Young goaltender Yaroslav Askarov found himself the main focus of one of the NHL's biggest stories over the offseason. Askarov demanded a trade away from the Nashville Predators as it became clearer that he would not be getting a shot at sticking in the NHL, and and was acquired by the San Jose Sharks in a trade that included multiple players and picks. Sharks GM Mike Grier made it clear Askarov was a big part of the future of the team, and immediately signed him to a new two-year deal worth $2 million per season. However, if Askarov's goal was to never find himself on an AHL roster ever again, it has backfired.
With NHL training camps drawing to a close and teams getting ready for opening night, The San Jose Sharks have released an updated roster list. One of the cuts is Yaroslav Askarov, who is getting sent to the AHL.
It should be noted that Yaroslav Askarov did not take part in any preseason games for the San Jose Sharks as he recovers from an injury. He and other injured San Jose Sharks are very close to returning to practice, but it still seems like a slap in the face given his reasons for wanting to be traded away from the Nashville Predators. Things even got tense as there were rumours that Askarov would not report to training camp if he wasn't dealt. Preds GM Barry Trotz released a statement at the time the time making his expectations for Askarov crystal clear.
Yaroslav Askarov has some time to stew in the minors while he awaits his eventual return. I'm sure he's hoping this is the last time he'll ever be listed on an AHL roster.
POLL | ||
What do you think of Yaroslav Askarov being cut at training camp by the San Jose Sharks? | ||
Hilarious! | 21 | 36.8 % |
No big deal | 29 | 50.9 % |
I'm not sure | 7 | 12.3 % |
List of polls |