The 2025-26 season has not been kind to Yaroslav Askarov so far, but the San Jose Sharks still believe in the top prospect’s ability and long-term potential.

In his first three games of the season, Askarov has allowed 17 goals on 105 shots, which puts him at a 5.72 GAA and an .838 Save %. He’ll get the nod again tonight, as the San Jose Sharks face the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

Head coach Ryan Warsofsky stressed Askarov’s relative inexperience.

At 23 years old, the Sharks’ netminder has played just 19 career games in the NHL.

“He’s right up there with Mack [Celebrini] and Will [Smith] as a young player in this league,” said Warsofsky. “[He’s] learning. I think maybe it’s the outside perspective [that] he needs to carry the world on his shoulders, and he’s probably feeling that pressure a little bit. We’ve got to put our arms around him, help him and guide him.”

This week, Askarov has spent extra time working with San Jose Sharks goalie coach, Thomas Speer, while the team has been on their New York road trip.

Speer and Askarov doing some extra work pic.twitter.com/B9Yat2y7ox

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“Thomas is doing a really good job of working with him,” said Warsofsky. “We’ve talked to him, he knows and he’s hitting a little speed bump early in his NHL career. The world’s not coming to an end. He’s going to be just fine.”

It’s important to note that other highly-touted goaltender prospects around the league who were drafted around the same time as Askarov are facing similar struggles. Despite a solid start to the current season, Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild, who was drafted 20th overall in 2021, has been up-and-down in both the NHL and AHL over the past few seasons. Sebastian Cossa has only played a single NHL game for the Detroit Red Wings, four years after being selected No. 15. Askarov, like the others, is still a young goaltender trying to adapt. 

“He’s a young kid. He’s not 30 years old and a mature human being,” said Warsofsky. “This is new to him. This is a challenge for him. There are times where you’ve got to put your arms around him and give him a big hug. There are times where you’ve got to push him and challenge him to get out of his comfort zone. He’s reacted really well to that.”

It has only been 14 months since the San Jose Sharks traded an abundance of assets to acquire Askarov from the Nashville Predators and, importantly, the team’s belief in him hasn’t wavered.

“He is a talented goalie, and we obviously have high hopes for him. He has a bright future,” Warsofsky added. “There are going to be speed bumps. This won’t be the only speed bump he hits along the way. You could see the best goaltenders of all time go through some stretches where they don’t play great.”

Warsofsky did also acknowledge there are a few areas that the coaching staff need to work on with Askarov.

“We’ve got to work with him and keep getting him more comfortable with the pace, the schedule and everything that goes in between that,” the San Jose Sharks’ coach stated. “We’re excited about his future, and we’re excited he’s playing tonight.”

“He’s an extremely talented goaltender,” Warsofsky added. “We’ve got to work on some things technically, but we still have very good confidence in this young man.”