The 2019 draft was franchise altering for the New Jersey Devils. With the first overall pick they got perhaps the most offensively gifted player in franchise history, not including ones who “retired” to Russia, in Jack Hughes. He’s a superstar, well at least when restaurant cutlery doesn’t attack.
A few picks later Spencer Knight was drafted by the Florida Panthers. Next year’s draft, and in roughly the same range of that first round, Yaroslav Askarov was taken by the Nashville Predators. Both goaltenders have since been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, respectively. Should the Devils have tried to acquire either of them?
Both were expendable by their respective teams. Florida’s crease firmly belongs to Sergei Bobrovsky and Nashville’s to Jusse Saros. The Devils actually had the chance to draft Askarov when the used their seventh overall pick on the also since traded Alexander Holtz. The Devils also haven’t had a steady number one long term plan increase since the departure of Cory Schneider.
Vitek Vanacek was a flash in the pan career year solution instead of an actual solution. The Devils thought they found their goaltending piece by trading for, and since extending Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. When the calendar turns to January Markstrom is about to turn 36 years old. Askarov also requested a trade from Nashville and was sent to San Jose shortly after New Jersey made the Markstrom move. Wouldn’t the now 23 year old Russian have fit in better with the Devils competitive window?
The Sharks, buoyed by the emergence to stardom by Macklin Celebrini, are in firm playoff contention Entering play Thursday Askarov has a 3.14 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. Money Puck has his goals saved above expected at 5.60.
Those number might not seem great (outside from the amazing goals above expected advanced metric), but compare them to Markstrom who, after a great playoff showing in New Jersey’s short five game series against the Carolina Hurricanes last season, has struggled in the first quarter of this season. Over in Jersey Markstrom has a 3.48 goals against average and a .880 save percentage. He’s 14th worst in the league in goals saved above expected with -1.80. “He’s got to save that one” has become a common complaint of Devils fans, especially during their current tough stretch in Hughes’ absence.
Currently New Jersey has Nico Daws as the odd man out in their goalie tandem with the backup spot going to a 35 year old Jake Allen. In the development pipeline the Devils and their fans were extremely encouraged with Mikhail Yegorov whose Boston University team went all the way to the national championship game. Yegorov has struggled this season with a 3.24 goals against average and a 0.893 save percentage so far this season.
We’ll pass over Spencer Knight as a possibility for the Devils. Seth Jones needing out of a rebuilding Chicago team and the Panthers being cup favorites with a goaltender to spare was a situation the Devils would have been a non-factor in even if they inquired about Knight’s goaltending services. Meanwhile they traded a first plus Kevin Bahl’s rights for the then 34 year old Markstrom who was set to hit free agency after this current season. San Jose sent over a conditional first, a forward and goaltending prospect and Askarov has fit right into San Jose’s young core.
With comparable prices, shouldn’t the Devils have gone after Askarov? They traded a goaltending and forward prospect later on that offseason when Holtz and Akira Schmid were sent to the Vegas Golden Knights. Sounds like they could have afforded Askarov instead of only two guaranteed years of the aging (but since extended for two years) Markstrom.
When Markstrom is on his game, he’s one of the game’s best. We haven’t seen that this season and it’s needed for a Devils team that needs all the help it can get until Hughes hopefully returns. They can’t rely on Simon Nemec’s newfound scoring touch alone. Every detraction at Markstrom just makes the argument for why they should have went after Askarov a bit stronger.
The Devils had been linked to Markstrom up to that point but Calgary was unwilling to sell. That offseason was the perfect timing of the Devils feeling a sense of urgency after missing the playoffs due to lackluster goaltending and Calgary willing to at least “retool” and Markstrom’s dissatisfaction. Askarov seems to be thriving in San Jose, so we’re sure he doesn’t mind.