Indeed, the rumor was circulating yesterday that Barry Trotz had offered the highly promising young goaltender Yaroslav Askarov along with the 15th and 24th overall picks to acquire the Canadiens' first-round pick. According to the information reported by Pierre LeBrun, Kent Hughes did receive a proposal involving the world's top goaltender not yet playing in the NHL in exchange for the 5th overall pick in the draft.
Askarov, a 21-year-old goaltender standing at 6'4", had an excellent season in his first year in the AHL, collecting 26 wins in 48 games while maintaining a .911 save percentage and a 2.69 goals against average. The Russian is considered by many experts to be the top goaltending prospect and will undoubtedly become a star in the NHL.
It seems that the Canadiens were truly infatuated with David Reinbacher to turn down a trade that would have allowed the organization to acquire a goaltender with immense potential, one who is highly likely to develop into a top-tier goaltender in the league.
