Predators GM On Goalie's Mentality: 'Not Quite Sure He's There Yet'

Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz has broken his silence and offered his reasoning behind the franchise's decision to trade top goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks.

The GM revealed some concerns over Askarov's mental readiness for the NHL speaking to The Athletic’s Michael Russo on August 29 .

Trotz acknowledged Askarov's impressive physical abilities but pointed out the importance of mental toughness in a goaltender’s development, something he doesn't believe the young netminder has mastered yet.

“Asky is going to be an excellent goaltender because he’s got unbelievable athletic skills and he’s got a very confident personality — all that,” Trotz told The Athletic. “But if you talk to elite goaltenders, they won’t talk about elite physical attributes. They’ll talk about elite mentalities and elite mindsets and elite preparation and stuff like that. And I’m not quite sure that he’s there yet."

Trotz’s decision to trade Askarov, along with forward Nolan Burke and a 2025 third-round pick, to the Sharks for a conditional 2025 first-rounder, forward David Edstrom, and netminder Magnus Chrona, didn't come as a surprised following the extension of Juuse Saros and the trade request submitted by Askarov to the Preds' brass.

However, Trotz made it clear that the move was influenced more by his belief that Askarov has not yet reached the level of mental maturity required to be a consistent performer at the NHL level than anything the goalie did to force a trade.

"You see some of the goaltenders, that they’re just out of balance a little bit, and it’s hard to get that consistency," Trotz said. "But once they get that balance, they become very consistent, and they can be the top guy. So, I think Asky’s not quite there yet. Will he be? Oh, yeah, eventually, if he puts the time in and does all the things that he needs to do."

The Predators drafted Askarov with the No. 11 pick in the 2020 NHL draft and although he's been more than solid in the AHL with the franchise's affiliate team, he's only appeared in a handful of NHL games to date.

Now with the Sharks, Askarov has already signed a two-year, $4 million extension that will kick off at the start of the 2025-26 season once his current entry-level deal ends next summer.

Related: Predators Goalie Yaroslav Askarov Blasted For Immature Decision