NHL Prospect Roundup: Nashville Predators’ Yaroslav Askarov is on his way to stardom

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Yaroslav Askarov (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)
Credit: Yaroslav Askarov (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

Yaroslav Askarov’s days in the AHL are getting numbered.

The 21-year-old is one of the best goaltending prospects in the game, which should come as no surprise after going 11th overall to the Nashville Predators in 2020. Last year was about getting tons of reps in, with his 48 regular season games crushing his total action from the three previous seasons combined.

But now, things are starting to look a little ridiculous for the Milwaukee Admirals star. Askarov has three shutouts in his last four games and hasn’t lost a regulation game in nearly a month, which also included a brief stint to the NHL to earn his first win against Washington on Dec. 30.

You could argue that Askarov is ready for the NHL now – I certainly believe it. Heck, I was the one calling him a future Vezina Trophy winner before he was ever drafted. Dustin Wolf is the best goaltender in the AHL right now, but Askarov isn’t far away, and his recent play has been otherworldly.

As long as Juuse Saros remains in Nashville, Askarov’s chances to become the No. 1 goaltender so many believe he can be are slim. Saros is still one of the best goalies in the league, and if the Preds don’t think they’re a serious contender over the next few years, it’s time to capitalize on Askarov’s trade value.

For now, Admirals fans have it good in the crease.

AHL

– It was a weird start to the season for Samuel Fagemo, who had a decent start to the pre-season with the Los Angeles Kings before the Nashville Predators claimed him on waivers. He played four games with the Preds before getting re-claimed by the Los Angeles Kings, and now he’s on pace for by far the best season of his pro career. The 23-year-old winger has 20 goals and 33 points in 24 games with the Ontario Reign, which puts him on pace for more than 80 points and a solid chance at the scoring title. Having a stout young defender like Brandt Clarke making plays from the point helps, but Fagemo is making the case to earn a call-up at some point.

ECHL

– It’s rare to profile an ECHL goaltender often, but how about Leevi Merilainen? He has bounced around everywhere the past two years, playing most of 2022-23 with Karpat in Finland before getting two games with the Ottawa Senators. He’s been a standout in the ECHL with a 9-4-0 record and a .926 save percentage, but his recent play has turned heads. He has faced 39 or more shots in each of his last six games with the Allen Americans, allowing just 14 goals. Given the heavy workload as a 21-year-old, it’s impressive. Merilainen is back with the AHL’s Belleville Senators for now with Anton Forsberg on the sidelines, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds a way to play well enough there to keep him around, even once everyone’s fully healthy.

NL

– It’s been a difficult season for Montreal Canadiens draft pick David Reinbacher, who plays between 17-20 minutes most nights as a 19-year-old on one of the worst teams in the National League. Like seriously, Kloten is an utter disaster. In recent viewings, Reinbacher has looked strong defensively and he’s been one of the team’s most active shot generators, highlighted by three straight four-shot periods. There’s only so much he can do with the team in front of him, but don’t let his lack of production worry you just yet.

KHL

– Sergei Ivanov‘s record with Admiral Vladivostok – 5-10-0 through parts of 22 games – is ugly. But his .931 save percentage is near the top of the KHL, which is impressive for a 19-year-old in his first full season there. I’m worried about his potential given he’s a 5-foot-11 goalkeeper, but I know scouts love what they see, and he’s been by far the best goaltender on one of the worst teams in the KHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets need some good news in net – could Ivanov be the long-term answer? I’m leaning no, but I like him.

OHL

– Denver Barkey should have been on Canada’s world junior team. Period. His camp was great, and I thought he would have been an excellent bottom-six energy forward. Since getting cut, he has had two three-point games, a four-point effort, and a big five-point night back on Dec. 28 against Sarnia. London is one of the hottest teams in the CHL and Barkey’s 106-point pace is a big reason why. The Philadelphia Flyers have a good one here.

WHL

It’s uncommon to see a sixth-round pick get signed in the same calendar year they were drafted, but the Toronto Maple Leafs clearly like what they have in Noah Chadwick. The 6-foot-4 defenseman has taken some positive strides in his skating, giving him a more complete skillset to go along with his 6-foot-4, 201-pound frame. There’s still room to improve his footwork, but you can see the effort and it’s one of the reasons why he has seen his offense jump to 32 points in 37 games.

NCAA

– As expected, the now 0-22 Stonehill College didn’t prove to be much of a challenge for the University of Michigan, who won the two-game weekend set by a combined score of 19-5. Chicago Blackhawks pick Frank Nazar built upon his great gold medal showing with USA at the world juniors by scoring two goals and four points on Friday and another two assists on Saturday. Given it was his first college hockey action since Dec. 2, Nazar didn’t look out of place jumping back into the lineup.

– The man of the hour, huh? Just days after his shocking trade to the Anaheim Ducks, Cutter Gauthier had a busy weekend, registering three points in his first two games back as Boston College split its weekend series to Providence College. Watching the Friday game in particular, Gauthier just took over at points, shutting out the noise for a great all-around effort. He’s one of the most dominant prospects in the world right now, especially after his world junior showing. But he will have to continue ignoring all the background chatter until he eventually turns pro because there’s extra attention on him now.

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