If you search for the top NHL goaltending prospects in the world, one of the first names you will see is Yaroslav Askarov. The Nashville Predators selected Askarov 11th overall at the 2020 Draft out of SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL.
The pick drew a certain degree of skepticism, largely driven by the risk in taking a goaltender in the lottery compounded by the perceived uncertainty around the timeline for Russian prospects coming to North America. However, Askarov signed his entry-level deal in May 2022 and has since spent two seasons in the U.S., mostly with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals.
Last season, Askarov played 44 games to the tune of a .911 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average with the Admirals. He appeared in two games for the Preds in ’23-24, making 33 saves on 35 shots and winning his lone start. Because of his six-foot-four frame and strong skating, he—along with the Minnesota Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt—are the top two consensus drafted goaltending prospects in the NHL.
© Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Rumor
This morning, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that Askarov had requested a trade from the Predators:
Why Askarov Might Want Out of Nashville?
The answer here is simple, and it’s arguably the best reason to believe the report: The Preds just signed 29-year-old Vezina-winning goaltender Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension on July 1, and now Askarov quite understandably wants a clearer path to being a number one goaltender. Heading into the offseason, it was at least conceivable that Nashville would trade Saros to affirm Askarov as their number one goaltender; instead they did the opposite, perhaps believing there would be still be ample time and space for Askarov to develop. However, Askarov has his own plan in mind.
Could it Make Sense for the Red Wings?
The obvious and shortest answer here is that Askarov doesn’t really make sense in Detroit because Detroit has its own two highly regarded goaltending prospects in Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. While neither may be regarded with quite the same esteem as Askarov, they are first and second round picks respectively—clearly held in high regard by Detroit brass, with Cossa’s timeline a bit further along than Augustine.
However, I would submit that there is a situation in which Askarov could make some amount of sense: Specifically, if Detroit believes that Askarov is a better goaltending option right now than those presently at his disposal. The Red Wings brought in Cam Talbot this summer as a low ceiling-high floor, short-term option, but Steve Yzerman was also reported to explore more high profile options like the Bruins’ Linus Ullmark, before Ullmark was dealt to Ottawa. If his appetite is still whet for a splash, an Askarov trade would be just that, and perhaps there’s a path to a palatable package around one of Augustine and Cossa and perhaps tossing in one of Alex Lyon and Ville Husso to boot.
It’s not hard to argue that Askarov will have a better career than Talbot, but at 22 years old with all of three career games of NHL experience to his name, can he be a better, more reliable option that Talbot in 2023-24? The likely answer here is no, but if Askarov finds his stride in a hurry, he does have the sort of profile and upside that could significantly lift the Red Wings’ short- and long-term prospects. If Yzerman is interested in a gamble, it’s an intriguing possibility, but in all likelihood, the Red Wings’ goaltending battery for the season has already been set in place.
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