Yaroslav Askarov

Last Season

Forty-seven appearances, 21-20-4, a 3.63 goals-against average and a .8829 save percentage, no shutouts. His career figure across 63 games is .8869.

Over his last ten appearances, .865 on 296 shots.

The Physical Game

Six foot three and 180 pounds, which is tall and very light, and it shows in traffic — he is moved in his crease and struggles to hold his post through contact.

The athleticism is genuine and it is what got him drafted eleventh overall as a goaltender, which almost never happens. He makes saves nobody else makes and concedes goals nobody else concedes.

Rebound control is the weakest part and it is the one that costs most behind a young defence.

The Mental Game

He was the best goaltending prospect in the world at nineteen, forced a trade out of Nashville at twenty-two, and has now had a full season as an NHL starter at .883.

The Intangibles

San Jose conceded 190 goals at five-on-five against an expected 169.8 — its goaltending came in twenty goals worse than the chances it faced, fourth-worst in the league. Nedeljkovic stopped .8961 and Comrie .8899 behind the same defence, so the club’s number is not one man’s.

But .8829 across forty-seven appearances is the fourth-lowest figure of any goaltender who played forty times — behind only Binnington, Lankinen and Bobrovsky — and .865 across the last ten is worse still.

He is 24. There is a great deal of time and, so far, no evidence.