Shortly after Yaroslav Askarov openly requested a trade from the Nashville Predators, he was sent to the San Jose Sharks in a six-player trade.
Along with Askarov, Nolan Burke and a 2025 third-round pick were sent to San Jose in exchange for Magnus Chrona, David Edstrom and a 2025 first-round pick. Given how Barry Trotz has performed as the Predators’ general manager thus far, there wasn’t much of a chance that Nashville would simply throw away their best trade asset in Askarov.
Related: Nashville Predators trade Yaroslav Askarov to San Jose Sharks
David Edstrom
While some might argue that the first-round pick received in the trade was the prime target in return to use for an upgrade later, Edstrom is not a prospect to overlook. Drafted 32nd overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, he is a 6’3 center.
Edstrom already has some professional experience, having split last season between the SHL for Frolunda HC and International-Jr for Sweden U20. He played 44 games in the SHL, scoring seven goals and 19 points. But this wasn’t even his first taste of the SHL. The young center played 11 games in Sweden’s top professional league the season before, scoring two goals and four points.
To gain professional experience at such a young age and be able to handle it the way Edstrom has is very valuable. Don’t think Trotz was just looking for a top prospect in a trade for Askarov. It seems like he was looking at centers that could potentially be a top 6 prospect in the near future. Edstrom fits that bill.
Magnus Chrona
Chrona is a 24-year-old goalie who is certainly not on the same level as Askarov, but he is a real goalie returning to Nashville as the organization is a bit thin.
Chrona is nothing special and completed his first season as a pro after four years at the University of Denver. He split the 2023-24 season between the ECHL, AHL and NHL. He had great numbers in all four seasons during his time in college, but it should take some time to get used to professional hockey with better shooters.
He played 31 games in the AHL, finishing with a 3.49 GAA and .894 SV%, then was called up by the Sharks for nine games where he posted a 4.71 GAA and .859 SV%. It wasn’t an ideal situation playing behind the worst team in the league.
Chrona will be with the Milwaukee Admirals this season. The team should be pretty solid for him, so the expectation is that with a year of harder shots and more skill coming his way, and a better defensive team, his numbers will improve. If that doesn’t happen, it won’t be a complete loss, as Chrona isn’t a UFA until 2028. The backup role in Nashville won’t open for at least two more seasons, and the starting position is set for the long term.
The Predators got a strong return for a young goalie who worked his way through the organization, and both prospects have a chance to make a difference. We’ll see how it goes from here, but the Askarov situation shouldn’t be an issue heading into training camp.
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