After two solid seasons with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Russian Super League, he was selected in the first round (25th overall) of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils.

He spent one more year in Russia with HC CSKA Moscow before coming to North America, and also turned in a stellar performance at the 1995 World Junior Championships, recording 10 points in 7 games.

Sharifijanov joined the Albany River Rats, New Jersey's AHL affiliate, after the Russian season ended in 1995, and scored 2 points in his first North American professional game.

After scoring just 3 goals in 20 games for the Devils, and showing a marked drop-off in his defensive play, Sharifijanov was shipped to the Vancouver Canucks for a draft pick.

In Vancouver, he made an instant impact, scoring a goal on his first shift as a Canuck, but it was all downhill from there as he quickly became a healthy scratch and earned a reputation for lazy play.