Trade speculation is always fun, but there’s a little layer of sugar on top when the players being discussed could conceivably fit with all sorts of teams.
That’s the case when it comes to a pair of early-20s prospects who could appeal to both contenders as cap-friendly depth contributors and rebuilding squads looking to plop another key piece in the foundation.
High-priced veterans tend to have a fairly narrow market, but the field widens significantly for young legs that can help for the next dozen seasons, beginning as soon as this coming October.
So with rugged winger Rutger McGroarty and highly regarded goalie Yaroslav Askarov looking as though their long-term futures are not with the teams that drafted them — the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators, respectively — the mind begins to wander in terms of where they could ultimately land before training camp.
McGroarty, 20, has completed two years of NCAA hockey and the 2022 14th-overall pick certainly appears ready for the pro jump. The 22-year-old Askarov, meanwhile, has a pair of AHL seasons under his belt and is surely ready for a role in an NHL crease.
In McGroarty’s case, neither camp is getting overly specific about why the American’s NHL destiny appears to be with a team other than the Jets. All we know is, at some point in the off-season, it became clear a split was likely and the captain of Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at the 2024 world junior championship was certainly at the centre of trade speculation that ultimately never came to fruition at the NHL Draft in Vegas.
A year ago, it was Askarov’s name appearing in trade rumours at the Nashville-based 2023 draft as the Preds tried unsuccessfully to move up the board in front of their home fans. Nashville GM Barry Trotz has been movin’ and shakin’ ever since taking the big chair last spring, including inking No. 1 man Juuse Saros to an eight-year extension this summer and bringing in veteran backup Scott Wedgewood on a two-year contract in free agency to complete the duo.
That makes Askarov’s path to the crease in the near-term murky, to say the least. And with Nashville clearly all in on these next couple seasons, it sure makes sense to try and help other parts of the team by dangling a very talented young tender.
With that in mind, let’s identify some teams that make sense as landing spots for either McGroarty or Askarov — and, in a couple cases, clubs you could see being interested in both prospects.
Calling on McGroarty
Montreal Canadiens
There seemed to be some smoke around the Jets and Habs about McGroarty at the draft, but Montreal’s long-term prospects at forward changed when Ivan Demidov landed in its lap at No. 5. That doesn’t mean there’s not still a fit here, though. And it sure seems like there’s already been some conversations to build on.
The Canadiens’ rebuild remains flush with defencemen, so perhaps they could find a blueline fit that makes sense in a swap with Winnipeg.
Minnesota Wild
This is another team that seemed poised for a deal with the Jets at the draft until defenceman Zeev Buium fell all the way to No. 12. (Seriously, how did that happen?)
Now that the Wild have stopped tap-dancing over landing Buium, maybe they circle back and see about adding a forward with McGroarty’s enticing profile.
Boston Bruins
Here’s an example of a contending team that could use a cost-friendly injection of youth in the lineup. Boston holds its own 2025 first-round pick, so maybe that’s the basis of a swap and Winnipeg views that pick as a chip it can play to address a need ahead of the trade deadline next winter.
Calgary Flames
The Flames have leaned into a rebuild this summer and a top-six winger with size and grit like McGroarty would be an exciting addition to the fold.
Winnipeg has a huge hole at second-line centre; is there any world where Nazem Kadri could be a fit?
Kadri, who turns 34 just before the season starts, has no-trade protection, so the player would have to be on board with the move. But when you consider Calgary is surely entering into a down period, while the Jets are coming off an 111-point showing, perhaps the accomplished veteran would be sold on spending the last chapter of his career on a team trying to win it all in the next couple years.
Calling on Askarov
Columbus Blue Jackets
As bleak as the results have been in Ohio the past couple years, drafting Adam Fantilli third overall in 2023 and Cayden Lindstrom at No. 4 a few weeks ago has given the Jackets a potentially wonderful 1-2 duo down the middle for a long time to come.
On the back end, David Jiricek is a right-shot stud who’s ready for NHL action and 2023 first-rounder Denton Mateychuk looks like a real offence driver from the blueline.
Now what about that net?
Danill Tarasov has shown some potential, but the Elvis Merzlikins experience has not gone as Columbus hoped it would.
The Jackets also have an interesting potential trade chip in forward Kent Johnson. The fifth-overall pick from 2021 has had ups and down so far in the NHL, but there’s undoubtably real offensive ability in that long, lanky frame.
Carolina Hurricanes
While Canes goalies have, at times, been superb at different points of the past few years, it’s fair to say Carolina has just never fully settled the crease. Pyotr Kochetkov, 25, looks like a keeper, while Frederik Andersen has just one year left on his contract and only limited trade protection. Pairing Askarov with Kochetkov long-term could be an incredible combination in an age where teams heavily rely on two goalies — especially if they’re both good.
Before Saros inked an extension to stay in Tennessee, we often saw his name appear on trade big boards and Carolina was certainly one of the squads we all mentally drew a line to. Maybe the Canes change course and target a younger Nashville goalie. With the future of restricted free agent Cane Martin Necas still up in the air, who knows, maybe he could be sent the other way as part of a bigger swap.
Calling on both
New Jersey Devils
Hey, the Devils solved their short-term goalie woes this summer, why not go out and take care of the big picture, too?
Jacob Markstrom, acquired from the Flames in June, is under contract for two more seasons. Jake Allen, plucked from Montreal ahead of the trade deadline, is locked down for just one more year. The former is already 34, the latter hits that age in August.
If Askarov could be patient for one more season, there sure seems to be an opportunity to play a huge role on what should be a very good club for a long time. And, when we’re talking about mid-30s goalies, there’s that much more of a chance the injury bug strikes and Askarov is called upon almost immediately.
As for McGroarty, the Devils have a lot of young talent up front, but lack a little of the sandpaper element the Michigan Wolverine could bring.
The Devils also have a couple interesting pieces they could choose to put in play. Dawson Mercer is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract, while Seamus Casey — McGroarty’s teammate at Michigan the past two seasons — is a right-shot, offence-minded defenceman in an organization that already has young studs Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec locked into the defence corps.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks’ rebuild suddenly looks like the real thing with 2024 picks Macklin Celebrini and Sam Dickinson joining prime 2023 selections Will Smith and Quentin Musty. McGroarty could definitely be a nice winger for either Celebrini or Smith down the road, while Askarov might be the perfect tender to play behind a blueline anchored by Dickinson.
The Sharks’ battery is currently MacKenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek, with both goalies eligible to become UFAs next July and not exactly entrenched as trusted puckstoppers right now.
San Jose also has Vegas’ 2025 first-round pick already in its backpocket, so it could dangle that selection while still hanging onto its own pick to try and get yet another prime prospect in the 2025 draft.
