NHL Rumors: Predators GM Barry Trotz on the Yaroslav Askarov Situation and the Return

TSN: Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz on trading goaltending Jaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks, the return and young players wanting out of different situations.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Dave Feschuk: “So Barry, you talk about, you know, great goaltending and great prospects. And you had a guy who was a little bit of both. Maybe the top goaltending prospect in the sport, according to some people in Yaroslav Askarav.

And, and it was very public, his, his demand or request to be playing elsewhere because he didn’t see a path to NHL minutes with Juuse Saros and Scott, Scott Wedgewood above him in the depth chart.

And, and, you know, as much as you publicly said you, you weren’t prepared to do that, you know, you ended up doing it. I was wondering, you know, when you look back at that trade and, and what went into it, you know, how do you feel about losing a prospect of that magnitude, you know, at a moment like this.”

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Trotz: “Well, you never want to lose a top prospect, but I think we’ve got some in return, in David Edstrom, who we look at our, our franchise, we’re looking for center iceman. I think he’ll be a good center iceman. We’ll see what his ceiling ends up being.

With, with Yaro. Yaro, I understood fully the young guys don’t have the patience, I think, that they, they used to have back in a day. And I totally understand that.

I, with Scott Wedgewood, that was something I put in place because I was, I was worried a little bit of something like that might come about. So I sort of protected the franchise. That’s my job is to do that, and talk to Yaro about getting him enough games. And getting, brought Mitch Korn back with me, who I think is the best in the business, and to really help him continue to grow his game.

I think with all young players, and you see it now, they have more power than they ever had before. They’re more bold. But I could say to all the young players that are sort of spoken out even this summer, that they’re not going to play for certain franchises, or the situation wasn’t right for them.

Whatever, whatever they’re saying, they’re all saying they’re ready for the National Hockey League. And I can, I can say this to, you know, I can go down to our group in Milwaukee and ask the 20, 20 players down there, you know, who’s ready for the National Hockey League? I’m gonna get 20 hands going straight up, I’m ready. I’m ready.

But you can tell, you can tell, me you’re ready to your blue in the face, but your play and your consistency and your preparation and all those things that make you a really good pro have to be there. And it’s performance-based. And so, if it’s consistently there for a long, long time, and you’re prepared physically and mentally, then you’re ready for the National Hockey League and nothing but your play will dictate that.

Yaro, Yaro, I had no problem in being the backup goal better this year for the Nashville Predators. And with Yaro, I just wanted to make sure he had enough games and he had enough support in growing his game to the next level so he can be that consistent star goaltender that I think he can be.

And but I understand the situation. So it wasn’t, didn’t go down the way I probably wanted to, because when it’s public, I think that the team has always in a, you know, they’re smart general managers, you’re not going to, you know, they’re not going to give you, you know, full price sometimes if you will, because you’re working from a little bit of a disadvantage.

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But at the same time, I think we got pretty fair value for the situation, and I like what we got. And we’ve got to turn that Vegas pick into a, into a really good, good player. And, you know, turn, David Edstrom into a really good player, and Magnus Chrona to a really good goal, goaltender. So I think he’s got the profile to do that, so, and then we got the coaching staff to allow him to do that.”