SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks acquired prized goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov from Nashville in a deal Friday that sends a 2025 first-round pick to the Predators.
The 22-year-old Askarov had reportedly asked for a trade with his path to a starting role in Nashville blocked by Juuse Saros, and San Jose jumped at the opportunity to add a potential top young goalie to a franchise sorely lacking one.
The Sharks will send Vegas' first-round pick acquired in the deal that sent Tomas Hertl to the Golden Knights, along with forward David Edstrom and goalie Magnus Chrona to Nashville for Askarov, a 2025 third-round pick previously held by Colorado and forward Nolan Burke. If Vegas' pick is in the top 10, San Jose has the option to send its own first-rounder to the Predators instead.
The Sharks immediately signed Askarov to a two-year extension worth $4 million to keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season.
“We’re very confident that he’s going to be a number one (goalie),” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. “You don’t have too many chances to add players like this with this caliber in this position. It’s the hardest position to draft and develop and to find and to be able to get someone like this in our group, we’re really excited.”
The deal gives Nashville three first-round picks in 2025, having previously acquired one from Tampa Bay in 2023 for Tanner Jeannot.
The Sharks ranked last in the NHL over the past five seasons with a 3.32 goals against average and their .897 save percentage is second worst in that span.
San Jose was seeking a young goalie to build around and complement a promising group of young skaters led by 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini and 2023 first-rounder Will Smith.
“The goalie was a little bit of a missing piece in that age group,” Grier said. “To get somebody who can grow with this team and move along with them and give them that security. I know from my own personal experience, when you have a guy back there who you really believe in and can win games for you, it makes you play a lot freer and be willing to go out there and not have to worry about things so much. I think it’ll help our whole group. It’s a really big day for our franchise.”
Saros, who signed an eight-year extension worth nearly $62 million earlier this summer, said earlier this week at the NHL player media tour in Prague that he had no comment on Askarov’s previously reported trade request.
Nashville in July signed journeyman Scott Wedgewood to back up Saros, relegating Askarov to minor league duties again despite him being one of hockey’s best goaltending prospects.
Askarov has played three NHL games for Nashville, with a 2.58 goals against average and .914 save percentage. In 44 games for Milwaukee in the AHL last season, Askarov had a 30-13-1 record with a 2.39 goals against average, .911 save percentage and six shutouts.
The 21-year-old Burke played primarily in the ECHL last season.
The 19-year-old Edstrom had seven goals and 12 assists in 44 games in the Swedish Hockey League last season.
The 23-year-old Chrona played mostly in the AHL last season where he went 6-17-6 with a 3.49 goals against average. He was 1-6-1 with a 4.71 goals against average in nine games with the Sharks.
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FILE - Nashville Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov grabs a shot by the Washington Capitals during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Washington, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold enjoyed a valuable reset last season of a sputtering NFL career painted by the unfulfilled expectations of a quarterback from a prestigious college program drafted third overall.
It was a burden-free year with the San Francisco 49ers to be the backup while continuing to learn the league, his position and himself. The Minnesota Vikings enjoyed an immediate benefit from this new version of Darnold in a dominant season-opening performance.
He's aiming to use those off-the-field gains against the 49ers this week. Darnold's home debut for the Vikings will come on Sunday afternoon, with his former team paying a visit.
“I learned so much last year,” Darnold said. “Just being able to learn every single game plan and study throughout the week, I think that was the biggest takeaway that I had, with all the different things that we had to know as quarterbacks going into a game."
After going 13-25 as the starter for the New York Jets over his first three NFL seasons, Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021. He only found further instability around him, leading to more injuries and more interceptions.
Last year, he put his starting aspiration on hold to join the well-oiled operation under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan — and supported Brock Purdy all the way to the Super Bowl.
“He helped me tremendously with my prep and we all bounced ideas off each other and what we could get and what we need to be aware of,” Purdy said. “Sam contributed so much to our success as a team, man.”
Darnold had his own enlightenment about the pressure — both real and imagined — he experienced in New York when he entered the league in 2018 from USC.
“When you’re at quarterback, I feel like a lot of times you can feel everything kind of collapsing on you, not just in the game, but theoretically, like, as a whole,” Darnold said. “If things aren’t going your way, you can feel the weight of the world a little bit. At the end of the day, it’s your job to just put the ball in your playmakers' hands and let them go run and make a play.
"I think it’s as simple as that sometimes.”
With the Vikings, Darnold's bridge assignment was cemented as a full-season gig when J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury last month.
“I was hoping he’d find no good spots and come back here,” Shanahan said. "But I was happy for him he got this opportunity because Sam more than deserves it. Sam is a starting quarterback in this league and he should run with it.”
The arm strength and processing speed were never in question, but coach Kevin O'Connell and the rest of the coaches and players have been impressed by how naturally Darnold has taken to the complex scheme, improved his footwork and fit in with a new team.
“If you give Sam some time in the drop-back game, just throwing the ball, he’s going to make the right read and throw a nice ball,” Vikings running back Aaron Jones said. “He’s really slept on, so we’re glad to have him. At the end of the season, we’ll look up and there’ll be a lot people talking about him.”
Darnold was 19 of 24 for 208 yards, two touchdowns, one sack and one interception against the New York Giants. The 44-yard pass to Justin Jefferson he threaded along the sideline during a 99-yard drive was a prime example of the confidence he has in his new surroundings.
“I was double-covered on that play,” Jefferson said. “Him throwing it to that spot and me going to get it, that is going to happen a majority of the time during the season. He has to understand that even when I am double-teamed, I’m still open and that I am going to make a play.”
The 49ers didn’t miss a beat with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey sidelined for the opener because of a sore calf muscle and Achilles tendon, with backup Jordan Mason rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown against the Jets.
His 28 carries were the most by a 49ers player since Frank Gore had 31 on Oct. 30, 2011, and he also broke a league-best 13 tackles, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
McCaffrey will be a game-time decision again this week. The 49ers are plenty confident Mason can contribute either as the featured runner or by taking some of the normal load off McCaffrey if he is cleared to play.
“He’s a dense, sturdy guy and he just runs downhill very physically,” All-Pro tight end George Kittle said. “Hopefully he can just keep doing that and there’ll be a very good substitute for Christian so we don’t have to play Christian for 100 snaps a game.”
Jones will also make his home debut for the Vikings after seven seasons with their fiercest rival the Green Bay Packers. He’s eager to join the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd in the ritual “Skol!” chant that’s accompanied by a rhythmic over-the-head clap that builds to a frenzy.
“When you’re on the other sideline, you’re trying not to clap, you’re trying not to get into it, because you see the whole stadium doing it and it’s contagious,” said Jones, who rushed 14 times for 94 yards last week. “I’m really amped to just come out there and play in front of the fans.”
San Francisco kicker Jake Moody enjoyed a superb start to his second season by tying a franchise record with six field goals made last week, including two from at least 50 yards.
The 2023 third-round draft pick had a spotty rookie year, including a potential winning field goal he missed against Cleveland and an extra point he had blocked in the Super Bowl against Kansas City.
“Every time that he got more eyes on him and people were waiting for him to fail, he always rebounded and got through that,” Shanahan said. “When you do that, you build true confidence and you get stronger through adversity.”
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy looks to pass the ball against the New York Jets during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, center, gestures toward fans after an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates after a 21-yard touchdown catch by teammate wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold answers questions during a press conference after an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
