With Juuse Saros locked up on a massive eight-year deal that will keep the star goaltender with the Nashville Predators until at least 2033, it makes sense that former first-round pick Yaroslav Askarov's days in Tennessee could be numbered.
And it looks like a decision will be coming on the Russian netminder's future sooner rather than later after he requested a trade on Monday, according to ESPN hockey insider Kevin Weekes.
The 22-year-old will not report to the Predators' American Hockey League affiliate as he awaits a deal, per Weekes.
“We are aware of the report today and our expectation is for the player to report to training camp and compete for a job in September,” Predators GM Barry Trotz said shortly after the news broke, per the Nashville Post's John Glennon.
That certainly makes things interesting.
Askarov was the highest-drafted Russian goaltender in history when he was selected No. 11 overall by the Preds in the 2020 NHL Draft. He's suited up in three total games for the club — twice last year and once in 2022-23.
He was especially good in his two-game stint last season, posting a sparkling 1.47 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in a small sample size. But it's clear this goalie is ready to compete for a starting job, and that's just not going to happen behind Saros in Smashville.
Yaroslav Askarov is done with the AHL
Askarov has played two full seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League, appearing in 48 games in 2022-23 and another 44 in 2023-24. He won 30 of those starts in the latter, establishing himself as one of the best goalies in the league and proving he's ready for an NHL shot.
He was a dominant force in the AHL, winning 26 games and posting a 2.69 GAA and .911 SV% in his first year and following it up with the 30-win campaign that saw his GAA lowered to 2.39 last year.
It's not overly surprising that Askarov will not head back to Milwaukee for a third term after he's shown he's too good to remain there for another season. It's time for the young phenom to prove his draft mettle and compete for a starting job in the show.
Saros was inked to an eight-year pact that will pay him $7.74 million AAV for the foreseeable future, squashing any questions about who the starter might be going forward.
Predators general manager Barry Trotz now has a big decision to make ahead of training camp. There's already reportedly been a ton of interest for Askarov's services, and that should only increase with Weekes asserting that he has indeed requested a trade out of Tennessee.
The Preds are in great shape here, as they should get a haul for the Russian's services. That's after a knockout free agency period that saw Trotz transform the roster, signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei on July 1.
It'll be intriguing to see where Askarov ends up in 2024 — and how long it takes Trotz to facilitate a trade for one of the best young goaltending prospects in hockey.
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