Yahoo Sports Blackhawks Are Not a Good Fit for Yaroslav Askarov
One of the top goalie prospects around the NHL in Yaroslav Askarov has requested a trade from the Nashville Predators. It was reported that if he doesn't make the Predators out of training camp, he will not report to their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. This, of course, means a trade is very likely coming sooner or later.
While many teams could find some use for a talented young goaltender like Askarov in their system and give him a good shot in the NHL by next season, the Chicago Blackhawks don't make sense as a destination right now.
For the next two seasons, the Blackhawks are set in net with what looks like a very formidable tandem in Petr Mrazek and Laurent Brossoit. Mrazek had a great 2023-24 season for what he had to work with in front of him the entire season and Brossoit came in on July 1 as a free agent to shore up the goaltending after a great season in Winnipeg. There is no room on the Blackhawks until 2026-27 and Askarov doesn't seem like he wants to wait that long.
Askarov is determined to prove that he is already ready to be in the NHL at 22 years old after just two seasons in the AHL posting a .911 SV% in both. He has three NHL games to his name and while he won't get the opportunity to start in the near future with Nashville, he won't even get his time in the NHL for a while if Chicago was the team that traded for him.
While the set tandem in net for the Blackhawks is a clear reason why a prospect pushing for NHL time right now doesn't fit, Chicago has another couple of good reasons why a trade for Askarov makes no sense. The first reason is Drew Commesso and reason two is Adam Gajan.
The Blackhawks are going to be an improved team this season, but to the point where they are a playoff shoe-in or a Stanley Cup contender? No. That is going to take a little more time for the prospects to come into the NHL and the young players who are already on the team to develop. Commesso and Gajan are both on their way, but not ready for the NHL just yet.
With another strong season in the AHL, Commesso should start to see a couple of games in the NHL to test the waters. He will be splitting time in the AHL this coming season with Arvid Soderblom anyways. Commesso is also 22 years old and if he puts up numbers close to Askarov in the AHL this season, there isn't that big of a difference between the two other than one is thought more highly of. That means nothing if the Blackhawks have someone who can perform just as well but isn't talked about as much.
As for Gajan, he is considered a very good goalie prospect and is just 20 years old. The young goalies for the Blackhawks are just going to come in waves and there isn't any rush. Why add another to the mix and use assets to acquire Askarov? While it might be good fun to hope Chicago just collects a handful of young and talented players who are going to be on the move, they are on an upward trajectory without any of that and have a bright future.
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