Yaroslav Askarov has had a week he won’t soon forget.
Hours after receiving a 2023 AHL All-Star Game nod for his efforts in his first professional season, Askarov was on a plane bound for Toronto to join the team that selected him 11th overall in the 2020 draft.
Hours later, the 20-year-old netminder was between the pipes at the iconic Bell Centre for his National Hockey League debut, becoming the youngest goaltender to ever start a game for the Nashville Predators.
According to the man himself, the experience was nothing short of surreal.
“It’s an unreal emotion [to play] my first game in the NHL – it’s awesome,” Askarov said after the game. “Yeah, we lost, but I think I’ll remember this game forever.”
While Nashville ultimately dropped the contest in Montreal by a 4-3 final, the promising young netminder flashed plenty of his elite talent and confidence through a 31-save performance in one of the League’s toughest buildings.
Video: NSH@MTL: Askarov makes save on Dadonov
“I thought [Askarov] came in and played well,” Head Coach John Hynes said. “He got tested – and I thought we needed to play better in front of him – but it was a good first start for him. He made some big saves, and was tested a lot. So, I give him a lot of credit.”
To be certain, not a minute of his ice time went unearned.
In his first professional North American campaign, Askarov leads all AHL rookie netminders in wins (13), shutouts (t-2) minutes played (1285:47) and – to sweeten the deal – assists (3), while posting an impressive .905 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average through 22 appearances.
“It just shows his growth,” Admirals General Manager Scott Nichol said of his All-Star nod. “He didn’t start out great, but he really has adapted quickly to the league and he’s had some good runs. He was Player of the Week and had a couple shutouts and he’s just been gaining some good traction.”
Before Milwaukee, Askarov spent the summer turning heads at his first Predators Training Camp – a certain retired Nashville netminder among them.
“[He’s] very impressive,” Pekka Rinne said of the young goaltender in September. “He’s got a lot of skill. I think the goalies in the system overall are one of the strongest suits of this organization. I really like the goaltending from what I’ve seen so far, and Askarov is no different. He’s a huge talent.”
In preseason action, Askarov combined efforts with Predators backup Kevin Lankinen, stopping 10 shots through 30 minutes of play to share the shutout win over the Florida Panthers with his Finnish counterpart.
As his season in Milwaukee has progressed, Askarov has seen his share of growing pains, though has never strayed too far from the mark.
After a week in early December that saw the netminder post an uncharacteristic 2.94 goals-against average through two starts, Askarov rallied in the week that followed – stopping 60 of 61 shots faced in his next two starts and earning his first career shutout.
Days later, he was recognized as the AHL’s First Star of the Week.
“What I like about him is that he always answers back,” Nichol said. “He always has a great response from a game where he maybe let in a couple goals that he would want back, and then usually the next game he’s just a little bit more dialed in. And that’s part of his competitive nature.”
It’s a telling sign that Askarov – already an athletic force between the irons – will likely be even better when Smashville sees him again.
If Thursday was any indication, it’s only a matter of time before they do.
