Joe Will on Askarov’s Injury: ‘Nothing serious’

Yaroslav Askarov is not seriously hurt.

That’s what Barracuda GM Joe Will and another source told San Jose Hockey Now about Askarov, who left Wednesday’s San Jose Barracuda-Ontario Reign game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Will mentioned that Askarov did not make the Barracuda’s weekend trip at the Ontario Reign on Saturday and at the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Sunday.

Will confirmed: “Lower-body day-to-day. Nothing serious.”

Another source, not with the San Jose Sharks, corroborated: “Nothing long-term.”

Will noted that this lower-body injury is a different one than the injury that felled Askarov for most of training camp.

All this is a sigh of relief for a San Jose Sharks organization that views Askarov as their future in goal and is also hoping that the AHL All-Star can lead the Barracuda to a long run in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The Sharks paid a hefty price for the 2020 No. 11 pick this past summer, sending top prospect David Edstrom and the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2025 first-rounder, both acquired in the Tomas Hertl trade, along with prospect Magnus Chrona, to the Nashville Predators for Askarov, prospect Nolan Burke, and a 2025 third-rounder.

Considered, arguably, the top goaltending prospect in the world, Askarov has registered a 10-7-1-3 record with a .922 Save % with the Barracuda.

With the San Jose Sharks, Askarov has a 4-6-2 mark with an .896 Save %.

“We will be conservative with the recovery to make sure he is 100 percent,” Will said.