Quoting: MattyBeniersCommonW
We arent trading Askarov. If you are trying to make an MTL goalie trade with NSH then Saros would be better
He'd be the first goalie you drafted taken in the first 3 rounds to make it in NSH.
You traditionally trade guys like him for picks you stock pile
25 goalies in 24 years and only 4 started regularly from your draft group .
You went out and got Vokoun who you then flipped for a Record Settting return for a Goalie (if there's one higher, i cant find it)
You got Dan Ellis to replace him during the Transition from Mason to Rinne (8th round pick NSH acquired )
You got Hutton to replace him after Ellis was traded for S. Kostitsyn who 50 and 43 points his first 2 years after acquired with 40 goals over 2 years.
They moved Hutton when Saros was ready.(4th round pick acquired with Gaustad in what many considered a blown trade by Poilie )
You moved or released Vejmelka , Lindback, Helberg and many other Goalies you drafted while rocking the Rinne-Saros tandem.
Then when Rinne Retired and NSH tried Riitch and Ingram before finding lankinen who's been a great Tandem partner with Saros who's the same age but the Veteran of many more seasons.
More likely you move Askarov to stock pile picks and replace him in your system via the draft then to move out Lankinen after just one year based on your GM's long history with his own draft picks.
That coupled with the fact no one gets higher returns for Goalies in NHL history then Poilie whether its Lindback return from TBL or Vokoun return from FLA
If he can do that getting multiple picks in a rare draft stacked with Centers ,RD and Goalies throughout the draft.
But it all depends on the deal and timing of the deal most important.
It would have to be at the draft with a player or two on the board he likes as there's 3-4 quality goalies in the late 1st to early 4th round .
That said im not sure MTL is willing to pay that price
A team like COL on the other hand is in a unique position where a goalie of that level on a ELC might be worth a 1st rounder they rarely trade.
Teams with Cap Crunch and Goalie issues depth wise the next 5 years will pay more then MTL will.
We're more interested in buying low on a Carter Hart type but really we're better off just letting our 3 goalies fight it out atleast another year.