When the 2020 NHL Draft was happening, every fanbase that was short of a goaltending answer was clamoring on social media for Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, and Carolina Hurricanes fans were no exception.
The highly anticipated Askarov eventually went to the Nashville Predators with the 11th overall pick, much to the disappointment of fellow Hurricanes fans, but as a consolation, they did get Seth Jarvis, so all was well.
But things aren’t going well for Nashville, as Kevin Weeks reported earlier this week that Askarov is seeking a trade and would reject it if assigned to the AHL.
It’s funny that having an already established young number one goalie (Juse Saros) blocking the front of the net wasn’t a good thing for a potential best goalie in all of hockey, but I digress.
So, is acquiring the 22-year-old Askarov a good move for the Hurricanes?
On the surface, yes, because whenever you can acquire a quality player or a top prospect, you should try to do so.
This will be 34-year-old Frederik Andersen’s final year in Raleigh, and although the Hurricanes have 25-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov under contract for four more seasons, goaltending is unpredictable.
Having another potential answer at goaltending would make the most sense for Carolina, especially with the team’s lack of quality goaltending candidates.
But as we all know, the biggest hurdle is cost.
A top-tier goaltender is arguably the hardest to acquire in the NHL, so having a top-tier goaltending prospect is a pretty lucrative deal, but this latest situation could lead to a dip in value if the team knows Askarov wants out and is willing to sit out.
Barry Trotz has been around the game for a long time, but he is still a fairly rookie general manager, and this is a case where he may have overstepped the line.
He has been forthright about there being no rush to sign Askarov and has responded to rumors by saying he expects the Russian goalie to be in camp, but the real question come September will be who is bluffing here.
The Hurricanes have a ton of picks and prospects they could package together, but Nashville seems to be in win-now mode with the moves they made in the offseason.
A deal may be difficult to get done, but there’s no reason the Hurricanes wouldn’t at least get involved.