Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz publicly answers to Yaroslav Askarov's trade request

After a busy summer in Nashville that saw Trotz signing Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $7.74M AAV extension and Scott Wedgewood to a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract, Yaroslav Askarov, one of the NHL's most promising goalie prospects, has reportedly asked to be traded away from the team that drafted him 11th overall in 2020.

When players ask for a trade, we often expect organizations to comply with their demands.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case here.

After a report confirmed Askarov's trade request, Trotz came out and stated that he expects him to report to training camp and fight for a spot on the roster.

In his own words:

With Saros set to play the first season of his new contract, it would be a big surprise to see him take any other role on the team than the number one goalie.

As for Wedgewood, who was Jake Oettinger's number two goalie for the past two seasons, he got a lot more experience than Askarov, which could be interesting for the Preds.

If Trotz can find the right deal, Askarov could bring a significant return to the Predators.

Two teams emerged as contenders in a new report: the San Jose Sharks and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Both organizations have great assets that they could part ways with to land the goalie.

After all, with his talent, he could be an important part of any team's success. The Sharks, who are rebuilding, could get back to playoff contender status much sooner than expected with Askarov between the pipes. As for the Canes, he could be what the team has been missing in recent years: a goalie that could change the outcome of every game.

Even if he only took part in three games in the NHL, he had great numbers: a .914 SV% and a 2.57 GAA. He also showed what he's capable of in the AHL. In the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, he maintained a GAA under 2.70 and a .911 SV%.

Source for Yaroslav Askarov's statistics: Hockey DB