Askarov to make Sharks debut tonight vs. Blues

Goalie Yaroslav Askarov will make his San Jose Sharks debut on Thursday night when the team faces the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center to complete a two-game road trip.

Askarov, the Sharks’ top goalie prospect, was recalled from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL on Monday and backed up No. 1 goalie Mackenzie Blackwood in games this week against the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars.

In perhaps the Sharks’ biggest trade this summer, Askarov, 22, was acquired from the Nashville Predators in August in a deal involving three other players and two draft picks.

Thursday’s game will be Askarov’s first in the NHL since Dec. 30, 2023, when he made 27 saves to help the Predators earn a 3-2 shootout win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. In three career NHL games, Askarov has a 1-1-0 record with a .914 save percentage.

The Sharks are looking to bounce back from their 5-2 loss to the Stars on Wednesday, in which they fell behind by two goals in the second period and never fully recovered. Although the Sharks were able to create a handful of quality scoring chances, turnovers and poor breakouts were a problem.

Please check back for updates to this story.