Editor's note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
The Sharks acquired arguably the world's best goaltending prospect Friday in a blockbuster trade with the Nashville Predators.
Along with goalie Yaraslov Askarov, San Jose also received a 2025 third-round draft pick via the Colorado Avalanche and forward prospect Nolan Burke in exchange for center prospect David Edstrom, a 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected via the Vegas Golden Knights) and young netminder Magnus Chrona.
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Here are three reasons why I love this trade for the Sharks.
Star goalie potential
The Sharks no doubt paid a pretty price in Edstrom -- Vegas’ 2023 first-round selection -- and the Golden Knights’ 2025 first-round pick
It’s true that goaltending can be hard to predict.
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There’s also a reason why the Predators opted to extend veteran star Juuse Saros for eight years instead of hitching their wagon to 22-year-old Askarov.
But every league source I spoke to privately about Askarov — at least a half-dozen executives, scouts and agents — all agree the 2020 No. 11 overall pick is a special talent.
“You don't have too many chances to add players like this, of this caliber, in this position,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said after the trade was announced.
Askarov obviously comes with some risks, as the same sources who are high on his puck-stopping ability do wonder about his hotheadedness.
“He is talented but a loose cannon. Starter potential if he can get more consistent,” an executive told San Jose Hockey Now in July. “He is more worried about the bulls—t in the game. Can get him off his game easy. Clotheslined a player in the Texas [AHL playoff] series this year. Got a penalty.”
But Grier said the Sharks, who have chased the Russian prospect for at least a year, have done their homework on the youngster’s fieriness and aren’t concerned.
“That's a non-issue for me,” Grier said. “It's an emotional sport. It's a competitive sport, We want guys that compete hard every night, that play with emotion and play with fire. Obviously, you have to reel it in and harness it in the right way.”
Consensus is Askarov has top-five to top-10 NHL goaltending talent. He has all the tools to be not just a starter but a star.
“It's all about him just putting it all together,” Grier said. “We're very confident that he's going to be a No. 1.”
Reasonable cost paid
After a trade, the standard question is, who landed the best player in the deal?
In this case, the more apt question is, who landed the best prospect?
Obviously, you can't perfectly predict how good Askarov, Edstrom or the Golden Knights’ 2025 first-round pick will be.
But right now?
It appears San Jose has acquired a potential top-five or top-10 positional talent in Aksarov for a prospect (Edstrom) who’s considered more of a future middle-six center and a Vegas pick that appears headed toward the back half of the first round.
So, for all of Askarov’s question marks, the Sharks received the best prospect in this deal, and at a reasonable cost.
You never know how prospects will turn out, but there’s reason to believe the Sharks acquired greatness in Askarov at the cost of good in Edstrom and a possible late first-round pick.
For Grier, it’s a smart bet.
Netminder weakness addressed
Grier also shored up an organizational weakness by dealing from positions of strength.
Assessing the Sharks’ system by position, it was clear — with no disrespect to Chrona or fellow prospect Georgi Romanov — that they were missing high-end potential in the crease.
To rectify that, Grier sent out a center and a draft pick. That’s an affordable cost, considering San Jose boasts arguably the world's two best center prospects in Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, and their own 2025 first-round pick, which should land higher in the draft than the Golden Knights’.
If the Vegas pick falls in the top 10, San Jose can opt to give up its 2025 first instead. The Sharks likely will keep the higher of these two selections.
Essentially, San Jose could afford to trade a good center prospect in Edstrom and an extra first-round selection for something they didn't have in Askarov.
Essentially Hertl for Askarov
Another way to look at this trade? How do you feel about trading Tomáš Hertl for Askarov?
Because that’s essentially what Grier just did.
During the most recent trade deadline, San Jose sent veteran star Hertl and 2025 and 2027 third-round picks to Vegas for Edstrom and the Golden Knights’ unprotected 2025 first-round choice. The Sharks also retained 17 percent of the remaining money on Hertl’s contract, which expires in 2030.
On Friday, the Sharks flipped Edstrom and the Vegas pick for Askarov.
Two years ago, when Hertl struggled, could you imagine swapping him and his massive contract basically straight-up for a prospect of Askarov’s caliber?
Re-signing 28-year-old Hertl to an eight-year extension in March 2022 was a mistake for a Sharks organization headed — even if it didn’t know it yet — toward a rebuild.
Grier, who took over as GM that summer, now has spun gold off that mistake twice, trading up from a beloved Shark who didn’t fit the rebuild to Edstrom and a first-round pick, then to a potential star in Askarov.