This has been quite a promising offseason for the San Jose Sharks, and it cannot be denied that the team has managed to come up with an impressive set of acquisitions capped off by the trade and later signing of Yaroslav Askarov. The goalie is slated to begin his new contract worth $4 million for two years starting in the 2025-26 season.

Askarov is slated to put a close to the rumors that the Sharks will be capitalizing on rookies for the goaltender position in the coming season. The Sharks are even highly confident that he has a high potential to be the no. 1 goalie in the league this season thanks to his impressive size, athleticism, and the uncanny ability to come up with underrated anticipation of the puck.

So far, Askarov is guaranteed the starting role for the Sharks this season, and that means a lot for the 22-year-old rising star, who has been impressive in his games in the previous campaign for the Predators but has lacked minutes due to the team’s ever-changing scenery and gameplan implications. According to Sharks GM Mike Grier, this is a chance for the goalie to show that he has what it takes to hold his ground as the no. 1 option on the spot.

A New View for Askarov

Nashville selected Askarov with the no. 11 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. At the age of 22, he finished with a 2-1-1 record to go along with a 2.58 goals-against average and a promising .914 save percentage in three games across two seasons with the Predators, and it seems that he is slated to come up with bigger strides in the coming season instead.

“It’s a really big day for our franchise, I believe,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said of acquiring the goalie. “… To have an opportunity to add him to our group is really exciting, and I think it kind of breathes some more positive energy into the group. He’s obviously a super-talented goalie, and there’s not too many opportunities where you have the chance to go after a young goalie like this and add him to your group.”

According to multiple reports, Askarov requested a trade from the Nashville Predators in the hopes of finding a promising landing spot where he could put his talents on the ice for more minutes. While the Sharks also have Mackenzie Blackwood, Georgi Romanov and Vitek Vanecek on their roster, it is very likely that Askarov will be getting the starting role.

A Promising Goalie to Have

Askarov has been one of the best young prospects back in his day with the American Hockey League, where he finished with a 56-29-6 record coming off with a 2.55 GAA and a promising .911 save percentage. He had nine shutouts in 92 games in the course of two seasons with Milwaukee.

Experience isn’t a problem with the 22-year-old if many fans are concerned on that end. Askarov also made his debut in the Kontinental Hockey League with SKA St. Petersburg at the age of 17, which made him the second-youngest goalie to ever start in a KHL game. That says a lot about the diverse experience that he has in his bag heading into the big stage of the NHL.

Fans can definitely expect a much more competitive training camp in the Sharks’ side moving forward. With the season coming in hot, San Jose’s coaching staff will have to make a massive decision in either having Askarov as a starter or a reserve off the bench.