PROSPECT PROFILE: Yaroslav Askarov

EDMONTON, AB - Only 13 goaltenders have been picked in the opening round of the NHL Draft since 2000, and just nine of them were selected in the first half of the first round.
Russian puck-stopper Yaroslav Askarov is looking to become the 10th as he's projected to be a top-15 pick at the 2020 NHL Draft, which will be conducted virtually Oct. 6-7 with the Oilers holding the 14th-overall selection.
The 18-year-old is already an imposing presence between the pipes at 6-foot-3, and he's currently splitting action between SKA Saint Petersburg's KHL (first division) and VHL (second division) squads.

Askarov has a 1.40 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in one KHL appearance so far this season, as well as a 2.52 GAA and .900 save percentage in two VHL appearances.
During the 2019-20 campaign, he saw mostly VHL action with SKA and was 12-3-3 with a 2.45 GAA and .920 save percentage in 18 games. He also back-stopped Russia to a gold medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 1.25 GAA and .960 save percentage in four games, in addition to posting a 2.71 GAA in five games at the 2020 World Junior Championship as Russia finished second.
Askarov would become the third Russian in NHL history to be selected first at the goalie position, joining Ilya Samsonov (Washington Capitals, 22nd overall in 2015) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning, 19th overall in 2012).
Boston College netminder Spencer Knight was the first of 22 goalies selected at the 2019 NHL Draft when he went 13th overall to the Florida Panthers. Prior to Knight, Jake Oettinger was the next most recent goalie to be picked in the first round, chosen 26th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2015.