Predators sign Russian goalie Askarov to entry-level deal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville has signed Iaroslav Askarov to a three-year entry level contract, two years after making him the sixth Russian-born goalie taken in the first round of the NHL draft. The 19-year-old spent most of the 2021-22 season with the VHL’s Neva Saint Petersburg in his native country, posting a 5-2-2 record with a 2.57 goals-against average in nine games. Askarov was the No. 11 overall pick and also appeared six times for SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL with a 1.81 GAA and .913 save percentage. He was 5-4-0 with a shutout while posting a 1.21 GAA and .951 save percentage in nine KHL appearances the previous season.