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What do you think of Askarov, AssMan? Crazy off the charts athlete but wow, he has one helluva chaotic crease.
Askarov, like many young Russian prospects, has a shitty self-entitled attitude but the skill is 100% legit. His classic wide stance works well with his super quick reflexes but so far in the NHL he’s been quick to drop his pads but needs to keep his back more straight so he doesn’t give up the high blocker shots and that’s been his downfall thus far in his limited time in the NHL. The game will eventually slow down for him and hopefully they keep their goalies at a 50/50 split otherwise I’d be pretty concerned that all the losing and GA will lead to confidence issues which is the kiss of death for goalies (similar to MLB relievers) as we all know. Askarov has never been on a really bad defensive team like this in his career either, so I’d keep an extra careful eye on him on a game-by-game basis but Grier’s an amazing GM and sure he’s on top of that. Sharks also have plenty of vets on the team and bet they’ve been tasked with assuring him “it’s them, not him”. All the new faces on defense are likely still learning the systems although the worst kept secret in their organization is that Warsofsky is a placeholder for the dark years a la Dale Sveum.
If you’re like me you saw Askarov for the first time in a WJC and was astounded at the athleticism and freakishly quick kid who was 6ft 2in!! I’m in….. But looking closer as time went on this dude is really chaotic, probably too much for me. Same for Cossa but for different reasons except both have chaotic loud creases which means a chaotic Dzone and that leads to structural breakdowns both stopping clean looks and allowing for clean outs or rytem.. ….. I’m sold that Askarov will be an NHL #1 but not at all sold that Cossa will be one.
Askarov’s style is damn hard to maintain long term consistency. I wouldn’t have used a mid 1st on him but you weren’t gonna get the kid without doing so. I’d eat em up in rd 2 but would pass using big capital on him………… But, the kid is a rare athlete and sometimes that’s enough. He has the crazy skills to prove naysayers wrong cuz this kid really is a freak.
And yea AssMan, Askarov plays as low as any goalie you’ll ever see. He’s, anyone is, more explosive from an extreme crouch than a more upright stance but that’s his game.. Not sure how much you can take that outa his game but his athleticism is good enough for any style.
But, now your talking about more of a project than a player who has an established foundation.. … Needless to say I’m a Knight guy not so much that he stops pucks but the way he stops them. It’s sustainable whereas with the Cossack you’re gonna have to fix some things first than hope it takes.
There IS a age difference in Knight and Askarov, and good eye on the “cossack”…he is a scrambler, and some golaies through the ages HAVE succeed using their explosive reaction speed to stand ground in spots that don’t position him well in regards to be able to cover the entire home plate area.
Askarov may end up being that guy.The two things Placzek ponders is
Why was Nashville so ready to move on from him?
(His trade departure didn’t solidy a Predator’s Cup but did it get a star back in his place?)
And on Spencer Knight:
Is coming alobg as starter, and since I need someone else to post the question to The Athletic’s Powers, since they banned me from posting there.Spencer Knight took a psch leave and I believe it was framed to the press that he had an OCD issue.
I would like to know a bit more on that, since it might be performance-related, not him making sure his labubus are in a perfect line on the shelf.
Wiz
I wrote an article about him… few months ago
Spencer Knight — The Toughest Save of His Life
Let’s be honest — sometimes the biggest battles aren’t on the ice.
In February 2023, Spencer Knight made a decision that took more courage than any glove save. He stepped away from hockey to take care of himself. The Panthers announced he had entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and just like that, the young goalie disappeared from the lineup.
No one knew the full story at first. But behind the scenes, Knight was fighting something real — Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
The Pressure Behind the Mask
Knight was supposed to be Florida’s goalie of the future — first-round pick, 13th overall in 2019, calm, confident, ready for the spotlight.
But underneath all that, he was struggling with constant, intrusive thoughts that wouldn’t go away.He talked later about it: the hand-washing, the fear of contamination, the rituals that took over his mind. It started back at Boston College, but by 2023 it got worse.
After one game in Winnipeg, he said he felt like he was “spiraling in a direction I didn’t want to go.”That’s when he made the hardest call of his young career — to ask for help.
Stepping Away to Get Better
On February 24, 2023, Knight entered the league’s assistance program.
It meant time away from the Panthers, away from the noise, and away from the pressure to perform.But it also meant something bigger — a chance to breathe again.
He said later that it was about “getting back to being himself,” and that simple idea is powerful.He didn’t quit. He reset.
The Comeback
When Knight returned to the ice a few months later for development camp, you could see it in his smile — the joy was back.
He told reporters, “It’s just fun to get back in the swing of things.”That line says it all.
Sometimes the game can swallow you up. Sometimes you need to step back to find your love for it again.Now, Knight’s story is no longer just about hockey — it’s about resilience, mental strength, and breaking the stigma around mental health in sports.
More Than a Goalie
Spencer Knight’s courage reminds us that even the best athletes are human.
Behind every save and every celebration, there’s a person trying to keep it together — just like the rest of us.He didn’t just make a comeback on the ice. He made one in life.
And maybe that’s the most important save he’ll ever make.Thanks, Frenchy!
I am glad (along with the rest of us “Buzz-bums”) that we are here with you!
Appeciate you,
Wiz
According to @MoneyPuckdotcom
, Spencer Knight leads all NHL goaltenders in Goals Saved Above Expected.Happy Friday…Spencer Knight GSVA
The best save he made last night he didn’t get credit for. That back hand flip by Kucherov along the baseline and Knight had the presence of mind to duck under it and not knock it into his own net was one of the most impressive quick thinking paid I’ve ever seen by a goalie.
I just added a video over at the Prospects forum about Kantserov. The host does a pretty good job, IMO, analyzing his play. Here’s the link to the forum:
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