| Yaroslav Askarov | |
| Birth Date: | 16 June 2002 |
| Birth Place: | Omsk, Russia |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 3 |
| Weight Lbs: | 185 |
| Position: | Goaltender |
| Catches: | Right |
| League: | NHL |
| Team: | San Jose Sharks |
| Prospect Team: | San Jose Barracuda |
| Prospect League: | AHL |
| Former Teams: | SKA Saint Petersburg Nashville Predators |
| Draft: | 11th overall |
| Draft Year: | 2020 |
| Draft Team: | Nashville Predators |
| Career Start: | 2019 |
Yaroslav Vladimirovich Askarov (ru|Ярослав Владимирович Аскаров; born 16 June 2002) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] He was selected 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL entry draft, where he was considered as the top ranked goaltender.[2] [3]
Askarov played as a youth with Buldogi St. Petersburg at the under-16 level in 2017 before joining powerhouse club, SKA Saint Petersburg, to continue his development.
During the 2019–20 season, on 27 November 2019, Askarov made his KHL debut at the age of 17.[4] He collected his first win in that game, allowing two goals in a victory over HC Sochi.[5]
Following completion of the 2021–22 season with SKA, Askarov continued his season in North America by agreeing to a try-out contract for the playoffs with the Predators AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, on 3 May 2022.[6] While with the Admirals, Askarov was signed by the Predators to a three-year, entry-level contract on 17 May 2022.[7]
During the 2022–23 NHL season, on 11 January 2023, Askarov was recalled by the Predators and made his NHL debut on 12 January in a 4–3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Askarov was originally anticipated as the eventual successor to Predators starting goaltender Juuse Saros.[8] However, the Predators signed Saros to an eight-year contract extension in the summer of 2024.[9] Askarov, seeking a greater role in the NHL but playing behind a veteran goaltender signed long-term, requested a trade from the Predators organization in light of the extension. On 23 August 2024, Askarov was traded to the San Jose Sharks along with a third-round pick and prospect Nolan Burke in exchange for prospects Magnus Chrona and David Edstrom, along with a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft which originally belonged to the Vegas Golden Knights.[10] A day later, he signed a two-year contract with the Sharks, starting in the 2025–26 season.[11]
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Russia | HG18 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 299 | 11 | 1 | 2.21 | .921 | ||
| 2018 | Russia | U17 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 300 | 7 | 2 | 1.40 | .948 | ||
| 2019 | Russia | U18 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 364 | 14 | 1 | 2.31 | .916 | ||
| 2019 | Russia | HG18 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 240 | 5 | 1 | 1.25 | .960 | ||
| 2020 | Russia | WJC | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 221 | 10 | 0 | 2.71 | .877 | ||
| 2021 | Russia | WJC | 4th | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 360 | 15 | 0 | 2.50 | .914 | |
| Junior totals | 31 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 1784 | 62 | 5 | 2.36 | .922 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| International | ||
| World Junior A Challenge – All-Star Team | 2018 | [12] |
| World U18 Championship – Best Goaltender | 2019 | [13] |
| World U18 Championship – Media All-Star Team | 2019 | |