Two NHL teams linked to Yaroslav Askarov following his trade demand from the Nashville Predators

The Predators' general manager, Barry Trotz, made the decision this summer to sign Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $7.74M AAV extension, in addition to acquiring Scott Wedgewood on the free agent market.

Unfortunately, with Saros expected to play most games and Wedgewood ready to fill in, this leaves no room for the young and promising goaltender Yaroslav Askarov.

After all, both Saros and Wedgewood have proved their ability to play in the NHL over the course of their careers.

Saros, 29, was drafted 99th overall by the Predators in 2013. Since then, he has played in 350 regular season games with Nashville, registering a 182-119-32 record, a 2.63 GAA, and a 0.917 SV%.

As for Wedgewood, he spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Stars, being Jake Oettinger's number two.

In the past season, he took part in 32 games and had a 16-7-5 record, 0.899 SV%, and 2.85 GAA with the Stars. Wedgewood, drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2010, also played for the Arizona Coyotes in addition to the Devils and the Stars.

After seeing Trotz taking the Saros-Wedgewood road, Askarov, who will likely become a prominent goalie in the NHL over the next few years, has requested a trade from the Predators.

Askarov played in three NHL games with the Predators (0.914 SV% and 2.57 GAA), but shined in the AHL. In the past two seasons, he had a .911 SV%, and remained under 2.70 GAA with the Milwaukee Admirals.

Now, a new report from Michael Gallagher revealed that both the San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes could be interested in making a deal for the young goalie.

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The Sharks are rebuilding and are poised for a great future. With many young prospects in the organization, such as Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, getting Askarov could be what pushes the team back into playoff contention in a few years.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are looking to win a Stanley Cup, and after dealing with struggles between the pipes over the past years, Askarov could bring some fresh air to the locker room.

Source for Yaroslav Askarov's statistics: Hockey DB
Yaroslav Askarov

Source for Juuse Saros' statistics: Hockey DB
Juuse Saros

Source for Scott Wedgewood's statistics: Hockey DB
Scott Wedgewood