
The save of the season!
Yaroslav Askarov is quickly making a name for himself with the San Jose Sharks, and his latest highlight might be one that hockey fans will be watching on repeat for the rest of the season.
The young goaltender delivered an absolutely spectacular diving glove save on Ottawa Senators forward Drake Batherson this evening, producing the kind of jaw-dropping moment that could end up being remembered as the best save of the entire 2026-27 NHL season. With Batherson looking poised to finish the scoring chance, Askarov somehow managed to stretch across the crease and get his glove on the puck, robbing the Senators forward of what appeared to be a sure goal.
It was an incredible display of athleticism, reflexes and desperation from a goaltender who has been generating plenty of excitement in San Jose.
Check it out:
Askarov's recent performances have been a mixed bag, but there are encouraging signs that the 24-year-old netminder is capable of becoming the long-term answer in goal for the Sharks. He entered Thursday's matchup looking to build on a strong individual performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs, when he stopped 29 of 31 shots despite San Jose suffering a 3-1 defeat.
Of course, spectacular saves alone won't be enough to establish Askarov as a legitimate No. 1 goaltender. Consistency remains the biggest challenge for the young Russian, who is still learning how to translate his remarkable athletic ability into reliable night-to-night performances.
However, the talent is undeniable. Askarov has the explosive reflexes, flexibility and competitive fire required to make saves that few other goaltenders could even attempt. His diving robbery of Batherson was a perfect example of those abilities coming together at precisely the right moment.
For a Sharks team continuing to develop its young core around superstar Macklin Celebrini, finding out whether Askarov can become a dependable starting goaltender is one of the organization's most important priorities.
If Thursday night's highlight is any indication, the former first-round pick certainly has the potential to deliver some unforgettable moments along the way. And while it's still early in the 2026-27 campaign, Askarov may have already produced the save of the season.
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A lifelong hockey fan with a background in professional writing for major international brands, Trevor joined Attraction Media in 2017. Since then, he's been breaking news, analyzing moves and serving up hot takes from around the hockey world for Hockey Feed's 500,000+ followers.
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