Yaroslav Askarov is the projected goalie of the future for the San Jose Sharks, but that hasn’t stopped the Nashville Predators from reminding of their plan to make him the next great NHL goalie.
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In a story by Alex Daugherty, Predators GM Barry Trotz discussed Askarov’s future. Trotz said the team and director of goaltending Mitch Korn spent “countless hours” working with the young netminder.
“I can’t tell you how many hours our goaltending department had put in to prepare the program we’re gonna put in front of (Askarov),” Trotz told The Tennessean.
Korn’s track record is nothing short of spectacular. In his long career, he has worked with Hall of Famers and made Vezina winners, including Dominik Hasek, Braden Holtby, and Pekka Rinne.
Korn has followed Trotz for much of his career. During his time with the New York Islanders, Korn helped develop Ilya Sorokin as one of the top netminders in the NHL.
Trotz threw a little shade at Askarov’s desire to leave for a better path to the NHL.
“We’ve been a factory for goaltenders,” Trotz said. “I don’t think too many goaltenders leave here without extending their careers after working with our goaltending department.”
Sharks director of goaltending Evgeni Nabokov has high hopes for the Askarov.
“He wants to be a franchise goalie, and we want to help him with that,” Nabokov told Sergey Demidov of RG.org. “But to achieve that, you need many qualities. You don’t just have to be a good goalie on the ice, but you also have to be hard-working, mentally stable, get along with your teammates, be a leader. He has to be the backbone of the team; for that, you need character and be special.”
Askarov will work with Nabokov and Sharks goalie coach Thomas Speer, who has gotten rave reviews since joining the organization.
Related: Devin Cooley Says Sharks Goalie Coach ‘Revolutionized’ His Game; Gives Hilarious Postgame Interview
The Predators aren’t losing a top goalie prospect with no backup plan; they signed perennial Vezina winner Juuse Saros to a team-friendly eight-year contract this summer, which prompted Askarov’s trade request.
“With the plan, he was either going to be a great goalie for us or a great chip in a movement to another team and be a great goalie there for a long time,” Trotz said.
The Sharks hope the latter is the case. Askarov and his agent say that the 22-year-old is happy to be in San Jose and proved it by signing a two-year contract extension.
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