Prospect Info: Yaroslav Askarov, #11 Overall Pick

[Porter Stoutheart]

Even if we weren't in a playoff spot, the team is way better than I know I was expecting and is enjoyable to watch. There's still plenty we can be critical about, and Hynes is obviously not the next Scotty Bowman, but it's like some people want us to be worse than we are and it's making them miserable we aren't.

Well things aren't looking good for that top-10 pick, right?

 

[Predsanddead24]

Even if we weren't in a playoff spot, the team is way better than I know I was expecting and is enjoyable to watch. There's still plenty we can be critical about, and Hynes is obviously not the next Scotty Bowman, but it's like some people want us to be worse than we are and it's making them miserable we aren't.

Yeah I enjoy watching this team play more than any team since 17-18 so I’m pretty happy overall. Obviously we all want playoff success but I think after the last few seasons I’ve come to appreciate watching a team that lays it all out on the ice every game than I did before.

 

[Legionnaire11]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the owner of SKA just named himself head coach. It appears that despite the success of the franchise there is some disfunction going on.

Not hitting the panic button, but definitely something to keep an eye on and see if it causes Poile to adjust his plan and try to get Askarov over to Milwaukee ahead of schedule.

 

[OldFan]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the owner of SKA just named himself head coach. It appears that despite the success of the franchise there is some disfunction going on.

Not hitting the panic button, but definitely something to keep an eye on and see if it causes Poile to adjust his plan and try to get Askarov over to Milwaukee ahead of schedule.

Get him outta there.

 

[OldFan]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the owner of SKA just named himself head coach. It appears that despite the success of the franchise there is some disfunction going on.

Not hitting the panic button, but definitely something to keep an eye on and see if it causes Poile to adjust his plan and try to get Askarov over to Milwaukee ahead of schedule.[/

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the owner of SKA just named himself head coach. It appears that despite the success of the franchise there is some disfunction going on.

Not hitting the panic button, but definitely something to keep an eye on and see if it causes Poile to adjust his plan and try to get Askarov over to Milwaukee ahead of schedule.

Sounds like Rotenberg has been on the bench all year, and Bragin is still going to be titled "senior coach" now or something. But anyway, it sort of sounds like something that has been going on all year, just with a juggling of titles.

Either way, though, I can't say that seemed like a great place for him to be, unless that Finnish goalie coach is a miracle worker. Just because they are a team that wants to win with veterans at the forefront, and no young player was going to get a good look, at any position. And the goalies don't see much work even when they do play.

 

[Scoresberg]

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I watched bits and pieces of that game. Not easy to read the SKA numbers but I thought Svechkov might have got 1g+2a... or maybe the shot that went in was tipped and he got 3a instead? Still good. Him and Parssinen look to have such good vision and hockey sense.

7-2 win for SKA and not a ton of work for Askarov. I don't know if it's just his RH catch or the patterns on his gear or what, but there's still something that looks "off" to me about his stance. Like he doesn't hold his arms normally, he doesn't seem to use the reverse vh at all when the puck goes behind, he just seems a little extra jittery/hyper compared to most modern goalies. I don't know. I guess I'd have to do more than glance at him. End of the day he lets in 2 goals on probably not even 20 shots, he was fine. While the goalie who started at other end seemed to have a more orthodox style but got shelled and pulled and the goalie who replaced him was even worse. This is by no means intended as any kind of real evaluation based on just glancing at parts of one game... but it makes me wonder: if Askarov can be this good with all his loose technique... imagine how good he could be if he really got everything nailed down?

 

[Scoresberg]

I watched bits and pieces of that game. Not easy to read the SKA numbers but I thought Svechkov might have got 1g+2a... or maybe the shot that went in was tipped and he got 3a instead? Still good. Him and Parssinen look to have such good vision and hockey sense.

7-2 win for SKA and not a ton of work for Askarov. I don't know if it's just his RH catch or the patterns on his gear or what, but there's still something that looks "off" to me about his stance. Like he doesn't hold his arms normally, he doesn't seem to use the reverse vh at all when the puck goes behind, he just seems a little extra jittery/hyper compared to most modern goalies. I don't know. I guess I'd have to do more than glance at him. End of the day he lets in 2 goals on probably not even 20 shots, he was fine. While the goalie who started at other end seemed to have a more orthodox style but got shelled and pulled and the goalie who replaced him was even worse. This is by no means intended as any kind of real evaluation based on just glancing at parts of one game... but it makes me wonder: if Askarov can be this good with all his loose technique... imagine how good he could be if he really got everything nailed down?

Svechkov got 3 assists, 2 primaries.

The thing why Askarov seems to do so well in the KHL against tougher competition is that he usually seems to settle down at least a bit there. When playing against lower competition, I know what you mean, he looks very uneasy and is always trying to make a highlight reel save. Whereas, in the KHL he clearly simplifies his game and doesn't end up out of the position that often.

The raw talent, athleticism and the size are obviously there, but he needs to reel himself in to really be a top goalie. Right now, he is his own worst enemy.

 

[BigFatCat999]

The raw talent, athleticism and the size are obviously there, but he needs to reel himself in to really be a top goalie. Right now, he is his own worst enemy.

So, he needs Vokoun's bungie?

 

[OldFan]

My main question is who is his goalie coach? That’s who is “developing” him.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

My main question is who is his goalie coach? That’s who is “developing” him.

His name is Marko Torenius... or at least, that's the St. Petersburg goalie coach. But sometimes it isn't quite that simple with goalies. I know Vasilevskiy really benefited during his development years in Russia from come over to work off-seasons with a Canadian guy. So Torenius is the team goalie coach. But the KHL team has used 5 goalies, the VHL team has 7 goalies on the roster, and the MHL team has 8. Well a bunch of those overlap. I think I count 13 different guys across the levels? So if he's really working with all of them, he's pretty busy. Over here anyway, goalies will work with different private coaches they like, independent of team affiliations too. I don't know if Askarov has a guy like that. Or how they really work things.

Torenius has Shesterkin on his resume, although again, how much of that was his doing, how much Shesterkin got from elsewhere or just being amazing, who knows.

So I guess per some of the discussions in the WJC thread, there's really nothing much we can say. There's a boat load of goalies over there, and the team has a goalie coach, and how good he is, or how well he meshes with Askarov, or how teachable Askarov is, etc, etc... there are just really too many variables for us to have any clue from the peanut gallery. I can definitely say that it's also very possible for a goalie coach to be an excellent goalie coach with a great reputation... but just not be quite the right fit for a given player. Sometimes the player is just on the right wavelength with a different guy, and it doesn't necessarily reflect in any way on the coach.

 

[Kat Predator]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the owner of SKA just named himself head coach. It appears that despite the success of the franchise there is some disfunction going on.

Not hitting the panic button, but definitely something to keep an eye on and see if it causes Poile to adjust his plan and try to get Askarov over to Milwaukee ahead of schedule.

We haven't signed him yet, have we?

 

[Scoresberg]

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Before I realized it was just the lighting, I was like, well, there are some distinguished-looking gentlemen with all the gray sideburns on that team. No wonder it's so hard for young players to get called up.

Glad to see Askarov racking up lots of game action now, after we complained so much about it. (Sort of like Kunin scoring - but I think the key is we have to really MEAN it, we can't just do it as a stunt, right?)

 

[Scoresberg]

Dude just plays different in the KHL. Solid showing from Askarov.

 

[GoldOnGold]

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Ha! He's trying to push it to the corner and the opponent knocks it in the net but why wouldn't you just push it underneath the goalie?

 

[Scoresberg]

Troubling but this explains a whole lot..

 

[GoldOnGold]

Troubling but this explains a whole lot..

Hopefully he can leave Russia this summer

 

[Viqsi]

Troubling but this explains a whole lot..

My gosh, how bizzarre. Poile can't possibly be correct :cough: though, because :cough: I've been repeatedly :cough: assured that this :cough:cough: thing absolutely never :cough:cough:marchenko:cough: happens with SKA.

 

[feichter33]

Any change in his timing of arrival or situation? Always thought of him like a young Fleury. Oozes skill, but is a little erratic. Does some things noone else can. I think he just needs some quality goalie coaching (not implying he's not getting it now) for his NA transition and he will be fine. I'm excited to see the outcome.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

 

[Armourboy]

Yeah I'm gonna guess there will be several guys who had planned on staying in Russia will be bolting for the US asap.

 

[PredsV82]

I'm pretty sure it was the plan all along to bring Askarov over next year I just hope he has the opportunity to leave the country. Its gonna get a lot worse over there before it gets better.