Two contenders emerge for Nashville Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov amidst his trade request

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Daniel Lucente
August 19, 2024 (4:25 PM)

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Two NHL teams have been linked to Nashville Predators goalie Yaroslav Askarov following his trade request: the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks.

The number one goalie of the Nashville Predators, Juuse Saros, was signed by GM Barry Trotz to an eight-year, $7.74M AAV contract extension, and on top of that, the team acquired veteran backup goalie Scott Wedgewood as a free agent. This left Yaroslav Askarov with no place on the team, and it's expected he would start the next season down in the AHL again, something that Askarov says he will absolutely not do.

Jusse Saros was drafted 99th overall by the Predators in 2013 and he is now 29-years-old. He's played in 350 games in the NHL, holding a 182-119-32 record, with a 2.63 GAA and .917 save %.

Scott Wedgewood spent the last two seasons as a backup for the Dallas Stars. He still managed to play a good amount of games for them last season, suiting up in 32, and finished with a very nice 16-7-5 record and a 2.85 GAA with a .899 save %. Wedgewood was drafted way back in 2010 by the New Jersey Devils and also played for the Arizona Coyotes on top of the Devils and Stars.

It's expected that Yaroslav Askarov will become a top NHL goalie within the next five years. He requested a trade from the Preds earlier today due to his severe lack of ice time with the organization. His stats fully support his argument, as Askarov has only played in three career NHL games, and posted a 2.57 GAA and a .914 save %. He did play the majority of the last two seasons in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, where he finished with a .911 save % and a GAA just under 2.70.

Nashville Predators reporter Michael Gallagher has stated that the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks are likely the top two teams interested in Yaroslav Askarov's services.

The San Jose Sharks are in a full rebuild mode and need a great goalie for their future, and Yaroslav Askarov is just the right man for the job for them. He would definitely help the team compete for a playoff spot down the road, especially since they now have Macklin Celebrini in their organization.

It's a totally different story for the Carolina Hurricanes, who are ready to compete for a Stanley Cup immediately. The team has struggled to find consistent goaltending over the last few seasons which has really held them back from winning the Cup, so perhaps Yaroslav Askarov can help carry the charge there.

Source:
Michael Gallagher on X

Source: HockeyDB
NHL Player Stats