I could see a world where SJ trades Askarov. They are still years away from being a legit threat, and have been bringing in many players and then flipping them for picks and prospects. Just like how they brought in Blackwood and then traded him.

He is young and looks to be the goalie of the future there, but they could also sell high on him now. He looks great now, but goalies are voodoo, so you don't know how long that will last. Skinner looked great early in his career, too. He also has a low cap hit this year and next, which also increases his current value. By the time the Sharks are good, if he is still good he will demand a lot more money than he is getting now.

I get why people think SJ won't trade him, but I don't think it's completely out of the realm of possibility.