NHL Network: David Pagnotta on the NHL Network when asked about the Yaroslav Askarov and how the trade came about.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jamie Hersch: “With that, let’s bring in our NHL Network insider David Pagnotta. And David, you know, last, earlier the show, we talked about the big trade over the weekend of Yaroslav Askarov. Take us behind the scenes of that a little bit more, though. How did this whole trade come about?
Pagnotta: “Yeah, well, look, the Sharks were one of the teams that expressed interest in Askarov going back to the draft. I mean, it was kind of known in and around the end of June, around the draft in Vegas, that the Nashville Predators were taking calls on him, once everybody kind of understood that (Juuse) Saros extension was coming, that he was going to be the guy. Askarov was going to be, the guy that was going to be moved out.
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And there were a number of teams that started to approach the Nashville Predators and Barry Trotz about the availability and what the cost would be. And then things really escalated after it became public that Askarov wanted out and wanted to change, wanted to change the scenery. Wanted an opportunity to become a number one elsewhere.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to have that in Nashville with Saros there. And how he performed in Milwaukee in the AHL, kind of let him and his agent and his whole camp to believe that he would get that crack at the number one spot. Nashville got hot, Saros, got his extension and it changed here.
But San Jose was in on him, certainly from the get go. They ended up winning things out. But there were other teams that were also part of that mix, Montreal, Colorado, Utah, Philadelphia, a few other teams that were poking around to see if they might be able to make something work.
But the San Jose Sharks willing to give up a first-round pick, willing to give up a former first-round pick that they got from Vegas and David Edstrom. This was a solid package that the Predators wanted to get back. They wanted a first. They wanted a top prospect, an additional asset. They ultimately get that.
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And Askarov now gets the opportunity to solidify himself as a legit NHL goalie, and over the next couple of years, earn that number one role with the Sharks after that two-year extension that he signed as well.”