Yaroslav Askarov’s season didn’t open the way he hoped.
The 23-year-old Sharks goalie stumbled out of the gate, fighting to improve his technique and his confidence. But in November, he quietly became one of San Jose’s most reliable performers; both he and his coach credit that turnaround to mindset, maturity, and a little bit of swagger.
Reflecting on his early struggles, Askarov didn’t shy away from the honesty.
“Wasn’t a great time. Wasn’t playing great in the beginning,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alan Hoshida. “So that can happen sometimes, ups and downs. That’s why we’re playing this game. That’s why we love this game. Because every day is a new challenge.”
As losses stacked up, he said the biggest hurdle wasn’t mechanical — it was mental.
“In the beginning of the season, I was thinking much, I would say, overthinking, and I couldn’t find … how I felt myself in the last year, and I got that feeling back,” Askarov explained. “So hopefully going to keep that as long as possible.”
So far in 2025, Askarov has posted a 2.97 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage — numbers that reflect how sharply his play has stabilized since his early-season struggles.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky has seen the shift, too, and says it’s been dramatic.
“He looks calm. He looks locked in,” Warsofsky told Hoshida. “For sure, his mental toughness from having a slow start has really helped him probably grow and mature as a goalie in this league, and his work ethic has climbed up a little bit through practices.”
Warsofsky said Askarov’s November leap has been as much about personality as performance.
“He’s got his swagger back,” Warsofsky added. “And you need to have swagger and a confidence about yourself to be No. 1 goalie in this league, and you need to be able to move on to the next one pretty quickly, but also have accountability when you know you can be better. And he’s we’ve seen that.”
Warsofsky noted that Askarov already has done his share of lifting the group this season, and the Sharks are committed to returning the favor when needed.
“He’s played some really good hockey for us, and ultimately, probably won us a lot of games,” Warsofsky shared. “And the way his season has gone, he’s picked us up, and we’ll pick him up as we go. … This is not a perfect game. It’s a game of mistakes. At the end of the day, it’s the ones who can limit the mistakes the most and can correct them the quickest.”
The early season may have rattled him, but the swagger — and the results — officially have returned.
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