexei Melnichuk, Fredrik Handemark to address weaknesses

The NHL is in a holding pattern while the league looks into possibilities of restarting the currently-paused season in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but that hasn't stopped the Sharks from being active. On Monday, San Jose added to its organizational depth by signing two European prospects to entry-level contracts.

After going into the weekend as "front-runners" to sign Russian goaltender Alexei Melnichuk, the Sharks sealed the deal and made the signing official on Monday. Melnichuck, 21, was ranked eighth on NHL Central Scouting's list of 2018 international goaltenders.

"Alexei was being pursued by a number of teams and we're pleased that he decided to join the Sharks," San Jose general manager Doug Wilson said in a team statement.