Sharks’ Askarov Trying To Treat Start Vs. Predators Like Any Other Game

Yaroslav Askarov is trying to treat Thursdays start against the Nashville Predators like any other game.

Just trying to prepare for another game, Askarov said about facing the team that traded him to the San Jose Sharks in the summer.

Nothing personal.

The Predators selected Askarov No.

11 in the 2020 Draft, and he was supposed to be their goalie of the future.

But shortly after Nashville re-signed top netminder and incumbent starter Juuse Saros to an eight-year extension on Jul.

1 this past summer, Askarov requested a trade.

GM Barry Trotz and director of goaltending Mitch Korn had made a clear choice between two tremendous talents.

The San Jose Sharks acquired Askarov, prospect Nolan Burke, and a 2025 third-round pick for the Vegas Golden Knights 2025 first-rounder, and prospects Magnus Chrona and David Edstrom in August.

Since then, Yaroslav Askarov has been steadfast in his desire to turn the page on what happened with the Predators.

So that just-another-game approach, cliched as it is, makes sense.

And of course, Askarov is under no obligation to share with us what he feels privately.

But the 22-year-old couldnt help but pause when asked if he wanted to start Tuesdays game in Nashville.

He thought about his answer, then said maturely, Im playing today, and Im happy.

Theres no doubt that the game tonight means something to Askarov, as it would for any athlete who was clearly passed over by his old team.

You cant run from human emotion, San Jose Sharks Ryan Warsofsky said.

You cant run from the feeling hes going to have tonight playing against his old team.

And hes an ultra-competitor.

For what its worth, it wasnt all bad for Askarov in the Predators organization.

And it was probably more good than bad, just not the ending that Nashvilles once-goalie of the future wanted.

On Tuesday, it was clear that the flamboyant netminder was beloved by many in the Milwaukee Admirals locker room.

Some familiar faces! pic.twitter.com/GdcRwAQIae San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) January 22, 2025 During warm-ups, ex-Admirals teammates Spencer Stastney , Fyodor Svechkov, and Zachary LHeureux made a point of chopping it up with him.

Askarov said, smiling, that the yapping will continue, even during tonights tilt: [Im] always talking.

I will talk to them tonight, 100 percent.

And could we see the return of Askarovs infamous bench press celly? He didnt rule it out: Probably not.

But who knows, who knows, maybe, nobody knows.

This article first appeared on San Jose Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission..

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