Milwaukee Admirals
Askarov Named AHL Top Goalie Prospect for 2023-24
The hockey operations departments and general managers of American Hockey League (AHL) teams have named Nashville Predators’ 11th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Yaroslav Askarov, to the 2023-24 AHL Top Prospects Team as the league’s top goalie prospect.
This is an honor that likely caught few in Nashville, and likely across the league, by surprise. The 21-year-old Russian is itching to earn his chance to suit up for the Predators in Nashville on a more permanent basis, and many, myself included, believe the 2024-25 season could be the year.Â
#Preds prospect Yaroslav Askarov named top goalie prospect of the AHL. I doubt he has the prospect designation much longer. It’s time for the young Russian to transition to NSH. Absent something crazy, I’d expect that to be the case come October as he and Saros enter the final… https://t.co/w08i070axj
— Clay Brewer (@ClayBrewer10) June 13, 2024
The future between the pipes in Nashville remains uncertain with speculation surrounding both Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen, but if either find themselves elsewhere, Askarov is the likely replacement long term for the franchise. I’d wager we see a Saros-Askarov tandem next season.Â
Despite a disappointing and injury-labored postseason, Askarov still performed impressively for the Milwaukee Admirals last season recording a 30-13-1 regular season record and a 2.39 goals against average accompanied with six shutouts. Askarov also played well in his two appearances in gold last season where he would replace Saros on December 27, 2023, against the Carolina Hurricanes before recording his first career NHL win a few nights later in the nation’s capital against the Washington Capitals stopping fellow Russians Evgeney Kuznetsov and Alexander Ovechkin in the shootout.
The 2024-25 season is a contract season for Askarov where he will be a restricted free agent next summer.Â
Follow Clay Brewer on Twitter/X:Â @ClayBrewer10
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