I still think in the shorter term Askarov would’ve been on board to stay and play behind Saros as long as he got a similar extension to what the Sharks gave him. It’s why the very first thing that happened when he got to San Jose was signing his new deal. Getting that contract here would’ve required him putting up a good season as the backup and when they made that path less clear he wanted out. Not justifying that choice because it’s clear that was a pretty low bar to pass but I do think it’s a bit more than just the Saros contract.
The Saros contract is just an excuse, all of this is about money. He was happy going back to the AHL in SJ cause he got overpaid for what he has done so far. He was happy going to SJ cause they basically have handed him the starter spot in two years with little to no resistance so he can easily demand even more money.
The only reason Wedgewood mattered was because it meant we had a backup plan, which meant Trotz was never going to give him much more than league min for the next couple of seasons.
