At a time when most NHL teams have largely finalized their core rosters with only the final spots to be determined, the San Jose Sharks may still be making moves. The team’s acquisition of goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov significantly altered their picture in net, and led to speculation that a notable trade could be on the horizon. Specifically, the Sharks might try to trade one of their more experienced goalies, Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek, in order to open up more playing time for Askarov at the NHL level.
This idea has some validity at first glance, but a closer examination suggests San Jose would be better served to hold off on doing so for now. They should at least start the season with all three goalies on the roster, and can revisit a potential trade later. This more patient approach will create more work in the near future, but can create a highly positive impact on the team’s long-term success.
Throwing Askarov Into Current Sharks Might Be Unfair
The Sharks appear to be improved from last season, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be a contender. Most of their upgrades came on offense, and the defense faces a lot more question marks. Although Askarov might already be their best goalie, they don’t need to rush his development, particularly when considering the defense he’ll be backstopping. San Jose’s blue line consists of a lot of spare parts and promising but unproven prospects. It is a defense that will make mistakes and allow a lot of shots, many of which will be of the high-danger variety. They could be looking at a retread of last season, when Blackwood turned in a number of excellent performances but couldn’t keep up behind a group of defenders that asked him to do far too much work.
Putting Askarov into this situation would start his Sharks career at a disadvantage. It could lead to a loss of confidence, stunt his development, and cause tension between him and the organization. If opponents are piling up goals on him and he feels helpless, his morale could drop very low — bad for any young player, and especially one who has faced concerns about his maturity.
San Jose should let the veterans Blackwood and Vanecek take the majority of the time in net, at least at the start of the season. Their experience makes them more prepared to work through difficult stretches and handle tough spots, both on and off the ice. Askarov will get his looks, but they shouldn’t happen until the team has a sense of how the defense will play and the unit gets a chance to develop chemistry.
Sharks Could Make Trade During Season Instead
While the Sharks shouldn’t make a goalie trade right now, that doesn’t preclude them from doing so at some point during the 2024-25 season. If the defense proves to be better than expected early on, or Askarov acquaints himself exceptionally well in San Jose, then the Sharks should explore the option of trading Blackwood or Vanecek.
Related: Sharks’ Askarov Trade Adds New Context to Hertl Deadline Deal
An in-season deal would have several benefits. In addition to giving Askarov time to develop and prove himself, the Sharks may make other teams more interested in trading. Just as the Sharks will be evaluating their goaltenders to determine how much to play Askarov, the rest of the league will be judging their own netminders in order to figure out their circumstances in net. From there, San Jose could have many options to move either of their veteran goalies all the way up to the 2025 Trade Deadline. Last season, many teams looked at the Sharks as a possible team from which to pluck a goalie, with Blackwood’s name mentioned in many trade rumors. The same could happen this season, and with Vanecek and Blackwood both on expiring contracts, a deal would make even more sense. The Sharks can open up space for Askarov while also gaining future assets and could boost his confidence, as a trade would demonstrate that the franchise is ready to commit to him.
The Sharks should give Askarov some time in the NHL this season, but can afford to ease him into it. By keeping Blackwood and Vanecek for now, they can give Askarov the security he deserves. If the team decides that he is ready for a greater workload partway through the season, then a deal would be the right way to go.
Askarov Can Be With Sharks for Many Years
At age 22, Askarov is under contract in San Jose for the next three seasons, at which point he will become a restricted free agent. This suggests that the Sharks intend to keep him around for a while and try to turn him into the goalie of the future.
For this plan to work, his time in San Jose has to get off to a good start. A difficult stretch for him in goal at the beginning of the season would be a brutal way to introduce himself to Sharks hockey, and could negatively affect the rest of the team as well. Instead, the Sharks should focus on the Blackwood-Vanecek tandem to start and can work in Askarov as the season finds a groove, determining what to do with the two veterans along the way. It’s a slower approach that will yield less by the way of immediate results, but potentially-dramatic eventual benefits.
