Editor's note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
Sharks players nicknamed San Jose rookie Will Smith “Puppy” at the beginning of the 2024-25 NHL season … but this isn’t that kind of dog story.
Instead, meet Smith’s dog Rigney, Macklin Celebrini’s Cali, Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s Piper and Barclay Goodrow’s Harlee and Norman, and more, as San Jose Hockey Now presents a new edition of the Dogs of the Sharks!
Last Christmas, you got to meet Sharks dogs like Logan Couture’s Willa and Ernie, Mario Ferraro’s Wilder, Luke Kunin’s Rocco, and Mikael Granlund’s Rafa.
This year, meet the new dogs of the Sharks, and hear their stories!
Besides Smith, Celebrini, Vlasic and Goodrow’s dogs, get to know Yaroslav Askarov’s Bugs, Cody Ceci’s Zeus and Hugo, Carl Grundstrom’s Otto, Nikolai Kovalenko’s Teddy, and Alex Wennberg’s Lexie.
Yaroslav Askarov: Bugs
San Jose Sharks
Bugs is a 3-year-old King Charles Spaniel.
Why Bugs?
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Askarov: My parents had a dog before, and it’s the same name.
Bugs’ personality:
He loves people. He loves everyone. If you’re gonna tell him something like, “Hey, come here buddy,” he’s gonna think you’re his owner.
Where is Bugs now?
He’s still in Russia now with my wife’s parents.
