The San Jose Sharks are in a bit of an odd situation when it comes to their goaltending situation. Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek are both solid NHL netminders, however, they’re both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season and they’re older than the rest of the Sharks’ future core.
In the system, Georgi Romanov and Magnus Chrona have shown some potential, but they’re far from a sure thing at the NHL level. With the news on Monday (Aug. 19) that Yaroslav Askarov had requested a trade out of the Nashville Predators organization and would not report to the Milwaukee Admirals, this is a perfect opportunity for the Sharks to address a long-term need.
Sky-High Potential
Predators general manager Barry Trotz faced an almost impossible decision, extend 29-year-old star goaltender Juuse Saros or give the reins to one of the NHL’s top goaltending prospects, Askarov. Ultimately, he decided to extend the proven commodity but as a result, it wasn’t a major surprise when the news broke that Askarov wanted out. At just 21 years of age, the Russian netminder had proven essentially all that he needed to at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, and now that there was no path to the NHL for him in Nashville, the trade request makes all of the sense in the world.
Askarov’s talent has been clear for quite a while, it’s a rare sight to see a goaltender selected in the first round as a whole, let alone 11th overall. Prior to his draft year, he dominated at the junior level in Russia, and that continued when he made his way to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) during the 2020-21 season. Now, he’s spent two full seasons at the AHL level since making the jump to North America and it’s time for him to get consistent time in the NHL. That wasn’t going to happen with Nashville as long as Saros was in the organization and now that he’s signed for eight more seasons, Askarov would have to wait quite a while to take over the net for the Predators.
Although he’s not proven in the NHL yet, Askarov has the potential to be an elite goaltender at that level. He’s been successful everywhere he’s played, and was phenomenal in his short stint in the KHL, the world’s second-strongest league. His performances in the playoffs at the AHL level do leave a bit to be desired but as he gets older he’ll undoubtedly improve under that type of pressure.
Expect a Rough Start
If the Sharks were to acquire Askarov, it may take a while for the move to pay off. Although everyone loves instant gratification, with the team that would be in front of him in San Jose, it would be reasonable to assume he’s going to struggle mightily before he reaches his potential. Blackwood for example played very well last season, but statistically, he looked mediocre at best. The same should be expected of Askarov. With a shaky defense in front of him, I would expect him to give up quite a few goals, but as long as he’s making quite a few saves as well, it would work itself out in the long run.
Speaking of the long run though, having an elite netminder would push the Sharks’ future core to the next level. Askarov fits in the same age range as Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and William Eklund, as a result, he could be a key piece of the organization when they’re back in Stanley Cup contention and potentially when they win their first.
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Trading for Askarov won’t be an easy feat for GM Mike Grier to pull off. With that being said though, if the Sharks were able to make it happen they’d add a player who can be between the pipes for the next decade. It’s definitely an avenue that the organization would be wise to consider at the very least.
