If this is it for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov with the Nashville Predators, Tony Ferrari lists five NHL teams that could use him right away.

When the Nashville Predators drafted Russian netminder Yaroslav Askarov in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft, they envisioned him as the future in goal. 

At the time, franchise icon Pekka Rinne was in the twilight of his career and sharing the net with an undersized 25-year-old, Juuse Saros.

With Rinne on the way out, the Predators organization wondered whether the 5-foot-10 Saros would be the exception to the rule that goalies needed to be long, tall athletes who could take up plenty of the net. Saros was an ultra-athletic goaltender who exploded laterally and closed down angles with his feet. Taking a swing on one of the most highly touted netminders in recent memory made much sense for Nashville then.

Today, Saros is one of the NHL’s elite netminders, and the Predators just locked him up to a long-term deal. Askarov remains one of the NHL’s elite goalie prospects, and he’s looked fantastic at times in the AHL with the NHL squarely in his sights. 

Unfortunately, for Askarov and the Predators, the fit in Nashville might not be there anymore. The young netminder reportedly requested a trade and doesn’t plan on reporting to their AHL club, per Kevin Weekes of ESPN.

Predators GM Barry Trotz said the team is aware of the report and expects Askarkov to report to training camp and compete for a job, according to The Hockey News' Nashville Predators site.

What does the future hold for Askarov? Where are some good fits for the potential franchise goaltender? Let’s dive into the possible landing spots for him.

Chicago Blackhawks

Sending Askarov to the Hawks would mean Askarov stays in the Central Division with plenty of opportunity to haunt Nashville. Still, Chicago could also be the best fit for a trading partner. 

Chicago has all the assets Nashville could want. They have a couple of good young goalies in the system, Drew Commesso and Adam Gajan, who could replace Askarov on the AHL club and continue to give them a future in net. They also have prospects and young players who could give the Predators some added depth on the NHL roster or in the pipeline.

Askarov could walk onto the Chicago roster and start immediately. Having Askarov in tandem with Petr Mrazek or Laurent Boissoit would allow Askarov to ease into the starter role while also not really having anyone breathing down his back. It would be a big win for Askarov.

Montreal Canadiens

You can copy and paste a lot of information about why Chicago would be a good fit for an Askarov trade and insert it here for Montreal. 

With Elliotte Friedman reporting on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that getting a goalie back isn’t a priority for the Predators, the plethora of interesting prospects and players the Canadiens have could be what Nashville is looking for. 

Ivan Demidov is obviously off the table, and defensemen David Reinbacher and Lane Hutson are also not likely to be in the discussion. But Montreal’s prospect pool is as deep as they come. Would the Preds want a package featuring Owen Beck, Filip Mesar or Logan Mailloux?

For Askarov, the fit in Montreal would be nearly perfect. He could play in tandem with Sam Montembeault until he is ready to take the reins as a starter. 

Askarov has never shied away from the spotlight and loves to put on a show, so Montreal would be an excellent place to do that. He would solidify the net for the future as the Canadiens' young core grows and develops over the next few years.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs don’t have a ton of prospect capital, but they do have some very solid young players, such as Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan and Topi Niemela. 

They also have a young sniper in Nick Robertson, who has reportedly asked out of Toronto this off-season because of a lack of opportunity. This could also be the kind of deal where the Leafs move a player like Timothy Liljegren. Before the big-money deals Nashville signed, there may have been a possibility that Askarov could have been part of a package to acquire all-star winger Mitch Marner.

As for the fit on the Leafs roster, Askarov would give them something they haven’t had in recent memory – a crystal clear future in net. The current tandem of the homegrown Joseph Woll and journeyman Anthony Stolarz is OK, but it might not be why they win games, and they both have injury concerns. 

Allowing Askarov to play in tandem with either of them could give the Leafs a far greater upside than any goalie tandem they’ve had in years. It would also push Askarov to continue proving that he’s ‘The Guy’ while helping a contending team push for a deeper playoff run and challenge for a Cup. With one more year on his entry-level contract and then RFA status after that, he could also be relatively affordable for the next few years for Toronto.

San Jose Sharks

Among the teams on this list, San Jose may have the weakest outlook in goal. There aren’t really any true goalies of the future in their system, and the NHL tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek didn't work in New Jersey already. 

The Sharks have high-end prospects who could entice Nashville and a few NHL players the Predators might find useful, such as Fabian Zetterlund.

Simply put, Askarov would become the Sharks' starting goalie overnight. His potential is higher than anyone currently in the organization, and his talent level at this moment would put him atop the depth chart. As with Chicago and Montreal, Askarov would be able to grow with the team and hit his peak with the rest of the young core.

Utah Hockey Club

They’ve been making noise since the NHL draft, so why stop now? 

With one of the top young goalies on the market, Utah has everything they would need to make a deal. Along with some highly touted prospects and intriguing young talents, the former Arizona Coyotes group has a couple of solid NHLers who could be sent to Nashville in a deal as well. 

Utah’s pipeline has plenty of potential, and Nashville could find a package built around Daniil But or Maveric Lamoureux that is intriguing.

Acquiring Askarov would once again show that the new ownership has enabled GM Bill Armstrong and the management team the freedom to get high-caliber players. Askarov could split the net with Connor Ingram or Karel Vejmelka and grow into the starting gig while growing with the young group of talent they’ve assembled over the last few years. 

What team do you think is the best fit for Askarov? Share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.

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