There are very few "sure things" when it comes to drafting NHL goalies, and therefore you only see few get picked in the first round...
First-round goalie success stories include...Martin Brodeur, Carey Price, Grant Fuhr, and Andrei Vasilevski....and this year we will see another one....
Yaroslav Askarov...
He is considered to be one of the best goalie prospects from Russia in years and when you consider that 3 of the final 4 NHL teams were led by Russian Goalies, the biggest Goalie contract ever was signed last year by a Russian Goalie, and the Rangers and Capitals are about to be taken over by absolute blue-chip Russian goalies.....Yaroslav Askarov is a pretty big deal.
How early he gets taken is the big question. Who takes the leap? And whats perhaps the even bigger Question: Who might be looking to trade up for this kid?
I am told there will be a ton of interest....and when you look at the NHL, there really should be.