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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter
Yaroslav Askarov, one of the NHL’s top goaltending prospects, was called up Monday by the San Jose Sharks in a move that had been expected since the start of the season.
Askarov, 22, played well for the Sharks’ AHL affiliate in San Jose. He was 6-3-0 with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage for the Barracuda, third in the AHL in save percentage and sixth in both goals-against average and shots faced.
The Sharks acquired Askarov in August in a trade with the Nashville Predators in August, adding another piece in a continuing rebuild. The Sharks received Askarov, forward Nolan Burke and a 2025 third-round pick for forward David Edstrom, a 2025 conditional first-round pick that originally belonged to the Vegas Golden Knights, and goaltender Magnus Chrona.
Askarov signed a two-year contract worth $2 million annually just hours after the trade.
The Sharks, tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second-fewest points in the NHL, have built was many considered one of the NHL’s strongest farm systems, including selecting former Boston University center Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft. Celebrini signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks within weeks of former Boston College center Will Smith, the club’s No. 4 pick in 2023, who also left school to sign with the team.
The Sharks (5-10-4), however, have struggled in goal. They came into Monday allowing 3.37 goals per game, ninth-most in the league.