Yaroslav Askarov is the top goalie prospect in the NHL and he has asked for a trade from the Nashville Predators and one trade pitch has him going to the Montreal Canadiens.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades and one user proposed a deal that would see the Canadiens get Askarov.
Canadiens get:
Predators get:
- Logan Mailloux
- Cayden Primeau
- 2025 third-round pick (New Jersey’s)
The Canadiens have been a popular trade destination for Askarov and the trade pitch does make sense. Montreal doesn’t have a bonafide No. 1 goalie and would get that in Askarov while also adding Fabbro who is 26 but he has struggled to be a consistent player in the NHL.
The big part of the deal for Montreal is Askarov who is the top goalie prospect in the NHL. The Russian was drafted 11th overall in the 2020 NHL draft and dominated the AHL last season as he went 30-13-1 with a 2.39 GAA and a .911 SV%.
In return, Nashville would acquire prospect Mailloux who is a former first-round pick who did make his NHL debut last season. Mailloux is one of the better defenseman prospects available and could push for a full-time role in the NHL.
As well as Mailloux, Nashville would get Primeau who is a 25-year-old goalie and can serve as the starter in the AHL this season and be the backup to Juuse Saros in the future.
Yaroslav Askarov Asks for a Trade
NHL insider Kevin Weekes reported on August 19 that Askarov has informed Nashville he won’t go to the AHL and has requested a trade.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman spoke on his 32 Thoughts The Podcast and said the Predators were looking for an NHL player and a high-ceiling prospect.
“They’re looking for either an established NHL player that makes sense to acquire for Askarov or another high-ceiling prospect that is not a goalie,” Friedman said.
The proposed trade pitch does fit that criteria as Primeau is an NHL player while Mailloux is a high-ceiling defenseman who could push for NHL minutes this season.
Canadiens Have Quiet Offseason
Montreal is in the midst of a rebuild but in free agency, the Canadiens didn’t make any move.
However, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said Montreal could have landed players if they matched contracts but he wasn’t going to make a mistake in free agency.
“We didn’t go into today thinking we had to accomplish things we wanted to. I think what happens in free agency, and it’s natural, is if you go in overly committed to coming out with something, then sometimes you come out with something that you look back on and wish you didn’t,” Hughes said.
“So, we wanted to enter the day with discipline and say, if we can do this under these parameters, we’ll do it. Otherwise, we’re fine to continue to wait and see if something materializes, either via free agency later or via trade first,” Hughes added.
Montreal has not played in the playoffs since the 2020-21 season when they made it to the Stanley Cup Final.
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Trade Pitch Has Canadiens Acquiring Star Goalie Prospect