• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Nashville Predators
Predators Goaltending

Predators Look to Askarov to Solve Their Goaltending Problems

By Joshua Polanski October 7th, 2020

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

With the 11th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, the Nashville Predators selected the Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov. Widely considered one of the best goalie prospects in the last decade, Askarov often draws comparisons to Carey Price. And while it’s been engrained in hockey folklore to not draft goalies in the first round, it’s no surprise that when Askarov was left available at No. 11 that the Predators capitalized on the opportunity.

Yaroslav Askarov Team Russia
Team Russia’s Yaroslav Askarov (Russia Hockey/FHR.RU)

Coming off a season of shaky goaltending from Pekka Rine and Juuse Saros, Nashville needs solid goaltending to help guide them to their first Stanley Cup. Askarov could be that goalie. 

How Good is Askarov?

To put it simply: Askarov might be a franchise talent. Statistically, his numbers should scare the rest of the Central Division. At the 2018-19 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he posted a .913 save percentage. Later that year at the World Junior Championship, that improved to an imposing .954 SV%. At the 2019-20 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he somehow improved to a .960 SV%, the best in the history of the tournament. In just three games in the KHL this season, he already has a shutout. 

Related: Our Free NHL Draft Guide

The greatest upside to this pick? He is a winner. At just 18 years old, he has won two gold medals (Hlinka ’19 & U17), two silvers (WJAC & U18), and one bronze (Hlinka ’18) in tournaments where his Team Russia were by no means the favorites, although, they also weren’t underdogs. 

Yaroslav Askarov Team Russia
Team Russia’s Yaroslav Askarov (Russia Hockey/FHR.RU)

His play balances both athleticism and excellent positioning. According to Josh Bell, “His movement in the crease is near perfect, pushing across the net effortlessly, combining athleticism with almost perfect edgework. On top of this, Askarov is a textbook netminder.” All-in-all, his game has little weakness, other than perhaps his eagerness to drop early and needing to add some weight. 

He’s also a right-handed catching glove goalie, a rarity in the modern NHL. According to NHL.com, only six played in the NHL this year and two were on the Colorado Avalanche. Askarov, then, could become one of the best, if not the best, right-handed catching glove in the world. While there doesn’t seem to be any obvious statistical advantages or disadvantages to a specific catching-glove, the oddity of it could still throw off opposing shooters. 

Nashville’s Situation

Nashville was lucky they had solid defense in Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Mattias Ekholm, because Father Time finally got to Pekka Rinne, the long-time stalwart in the net. At 37 years old, in his 12th full season, Rinne for the first time in his career failed to post a save percentage above .900. His 3.17 GAA, likewise, was the worst in his long career—the first time his GAA exceeded 3.00. 

Pekka Rinne Predators
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators Oct. 19, 2017 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Saros will most likely enter the season as the assumed starter. In the final month of the season, he was the best fantasy hockey goalie in the league and appeared to finally steal the job—although, he too had some shaky netminding earlier in the season. Saros, by comparison to Rinne, played almost 10 more games, recorded a .914 SV% and a 2.70 GAA. While these aren’t All-Star statistics, they are more than serviceable for an NHL starter. Most importantly, they buy time for Askarov. 

How Askarov Fits In

There’s always a chance that Askarov could appear in a Predators jersey at some point in the 2020-21 season, but goalies tend to take time to develop. Carey Price, for example, was drafted in 2005 at fifth overall but didn’t play for the Montreal Canadians until 2007-08. Nashville would be wise to not rush Askarov in, and with Saros’s play, they might not have to. 

From my perspective, Nashville’s plan for goaltending seems pretty straightforward: 

  1. Assume Saros starts.
  2. Hope Rinne gives him a challenge and/or a comeback.
  3. If Rinne’s 2019-20 play is the new standard, keep him as back-up to Saros until Askarov challenges for the spot in a year or two or until Rinne retires.
  4. Edge Askarov into the starting role. 
  5. Re-sign Saros, who will be a more than capable back-up to the franchise player, Askarov. 

Nashville doesn’t need an immediate fix to their goaltending, hopefully. Saros should be able to ameliorate the situation and keep them afloat for the meantime. This is almost the perfect situation for both Nashville because they don’t have to rush their newest member.


Sign up for our regular 'Predators Newsletter' for all the latest.

  • Tags
  • 2020 NHL Draft
  • Yaroslav Askarov
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 16th 6:10 PM
Hockey History

25 Best Senators’ Memories From 25 Years at Canadian Tire Centre

Jan 16th 6:00 PM
Anaheim Ducks

Ducks Prospects: Colangelo, Andersson, Drew & More

Jan 16th 5:50 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Need Taxi Squad to Drive Better Results in Net

Jan 16th 5:40 PM
Women's Hockey

Toronto Six 2021 Season Preview

Jan 16th 5:30 PM
Winnipeg Jets

Jets Have a lot of Options to Deal With Laine

Jan 16th 5:20 PM
Dallas Stars

Stars’ COVID-19 Cases Could Cost Them

Jan 16th 4:25 PM
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Campbell, Andersen, Tavares & Robertson

Jan 16th 4:15 PM
Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning Look to Benefit From Week Off

Jan 16th 3:05 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Josh Anderson’s Canadiens Debut Should Make Marc Bergevin Proud

Jan 16th 2:55 PM
Other Leagues

OHL Would Benefit From 24-Game Season

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information