Sharks recall Yaroslav Askarov from AHL’s Barracuda

Credit: © David Kirouac

The San Jose Sharks announced Monday that the club has recalled goaltender Yaroslav Askarov from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.

Acquired from the Nashville Predators in an offseason deal that saw San Jose part with forward prospect David Edstrom, up-and-coming netminder Magnus Chrona, plus a conditional first-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, Askarov later missed the entirety of the Sharks’ training camp due to a lower-body injury and was assigned to the Barracuda in early October.

Following his acquisition, Askarov was signed to a two-year, $2-million per year extension that begins in the 2025-26 season, per PuckPedia. With the Barracuda this season, the Russian netminder has shined in coming away with a 6-3-0 record alongside a .939 save percentage and 1.92 goals-against average through nine appearances. Askarov also began the AHL season with back-to-back shutouts coming against the Ontario Reign and Iowa Wild, the minor-league affiliates of Los Angeles and Minnesota, respectively.

Originally chosen 11th overall by the Predators in the 2020 NHL Draft, Askarov made his NHL debut with Nashville during the 2022-23 campaign that saw him turn aside 31 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Askarov then saw a pair of appearances with the Predators last year that included his first-ever NHL win coming against the Washington Capitals, while combining for a .943 save percentage and 1.47 goals-against average in the two outings.

The 22-year-old Askarov has spent much of the past two seasons with the Predators’ minor-league affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he made 92 total appearances to come away with a 56-29-6 record with a .911 save percentage and 2.55 goals-against average. Askarov has participated in the AHL All-Star Game in each of the past two seasons.

In the midst of a rebuild, San Jose sits second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 5-10-4 record and six points back of a playoff position. The Sharks face off against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.