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Predators Goaltender Requests Trade

According to an NHL insider, Nashville Predators' goaltender Yaroslav Askarov requested a trade.

Jacob Punturi

Dec 30, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) in net /awarded/ during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) in net /awarded/ during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
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The Nashville Predators are a unanimous winner of the offseason. They signed three marquee free agents, bringing in Stanley Cup winners Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault and minute-eating defenseman Brady Skjei. Their team is drastically improved heading into the new season, a team that was already a playoff team last year.

Unfortunately for the Predators, their organization is set to lose one of their most talented young players. According to former NHL goaltender and current insider Kevin Weekes, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov has informed the team that he will not report to their AHL team and formally requested a trade from the organization. Weeks broke the news via his X account.

"I'm told that Top Goalie Prospect Askarov has informed the @PredsNHL (Predators) that he will not report to their AHL team, and has requested a trade," he wrote.

The request from Askarov comes after months of uncertainty. The Predators drafted the Russian goaltender in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. The 22 year-old netminder has been one of the best prospects in hockey over the last few seasons, and received two starts in the NHL over the last two campaigns. In the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals over that span, he's been a dominant force. In 2022, he won 26 games, posted a goals against average (GAA) of 2.69, and earned a save percentage of .911. He followed that up with a 30 win season last year while posting the same save percentage and lowering his GAA to 2.39.

Two things are now clear. The first is that Askarov has graduated from the AHL. He is far too good to remain there for another year and deserving of a larger role with the Preds. The second is that the Predators have no plans of decreasing the role of their current franchise goaltender Juuse Saros.

Saros signed a brand new deal recently with the Predators. As free agency opened and the team announced their breaking news, they also shared the contract extension for Saros. They signed him to an eight-year contract that will play him an average annual salary of $7.74 million. At 29, the Preds are committed to their starting goaltender until 2032, leaving no room for Askarov to capture a starting job.

The Predators must now decide what to do with Askarov. Every franchise will be calling to gauge the team's interest and compensation request for the talented netminder, but it may only be a matter of time until Askarov has a new home in the NHL.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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