NEWARK, N.J. \u2014 This could be just as important as the San Jose Sharks earning their first win on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Yaroslav Askarov lost 3-1 to the high-octane New Jersey Devils on Friday, but he played his best game of the season, by far, stopping 27-of-29 shots.<\/p>\n
Obviously, when it comes to the Sharks, much rides on top prospect Askarov. San Jose traded the equivalent of two first-round picks for the 23-year-old in the summer of 2024, and he is expected, let\u2019s not mince words, to be the future in goal.<\/p>\n
But maybe those hefty expectations have been, to some degree, the problem, at least early on?<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it\u2019s the outside perspective [that] he needs to carry the world on his shoulders, and he\u2019s probably feeling that pressure a little bit,\u201d San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said this morning.<\/p>\n
Askarov had struggled in his previous three starts, posting an .838 Save %. As of Oct. 23, per Evolving Hockey, his -3.19 Goals Saved Above Expected was seventh-worst in the NHL (of 66 goalies).<\/p>\n
It\u2019s just three games, but Askarov had been one of the worst goalies in the league so far this season.<\/p>\n
GSAx, by the way, measures how many goals a goaltender has saved versus expected: So Askarov\u2019s -3.19 suggested that he had made about three less saves than an average netminder would\u2019ve against the similar shot quality.<\/p>\n
But with one exemplary effort, the 23-year-old netminder wiped out most of that deficit with a +2.15 GSAx performance at Prudential Center.<\/p>\n
ASKAROV ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! \ud83e\udd2f#TheFutureIsTeal<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/UeZ1UqoA9Z<\/a><\/p>\n