The New Jersey Devils have been connected to Yaroslav Askarov since the 2020 NHL Draft. Many thought the Devils were going to select him that year. However, New Jersey went in a different direction.
Once Yaroslav Askarov requested a trade from the Nashville Predators, many people connected him to the New Jersey Devils. There was thought the Devils could land him. However, that did not happen, as Askarov was traded to the San Jose Sharks.
After this trade, a report emerged that the New Jersey Devils were among the finalists to acquire Yaroslav Askarov from Nashville. However, did it make sense for the Devils to trade for the young goaltender from the Nashville Predators? The answer is no.
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They already filled that position when they acquired Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. Markstrom had been the guy the Devils wanted from the start. He was the number-one goalie, and true starter President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald had been looking for.
Not to mention, they already had a backup for Jake Allen. Allen was acquired at the trade deadline from the Montreal Canadiens. So, the position was set for this season. That meant Yaroslav Askarov was going to be playing in the minors. He clarified that he did not want to return to the minors. Askarov wanted to be a starter in the NHL. That was not going to happen with the Devils this season.
It may not have happened next season, either. If the Devils had acquired Askarov, he would have competed with Nico Daws. Recall Daws signed a two-year, two-way contract to stay with the Devils. However, the second year of the Devils was a one-way NHL contract. So, with Allen off the books in the 2025-26 season, Daws was going to be the backup for Markstrom. Plus, the Devils are looking to extend Markstrom.
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So where does that leave Askarov? He’s back in the same position he was in Nashville, back in the minors. Now, with a change of scenery, he might be okay developing in the minors. At least that is according to Sharks GM Mike Grier. He laid out the plan to Askarov’s camp before signing the goaltender to a two-year extension, so maybe it could have worked out.
However, don’t forget who is behind Daws with Akira Schmid now in Vegas. The Devils have Tyler Brennan and Isaac Poulter. One of those two guys could be the future of the organization. So, where does Yaroslav Askarov fit in? Again, he does not.
And let’s not forget about the cost. If the asking price for Saros was Dawson Mercer, Seamus Casey, Akira Schmid and a first-round pick, what would Askarov cost? Probably that. Maybe more. The Sharks gave up a 2025 conditional first (top-10 protected (they got in the Tomas Hertl trade), David Edstrom and goaltender Magnus Chrona.
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We know the Devils have been unwilling to part with Mercer and Casey, who have been the subject of trade talks for the last couple of years. Fitzgerald sees Mercer and Casey as part of this organization’s future. Plus, Nashville did not need an NHL goalie goalie in return. They have Scott Wedgewood backing up Juuse Saros.
The Devils were set at the goaltending position with their organization. Plus, acquiring him would have been expensive. Thus, it did not make sense for them to trade for Yaroslav Askarov.
