Nashville Predators top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov made headlines this morning as he said he wouldn’t report to the AHL and requested a trade. The San Jose Sharks are a possible suitor for the 2020 11th-overall pick.
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Kevin Weekes broke the news this morning with his classic social media video post explaining the situation between Askarov and Nashville.
Predators GM Barry Trotz responded accordingly, “We are aware of the report today, and our expectation is for the player to report to training camp and compete for a job in September.”
Trotz doesn’t seem in a massive rush to trade the young goalie and expects him to compete for an NHL job. This summer, the Predators signed star goalie Juuse Saros to an eight-year extension and former Dallas Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood to a two-year contract.
Michael Gallagher of Lower Broad Hockey says the Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes are two teams to watch for Askarov.
A couple of teams I’ve been told to keep an eye on regarding Askarov: Carolina and San Jose
— Michael Gallagher (@MGsports_) August 19, 2024
Gallagher also said that when he contacted Askarov’s agent, Dan Milstein, regarding the trade request, Milstein’s response was, “No comment.”
No team has been directly linked as a potential suitor for Askarov, but this is the first time the Sharks have been mentioned as a team to watch. The Sharks have two first-round picks this season, and if they trade with Nashville, they might be forced to use one to acquire Askarov.
The Sharks’ goaltending is in a peculiar situation with Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek. Both have one year remaining on their current contracts. Blackwood showed promise last season while Vanecek regressed and was plagued with injuries with the New Jersey Devils.
San Jose also doesn’t have a top goalie prospect, so adding Askarov would immediately fix that issue and potentially add a superstar goalie to the rebuild. In 44 games in the AHL last season, Askarov had a 2.39 GAA and a .911 save %.
He’s played three career NHL games, including two last season, with a 1.47 GAA and a .943 save %.
As mentioned, Trotz doesn’t seem keen on moving Askarov, but his hand may be forced. If Askarov doesn’t make the NHL roster out of training camp, that could also dampen his trade value.
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