Preds Prospect Report: Askarov, Stastney Selected for AHL All-Star Classic

Two weeks into 2024, a number of Nashville Predators prospects from around the globe continue to have impressive seasons.

Click here for this week’s prospect report, and catch up on some of the biggest prospect storylines from the past week below:

AHL

On Wednesday, goaltender Yaroslav Askarov and defenseman Spencer Stastney were tapped to participate in the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose.

The nomination caps off a stellar week for Askarov, who was named AHL Player of the Week for the third time in his career on Monday after stopping 56 shots in back-to-back shutout wins over the Colorado Eagles.

Askarov is second among qualified AHL goaltenders in goals-against average (2.14), tied for fifth in save percentage (.920) and shutouts (2) and tied for 10th in wins (10). He has additionally earned wins in six of his last seven outings and earned his first NHL win in a 27-save effort against the Washington Capitals last month.

The nod is the second of Askarov’s young professional career; he received his first All-Star Classic nomination during his debut season with Milwaukee last year.

The nomination is the first of Stastney’s career. The blueliner has a pair of goals and eight assists after 27 games with the Admirals. Stasney shares the lead among Ads blueliners in plus-minus with a +10 rating.

The Mequon, Wisc., native has skated in 17 career games with Nashville, and recorded his first NHL goal against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 24.

Click here to learn more about the AHL All-Star Classic.

ECHL

Predators offensive prospect Nolan Burke checked off a big bucket list item after scoring the first goal of his North American professional career on Saturday.

The 21-year-old forward has three points in nine outings with the Predators ECHL affiliate Atlanta Gladiators in his debut professional season. 

Undrafted, the Peterborough, Ont., native recorded 82 points (50g-32a) in 56 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting last season.

CHL

Predators defensive prospect Graham Sward continues to turn heads in the Western Hockey League. 

Selected 146th overall in the 2022 draft, the 20-year-old blueliner leads all WHL defensemen in assists (43) and points (52) and is tied for 13th among all WHL skaters in points.

Sward leads his Wenatchee Wild club in assists and is second in points. He is currently on a four-game point streak (2g-4a) and tallied three assists in his last outing on Saturday. 

NCAA

Forward prospect Aiden Fink continues to have an impressive rookie campaign with Penn State. 

The 19-year-old forward leads the Nittany Lions in assists (15) and points (26) and is second in goals; Fink is additionally tied for first among NCAA freshmen in points.

Nashville’s 218th pick of the 2023 draft recorded his fourth game with at least three points on Saturday and has tallied five points (2g-3a) in his last four games. 

Europe

Juha Jatkola captured the attention of the hockey world - and a certain Predators goaltending legend - when he scored a goalie goal from behind the red line and notched an assist in a Finnish Liiga game on Saturday.

Jatkola is currently 7-8-4 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage in his second season with Liiga’s KalPa club.