Confirmed with Link: Sharks acquire Yaroslav Askarov (w/extension, 2yr @ $2m per), F Nolan Burke 2025 3rd for Edstrom, VGK 1st, and G Chrona

[Hodge]

Not incapable but he'd do well to develop more with consistent starts with the Barracuda.

It would seem he is good with that.

Maybe but he has already played over 100 AHL games. The next logical step in his development is to become a NHL backup/1B.

 

[LadyStanley]

So the trade basically had nothing to do with him not wanting AHL time.

Sharks have a clear path for him to be #1 sooner than later.

Not so in Nashville.

 

[The Nemesis]

Good to know Askarov will report to the Cuda but do we really think he's incapable of beating out Vitek Vanecek for a NHL job?

I don't think he would fail to beat out at least one of Vanacek or Blackwood. My concern was more that classic old-school hockey thinking is that NHL veterans usually don't lose their spots to promoted kids from the minors/junior unless they really suck or if the team provides them with a fresh start/new opportunity elsewhere to balance things out. Blackwood and Vanacek haven't played regularly in the AHL in 7 and 4 years respectively. As much as our ideal is a pure meritocracy where you just Thunderdome this and tell whoever loses out that they have to smile and take the Barracuda job, the reality of waivers, seniority, and old-fashioned hockey guy loyalty mean that Askarov has a massive uphill battle to secure an NHL spot that would have to go beyond just being better than one of them. He might have to come into camp and play like the unquestioned starter to get a shot and even that might not be enough.

Obviously both current NHL goalies are UFAs after this coming season so Askarov knows that he's only on a one-year stall instead of sitting behind the freshly extended Saros in Nashville, but it's probably still not ideal for him if he was wanting to push his career forward now.

Though the glass-half-full view of him starting with the Cuda would be that you save him form the horror show that will probably be this year's Sharks d-corps and let the team tank for one more year without wrecking his confidence/groove.

 

[Patty Ice]

@The Nemesis could you please alter the title to reflect the extension?

 

[Jargon]

Totally agree. That's why Askarov is interesting to me. At his best Askarov could be elite. He might be up and down, but his high end is super high end.

That to me is why you make this trade every time, goalies with his ceiling seem very very rare and the cost for that potential is really not that bad. Even if he busts it’s a worthwhile risk.

 

[Hodge]

I don't think he would fail to beat out at least one of Vanacek or Blackwood. My concern was more that classic old-school hockey thinking is that NHL veterans usually don't lose their spots to promoted kids from the minors/junior unless they really suck or if the team provides them with a fresh start/new opportunity elsewhere to balance things out. Blackwood and Vanacek haven't played regularly in the AHL in 7 and 4 years respectively. As much as our ideal is a pure meritocracy where you just Thunderdome this and tell whoever loses out that they have to smile and take the Barracuda job, the reality of waivers, seniority, and old-fashioned hockey guy loyalty mean that Askarov has a massive uphill battle to secure an NHL spot that would have to go beyond just being better than one of them. He might have to come into camp and play like the unquestioned starter to get a shot and even that might not be enough.

Obviously both current NHL goalies are UFAs after this coming season so Askarov knows that he's only on a one-year stall instead of sitting behind the freshly extended Saros in Nashville, but it's probably still not ideal for him if he was wanting to push his career forward now.

Though the glass-half-full view of him starting with the Cuda would be that you save him form the horror show that will probably be this year's Sharks d-corps and let the team tank for one more year without wrecking his confidence/groove.

I think we could find a taker for Vanecek. It sounds like Demko may miss a significant chunk of the season and there will surely be other goalie injuries around the league during training camp/preseason. Wouldn't expect to get much back, maybe just an AHL goalie to pair with Romanov.

 

[Star Platinum]

I'm not a fan. If we could guarantee Askarov goes from #1 goalie prospect in the world to top 5 NHL goalie, sure, yes. However there's a lot of risk there. Huge upside risk, but also huge downside risk, especially considering their willingness to jettison him. We are putting a TON of faith in Miller and Nabby.

The protection is absolutely meaningless unless we are all extremely surprised.

As a former right-catch goalie, I can assure you he will be weird-ass

As posted in this original post on the roster thread and then a few more, I liked the trade at Bystedt or Edstrom. I don't like the trade sending out the VGK 1st.

This is the first Grier trade that I don't like the risk/payout profile. For this to be a positive outcome, we need to see a top end result from Askarov's development and he's shown some wobbliness in the past 2 years. Huge pedigree but more risk today than I would say 2 years ago in terms of whether he's going to hit his sky-high potential. We need him top 5/top 10 or else I don't like what we gave up.

I think I'm valuing the VGK 1st way higher than others. It's a huge luxury to have a shot at a depth D in the 10-30 slot. Especially in this draft where now that I'm tracking D, there seem to be enough that we'd pick up a great, "better than Mukh" prospect with that pick. Now it's gone.

We ALSO lose Edstrom. So our "pretty good chance of a depth C" pipeline just got weaker.

Yes, of course this trade could be a win, so it's not an F for me. it's a C+. I don't have a good feeling about the risk here. But you have to give it to Grier, dude has MASSIVE stones and it's an exciting time.

I don't love it necessarily and when I saw what we sent out, my initial reaction was more like yours. I was thinking "I wasn't totally sure I wanted to send a first round pick, let alone a first round pick plus a prospect." I think from the thinking of both the Sharks and Nashville on this deal, they're treating this as though the pick is likely to be a 16-20th overall level pick while we have been largely talking about this pick like it might be more in that 10-14th overall range because we're rooting for Vegas to miss the playoffs. Once we get outside of the mindset that that pick has the chance of picking a guy like Dickinson vs a guy like Parascak, I think I can understand more why there needed to be a little sweetener to the deal. If the thinking is that one guy has a chance to be top five at his position while the pick you're sending is mostly like a second-line forward or second-pairing defender if things work out perfectly, you can see why Nashville would hold out for a little more.

I still am of the opinion that we are a tough environment for a young goalie to develop in because our defense simply isn't going to be any good. Better than last year, but still one of the worst units in the league. But if we're gonna pay this price for a goalie, I say you give him every opportunity to win a job on the big club and only send him down to the AHL if he legitimately comes in third in that competition. There's no reason to park him on the Barracuda waiting for one of our current netminders to get hurt if he's legitimately better than one of them, which is hardly a stretch.

 

[Patty Ice]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827105928120037737

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827106483613647123

 

[The Nemesis]

I think we could find a taker for Vanecek. It sounds like Demko may miss a significant chunk of the season and there will surely be other goalie injuries around the league during training camp/preseason. Wouldn't expect to get much back, maybe just an AHL goalie to pair with Romanov.

Yeah, I don't doubt that's doable. All I said from the beginning was that I expected something like that had to happen because the optimal setup for the Sharks is Blackwood/Vanacek and Askarov as the platooning NHL tandem and then Romanov and whatever as the AHL pair, not carrying 3 goalies or having to send the hot new prospect or one of the current NHL goalies in the crease down to the AHL where it's not ideal for any of them to be.

 

[Jargon]

I like the Askarov/Romanov Russian duo of the future.

 

[sharski]

what the hell has gotten into the Sharks twitter account

 

[The Nemesis]

I like the Askarov/Romanov Russian duo of the future.

They're also both lefties. I wonder if that's ever happened at any point in the NHL where both goalies catch right given how rare having even one such goalie is.

 

[Munnyro]

I like the Askarov/Romanov Russian duo of the future.

My heart still aches for Romanov's first game shelling.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

Watching highlights he does kinda play like Nabby if he was 6’3”.

Perhaps that also puts nabby in a better position for any coaching he might be doing with Askarov

Im a pretty big Nabby Homer and he should not be allowed anywhere near Askarov in a coaching capacity

 

[Bizz]

Essentially traded Hertl for Askarov. That's not bad.

 

[matt trick]

He kind of looks like MAF to me. There's a case to be made that a boom-bust goalie gives you a better chance to win the Cup than a consistently average one if the timing works out right.

Been thinking about this, in the hypothetical of Askarov vs. Wallstedt (more steady). I think it's an advantage. At some point you need your goalie to steal a series. Also think we're getting a hint at Grier's vision

• Invest like crazy in your centers (1st overall, 4th overall; I bet we see another top 15 pick here)
• Big wingers with some talent in late 1st/early 2nd (Chernyshov, Halt, Musty, Lund)
• Large defenseman who are excellent skaters (Dickinson>Buium)
• Hot head goalie with premier talent

Schaefer, Martone, Hensler, or Frondell feel like they'll be at the top of Grier's board. Question is where does he rank the 5'10 Hagens who might end up an elite, but smaller winger.

 

[hohosaregood]

huh forgot about this part

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827087621320761361

 

[Used As A Shield]

Feel like a little too much was sent, but happy to have a legitimate goaltender prospect.

 

[ChompChomp]

Essentially traded Hertl for Askarov. That's not bad.

Hertl + Chrona for Askarov and a 3rd. Even better. (The other guy is a throw in, so I disregard that lol)

 

[Bizz]

Nashville fans are LIVID.

I like this.

2 questions though:

1. What'll we do with Blackwood and/or Vanacek?

2. who the heck is Nolan Burke?

 

[one2gamble]

I dont see Grier drafting Hagens unless he grows 2 more inches

 

[coooldude]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827105928120037737

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827106483613647123

This makes me feel better. Unless he blows up. Then it will make me feel a lot worse... we'll see! GMMG stands for GaMblin' Mike Grier!

 

[Star Platinum]

Good to know Askarov will report to the Cuda but do we really think he's incapable of beating out Vitek Vanecek for a NHL job?

My concern would be that we reflexively send him to the AHL to start regardless. If the dude is one of our two best goalies (and it's hard for me to envision that he's not), let him earn the spot.

 

[ChompChomp]

This makes me feel better. Unless he blows up. Then it will make me feel a lot worse... we'll see! GMMG stands for GaMblin' Mike Grier!

At least it tells you Askarov will come into camp gunning to make the Sharks or even be the #1 now. Even if that doesn't ultimately happen, I want that attitude. No wonder he's juiced to be a Shark, he actually can compete for an NHL job here.

My concern would be that we reflexively send him to the AHL to start regardless. If the dude is one of our two best goalies (and it's hard for me to envision that he's not), let him earn the spot.

Definitely. You can always send him down later if it looks like being up in the NHL this season is doing more harm than good.

 

[Star Platinum]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827105928120037737

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827106483613647123

Carrying 3 goalies would be a horrible idea. Wherever Askarov is, he needs to be playing regularly.