The top goaltending prospect of the Nashville Predators, Yaroslav Askarov, made waves around the NHL a few days ago as he publicly requested a trade out of the Predators’ organization. Askarov and his agent assert that if he is not moved by the end of training camp and is sent down to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, he will not report.
Askarov has seen his name come up in trade chatter a few times over the last two summers, primarily at the NHL draft, with the Predators attempting to acquire a top-five selection. No general manager was willing to meet the asking price of general manager Barry Trotz, so Askarov stayed with the organization at the AHL level, where he put up monster performances. Now that Nashville has committed to Juuse Saros on the heels of an eight-year, $61.92MM extension and also signed Scott Wedgewood to serve as the team’s backup for the 2024-25 campaign, Askarov is looking for an opportunity elsewhere.
The most immediate team that comes to mind is the San Jose Sharks, who are rebuilding their organization from the ground up but have very little in the way of goaltending prospects. By acquiring Askarov from the Predators, San Jose could cut bait with Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek at any point during the regular season, assuming Askarov develops into a starting goaltender. A little over a week ago the assistant general manager of the Sharks, Joe Will, detailed that San Jose is still looking for a third-string goaltender on the younger side.
Another team in a similar position to the Sharks lies 2,000 miles inland in Chicago. The Blackhawks are only a year removed from selecting with the first overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft and are also looking to bring their organization back to contention. As much as Chicago would want to complete their prospect pool with Askarov, the Predators won’t be quick to help out a divisional rival. The Blackhawks would likely have to pay a higher premium than most teams if they hoped to acquire Askarov and may look for their goaltender of the future down the road.
Unlike San Jose and Chicago, one surprise candidate for Askarov may come from Sin City. The Vegas Golden Knights have always had a fair for the dramatics and with both of their netminders headed for unrestricted free agency next offseason, the Golden Knights may look for a cheaper option. As one of the more cap-strapped teams in the NHL, the aggressive addition of Askarov would give the Golden Knights a cost-controlled netminder for the next several years, with the team able to invest in other areas of the roster. Unfortunately, without a first-round pick until the 2027 NHL Draft, Vegas may not have the resources to acquire the young netminder.
Although Askarov publicly requested a trade out of Nashville, the team is in no rush to trade him. Since the Predators could theoretically hold onto him for the next several years, the public nature of the trade request should not hamper his trade value on the market. There will be several teams looking to poach Askarov from the Predators, but if recent history has taught us anything, Trotz will get his money’s worth in any trade.
I like Josh’s 1-for-1 proposal with SJ’s 2025 1st
1 FOR 1 TOP 5 PROTECTED!
They can give them Vegas’s 2025 1st and the Oiler’s 3rd
Wow, this guess was pretty close though
That trade makes a lot of sense. Even if it is a top 5 pick the Sharks would have an NHL ready franchise Goalie for their rebuild. And the Preds would get a dynamic young player.
Flyers for sure for first round and Morgan Frost and a prospect
Flyers goalie situation at present is “wobbly.”
Too much for a goalie with just 3 NHL games.
He’s the best goaltending prospect since Carey Price. Would you be saying the same about a guy like Connor Bedard? Because that’s what Askarov is in the world of goalies. He was the best goalie in the world not in the NHL last year.
I think maybe you should stop drinking the Kool Aid and get some sleep. Best Goalie in the world? Really? I can’t believe you said that or even thought it for that matter. Wow. The best Goalies in the World are probably in the State of Florida right now. He wouldn’t even be the best Goalie in Florida.
In his defense he said best goalie not in the NHL, Best Goalie prospect. Even with that said he is untested, most of these offers are way to high.
Everyone though Columbus would get a 2nd for Laine and it turns out they had to give a 2nd.
Laine is a terrible comp, dude hasn’t been good for two years and had a 8.5m cap hit. Askarov is on his ELC.
I’m assuming the conversation starts with a first and NHL ready or NHL player.
Last top goalie prospect traded was levi with a 1st for Reinhart.
Dorofeyev + Brisson from VGK might do it.
Frost + 1st from Philly seems fair.
If Askarov was draft eligible in 24, would he have been picked top 5, 10?
I’d throw Columbus in there as a potential trade partner. They have lots of prospects and picks and could certainly be interested in improving their goaltending situation..
Can I pray it’s Colorado as a tandem with Georgey and then he can take over next yr?
Trotz wouldn’t be dumb enough to trade him within the conference unless it’s for a kings ransom
I can see Carolina being interested.
Kings? Pair with Kuemper, send 1 of Copley / Rittich in deal back to NSH (both end up in AHL or offload to a third team)
Devils? Jake Allen I imagine could have value elsewhere. Askarov / Markstrom would be a scary combo for the next two years.
I can’t believe that many people picked the Hawks. There’s no way the Hawks are moving anybody for him. They have Mrazek, Broissoit and Commesso at Rockford to fill in. Gajan starting college and maybe even Dominic Basse who’s in his 5th year in college if he signs here. He might not. The Hawks don’t really need a Goalie for once, They’re set. Especially since he’s a malcontent who wants to play in the NHL. He wouldn’t play here either so that’s another reason it’s not happening. I say San Jose, Maybe Anaheim? But not Chicago.
Rangers. Save money on a Igor extension.
Kings
This was a very disappointing article. The only teams they come up with are the 2 worst teams in the league, and another that doesn’t have the draft capital?
I know it’s the off-season, but c’mon.
Yeah it’s the off season. Everyone has shot their wad and figured out their goal tending for next season. And now a month before training camp who exactly but the two worst teams in the League is he going to play for? The Stanley Cup Champs? Yeah that’s it. The Panthers are going to get rid of BOB so that this guy can play. I can see that happening. If this idiot was going to start trouble he should of done it before FA started. To make a pathetic plea now is a bit too little, Too late. He can spout all he wants but he has a contract to play for the Preds. He can go home after camp and pout, But he can’t do anything about it except not get paid. So this is just wind. It’s going to take a major injury for somebody to want him at all, And it would still be as a backup probably.
Whatever u think about the value of offseason articles on non front page news, it’s at least gotta be more disappointing being this much of a whiner and having to log in two days later to see Askarov-> sharks
There are several other teams with goaltending needs with draft capital to move, more than Vegas, that warranted discussion. I don’t care what ultimately happened: that wasn’t known when this article was written.
My brother it was a poll. A poll that literally has an other/comment below option. Instead u degrade, call it a disappointing article, and contribute absolutely nothing to the “discussion” much unlike basically every other comment here speculating teams. Then to top it off the first on the list you’re complaining about binks the guy a day later, had to come back and read the whiners complaint. Keep ur chin up deepseamonster32 maybe you can impress us all with your wisdom on the next poll
It’s a speculative article, and they shouldn’t pawn off their job on commenters.
By you’re dumbass’s standards, this article would’ve been fine if it only included the Sharks. Ignorant moron, learn what hindsight bias is you fool.
coming on here 2 days later with info you didn’t know when it happened, running your itch mouth. eat your own ass
This POLL coulda featured only the Saskatoon Loonies for all I care I wasn’t the one grumbling because my team wasn’t featured on the list. Maybe if you actually contributed to the conversation instead of being the complainer in the corner you’d be a lot more chill and even make a few friends instead of getting called on being both an wrong and an idiot. Hang in there deepseamonster32 the next poll is coming soon
My God Budnick, Are you asking him to THINK? Big Ask.
well john, apologies for insulting you. But do you really think Vegas was the 3rd best team to include here as a possibility? A team with no picks in the next 2 drafts? Maybe as an honorable mention, alongside other teams that could make sense that didn’t?
And I wasn’t wrong about this article. If they do an article on potential Stanley Cup Champions, and only cover the 3 NYC area teams, it’s still an underwhelming article if the Rangers win it all.
The leafs need elite goaltending right? Do they have the picks/prospects to get him tho? Maybe Roberts and and a pick?
Robertson is is last name I think. Hans fan here. The guy who asked for a trade
Hildeby and a 2nd should be enough.
Montreal feels like a good fit. Their goalie situation isn’t strong, and they have some extra draft capital now