"It breathes some more positive energy": Sharks GM praises Yaroslav Askarov’s influence on the team following trade

By Anjum Rajonno

Modified Aug 24, 2024 03:28 GMT

Former Nashville Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov is about to start a new chapter in his NHL career. Askarov was traded to the San Jose Sharks on Friday, along with a third-round pick and forward Nolan Burke. In return, the Predators received David Edstrom, Magnus Chrona and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft.

Sharks General Manager Mike Grier was delighted with the trade and heaped praise on the Russian goalie. Grier welcomed Askarov to the team while speaking with the press on Friday (via NHL.com):

“To have an opportunity to add him to our group is really exciting, and I think it kind of breathes some more positive energy into the group,” Grier said.

The Sharks GM mentioned that they had been discussing the player throughout the year. He praised Askarov’s talent and the goalie’s combination of size, anticipation and athletic ability:

“He’s obviously a super-talented goalie, and there’s not too many opportunities where you have the chance to go after a young goalie like this and add him to your group,” he added.

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Sharks could start new season with 3 goalies after Yaroslav Askarov trade

The goaltender also inked a two-year, $4,000,000 contract with the San Jose Sharks. The new contract, however, comes into effect from the 2025-26 season as Askarov will enter the final year of his previous contract in 2023-24, originally signed in May 2022.

Grier considers the young netminder potentially ready for the NHL. When asked if San Jose could start the season with three goalies, Grier said it's a possibility:

“I won’t rule it out. I expect this to be a really competitive camp. It’s a good opportunity for everyone to push themselves and get better, and for Yaroslav, I think it’s also a good opportunity for him to watch and learn from some guys who’ve been successful and good goalies in [Mackenzie Blackwood] ‘Blackie’ and [Vitek Vanecek] Vitek,” he said.

Grier added that it would be a great opportunity for Askarov to learn from the experienced goalies around him.

Yaroslav was originally selected No. 11 overall in the 2020 NHL draft by the Predators. He has a 2-1-1 record with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in three NHL games over two seasons. The Russian was the top-rated European goalie back in the 2020 draft.