SAN JOSE >> The San Jose Sharks certainly believe that Yaroslav Askarov has the potential to become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL. However, the organization’s top goaltending prospect will first be spending more time in the minors.

The Sharks assigned a now-healthy Askarov to the Barracuda of the AHL on Friday, allowing him the chance to get back into game shape after he missed the first two weeks of training camp with a lower-body injury.

Askarov, 22, practiced with the Barracuda on Friday morning but did not travel with the team for its first preseason road game that night in Bakersfield.

Askarov, who was injured shortly before camp began, got back on the ice earlier this week as he and a group of injured Sharks players — including defensemen Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body) and Shakir Mukhamadullin (lower body) — began skating on their own.

How long Askarov stays in the AHL will likely depend on how quickly he can get up to speed, how well he plays upon his return, and whether either of the two Sharks goalies — Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek — gets injured. According to Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, Askarov also had a visa issue on his way back to North America, delaying his arrival in San Jose.

Had Askarov been healthy from the start of camp and could show that he was ready for the NHL, there was a chance of the Sharks keeping three goalies for the start of the season. At least general manager Mike Grier didn’t dismiss the idea after he acquired Askarov in August.

Nevertheless, there appears to be no need to rush Askarov to the NHL at this stage.

“He’s behind, right?” Warsofsky said. “He didn’t practice with us throughout training camp, wasn’t involved in the rookie tournament (in El Segundo) and (with the visa issue), probably wanted to come over a little bit sooner.

“So he’s behind, just like every other guy, Vlasic, Mukhamadullin, they’ve missed some time. So, it’s good to get him down there and get going here with full practices. When he gets in a game, he’s in a game.”

In his first two seasons in North America, Askarov had a .911 save percentage and nine shutouts in 92 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. Askarov played two games with Nashville last season but spent most of the year with Milwaukee, where he had a 30-13-1 record, a 2.39 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage with six shutouts.

Askarov felt he was ready for the next step in his career but believed his pathway to a full-time NHL job had been blocked in Nashville after the Predators signed No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros to a long-term extension and inked journeyman goalie Scott Wedgewood to a two-year deal as a free agent.

A trade request by Askarov’s camp ensued, and nearly a year of talks between Grier and Predators GM Barry Trotz culminated in one of the more noteworthy trades of the summer.

The Sharks sent prospect center David Edstrom, goalie Magnus Chrona and a 2025 first-round pick originally owned by the Vegas Golden Knights to the Predators for Askarov, forward Nolan Burke and a 2025 third-round draft pick previously owned by the Colorado Avalanche.

After the trade was completed, the Sharks quickly affirmed their belief in Askarov, signing him to a two-year extension worth $4 million to keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season. Askarov, drafted 11th overall by Nashville in 2020, is in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Vanecek started Friday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center, but it was not immediately known what goalie would start the Sharks’ final preseason game tonight in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights.

CELEBRINI SKATES >> Warsofsky said he believed Macklin Celebrini (lower-body injury) skated Friday morning but could not say how the 18-year-old felt afterward. It’s unclear whether Celebrini would play tonight if able, or when he might be able to rejoin the team for practice. The Sharks open the regular season on Thursday at home against the St. Louis Blues.