Top 25 NHL-affiliated goalie prospects in 2025-26
Yesterday, we checked out the top 75 NHL-affiliated skater prospects. Today, we’re examining the most unique position in the game – goaltender.
This is the third year we’ve done so, with Jesper Wallstedt taking top honors in 2023 before Yaroslav Askarov overtook him in 2024. Askarov remains in the top spot heading into 2025-26, but this is likely the last time we’ll ever consider him a prospect as he looks to make the San Jose Sharks full-time this fall.
Other goaltenders likely to graduate off this list include Ottawa’s Leevi Meriläinen, Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt and maybe even Buffalo’s Devon Levi if injuries arise. Last year, we saw Dustin Wolf (No. 3), Artūrs Šilovs (No. 8), Joel Blomqvist (No. 13), Justus Annunen (No. 16) and Alexei Kolosov (No. 20) graduate, with many others seeing the odd NHL action.
For goaltenders to be considered a prospect, the criteria are somewhat different: they must be 25 years old or younger and have played fewer than 15 games in the previous season, or they should not have spent a substantial amount of time in the NHL over the past three years. Blomqvist, for example, was promoted after playing 15 games with Pittsburgh last year.
With that in mind, here is a look at the top 25 NHL-affiliated goaltending prospects in the game today.
1. Yaroslav Askarov, 23 (San Jose Sharks)
2024-25 Rank: 1st
There’s nothing for the 6-foot-3 goaltender to accomplish in the AHL anymore. The multi-time all-star was a shining star for the Barracuda and looked like a true No. 1 at times in San Jose. It might take a few years for us to see just how good Askarov is as the Sharks continue to rebuild. But with ideal size and incredible athleticism, it’s safe to call Askarov the best goaltending prospect in the game today – just like he was a year ago. It’s time for Askarov to start living up to the billing – and he’ll have a perfect opportunity to prove that in San Jose.
2. Jacob Fowler, 20 (Montreal Canadiens)
2024-25 Rank: 5th (+3)
Samuel Montembeault might hold the crown for now, but Fowler is coming. He was one of just three NCAA goaltenders who boasted a save percentage above .940 last year, and he has played some of his best hockey against other high-end programs. Fowler is listed as 6-foot-2, but he covers the net so effectively. He’s positionally solid, mentally strong and rarely gives up a bad goal. He’ll spend some time in Laval, where he’ll look to show he can translate his game to the next stage. Fowler looked great in his limited AHL action, and while the playoffs were a bit of a mixed bag, he still looked solid as a 20-year-old who just turned pro. Cayden Primeau is out of the picture now, with Fowler having an opportunity to learn from veteran Kaapo Kahkonen this year.
3. Trey Augustine, 20 (Detroit Red Wings)
2024-25 Rank: 7th (+4)
Augustine is a proven winner – someone who doesn’t crack under pressure. Fresh off becoming the most successful American goaltender in World Junior Championship history, the 20-year-old was also one of the top NCAA keepers, as well. He’ll have one more year in college before likely turning pro and starting in Grand Rapids – hopefully taking over for Sebastian Cossa, who deserves a promotion sooner rather than later. He’s about half a foot shorter than Cossa, but Augustine has been a star at every level. I don’t expect that to change in the future.
4. Mikhail Yegorov, 19 (New Jersey Devils)
2024-25 Rank: New
Yegorov had an incredible glow-up last season. He was one of my favorite goalies in the 2024 NHL Draft but didn’t have the stats to back it up. That’s because he had to do so much heavy lifting for Omaha of the USHL, whom he eventually left halfway through the year. He then put up some outstanding performances at Boston University, with many crediting him for being one of the biggest reasons why BU advanced to the national title game. The 6-foot-5 goaltender has a great frame, and scouts love his mental toughness. Watch him shine next year in his first full year of college hockey – I see a guy with the potential to become a No. 1 goaltender one day.
5. Sebastian Cossa, 22 (Detroit Red Wings)
2024-25 Rank: 5th (+1)
I would have liked to see Cossa earn promotion to the NHL in 2025-26, but the acquisition of John Gibson might prevent that. The 22-year-old had a remarkable season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, putting up some of the league’s best numbers for the second straight year. The Red Wings were smart about his development – they sent him to the ECHL for his first year of pro hockey instead of rushing him to the Griffins in 2022-23. Since then, he’s been an absolute force and even won in his NHL debut last season. The 6-foot-6 goaltender has a great frame, is fundamentally sound and has some of the most powerful legs you’ll find of any prospect.
6. Joshua Ravensbergen, 18 (San Jose Sharks)
2024-25: New
Given the Sharks already had Askarov, it was a bit surprising to see them take Ravensbergen. But in this day and age, there’s no such thing as having too many high-end goaltenders. At 6-foot-5, Ravensbergen has incredible size, great athleticism, and a calm demeanor. Put them together, and he’s an intriguing prospect. His numbers aren’t fantastic by any means, but he snagged wins consistently on a team that would be in a lot more trouble if he didn’t have their back. At the very least, Ravensbergen could become one of the biggest trade assets in the NHL once he turns pro and – hopefully – continues his upward trajectory.
7. Michael Hrabal, 20 (Utah Mammoth)
2024-25 Rank: 10th (+3)
I’ve had my concerns about Hrabal’s consistency in the past, but I feel much better about him after this past year in college. Between his more consistent play at the World Juniors, his improved coverage down low and his great numbers at UMass, Hrabal is coming off an excellent season as a 19-year-old. Now, headed back to Massachusetts for a third year, the focus will likely be on refining his movements, his speed and not having to rely on his frame to make big stops. Regardless, I still see him as a future starter.
8. Carter George, 19 (Los Angeles Kings)
2024-25 Rank: 24th (+16)
It was one heck of a season for George, who assumed Canada’s starting gig at the World Juniors in Ottawa. It didn’t go to plan as a team, but George was one of the best goaltenders in the tournament – no question about it. He’ll have a chance to regain the crease for 2026 in Minnesota, a tournament Canada already looks like a favorite to win. George was a monster for Owen Sound, finishing as the runner-up for the OHL goaltender of the year award despite registering a losing record. He then finished the season with a shutout in his AHL debut before winning his next start in an equally impressive effort. George was so good no matter whom he played against last year and should have a bright future, despite being a bit smaller at 6-foot-1.
9. Leevi Meriläinen, 22 (Ottawa Senators)
2024-25 Rank: New
Of all the goalies on the list, Meriläinen is the only one that played a crucial role in helping their team make the NHL postseason. Meriläinen posted an impressive 8-3-1 record with three shutouts and a .925 save percentage in just 12 games this season. He also had a 5.57 goals saved above expected, which put him second behind Dustin Wolf among all rookie goaltenders. Meriläinen is set for full-time NHL duty this season, where he’ll learn alongside the veteran Linus Ullmark on a team looking to prove the playoffs weren’t a fluke. Meriläinen is one of the best goaltending prospects in the game, and I have full faith in him becoming a long-term fixture in Ottawa.
10. Pyotr Andreyanov, 18 (Columbus Blue Jackets)
2024-25 Rank: New
Andreyanov was one of the fastest goaltenders available in the 2025 draft, which helped him become the first one off the board. Andreyanov had a tremendous season against Russian junior competition, showing some flashes of high-end ability. His save percentage was above .940 for most of the season, and while his team did score a lot, he seemed to thrive when he faced more action. His glove hand is quick, he’s reactive when he needs to be, and he doesn’t get frazzled when he lets a goal in. He signed a deal that’ll keep him in the KHL until 2030 (with an out-clause in 2029), so expect to see him on this list for years to come.
11. Devon Levi, 23 (Buffalo Sabres)
2024-25 Rank: 4th (-7)
Levi has been a star in the AHL the past two seasons, which included watching him put up seven shutouts in 2024-25. But his NHL tenure has been much more difficult, even by Buffalo standards. He just hasn’t found a way to crack the big team full-time yet, which led the Sabres to sign veteran Alex Lyon to a two-year contract this summer. So it feels like there’s a bit of a hurdle for Levi to get himself into the NHL outside of being occasional injury insurance. Despite Levi being on the smaller side, there’s still hope for him. He’s extremely athletic and battles so hard. Some would argue Levi has the most upside of any goaltender in the Sabres’ packed system – but is there a legit pathway to NHL success still? I hope so, because he’s so much fun to watch.
12. Jesper Wallstedt, 22 (Minnesota Wild)
2024-25 Rank: 2nd (-10)
Saying last year was a struggle for Wallstedt is a massive understatement. He went 9-14-5 with an .879 save percentage in Iowa and struggled mightily in his two-game run with Minnesota. But now with Marc-Andre Fleury out of the picture, Wallstedt will have the perfect opportunity to prove the Wild right for selecting him 20th overall in 2021. He’s got desirable size at 6-foot-3, and he’s quite quick, too. Next, he needs to figure out the consistency and regain his confidence. Once viewed as the top goalie prospect outside of the NHL, Wallstedt has to work extra hard to establish himself as a legit long-term goaltending option. I’m not ready to give up on Wallstedt, but this year will be crucial.
13. Ilya Nabokov, 22 (Colorado Avalanche)
2024-25 Rank: 17th (+4)
After an outstanding draft season with Magnitogorsk, he backed it up with another high-end campaign as one of the youngest starting goalies in the league. Throughout his KHL tenure, Nabokov has showed unbelievable athleticism and post-to-post movement. Scouts love his ability to move fluently in the crease, and his raw talent is going to excite quite a few people. He’s easily the top goaltender in Colorado’s system, and it’s only a matter of time until he makes his way over to the AHL after signing his NHL entry-level contract back in May. His mobility already looks NHL-ready – his glove hand needs to catch up, though.
14. Jack Ivankovic, 18 (Nashville Predators)
2024-25 Rank: New
NHL teams are all about big goaltenders, and the Predators had one in Pekka Rinne. But they’ve also bet high on smaller goalies in the past; namely Juuse Saros. Could Ivankovic, a 5-foot-11 keeper, be the next? The athletic keeper does an excellent job of tracking shots and is as competitive as they get in the crease. His save percentage wasn’t great in the OHL last year, but he’s been left hung out to dry a bit too often. More often than not, he’s finding a way to steal a game or two for the Steelheads. If he could grow to 6-foot-1, I’d have almost no real concerns with his game. I’m a big believer in Ivankovic, but he has a big hill to climb still.
15. Hampton Slukynsky, 20 (Los Angeles Kings)
2024-25 Rank: New
Between the World Junior gold (as a backup) and the NCAA national title (as a starter), it was quite the season for Slukynsky. It felt like he was always underrated – partly because he was playing high school hockey in his draft year and then dominated the USHL in his draft year plus one, when most other top prospects had already gone to the NCAA. But throughout it all, Sluknysky has been an absolute star, and he was a huge reason why Western Michigan won the national title this year. He was downright dominant at times down the stretch, and he did a tremendous job of staying calm, cool and collected whenever he needed to be. Like George, Slukynsky isn’t big at 6-foot-1, but he makes up for it with his speed and control in the crease.
16. Alexei Medvedev, 17 (Vancouver Canucks)
2024-25 Rank: New
It was a solid goalie market at the 2025 NHL Draft, and the Canucks got one that many considered to be at the top of the list. The rookie OHLer was a huge part of London’s regular season success, putting up some excellent numbers alongside CHL veteran Austin Elliott. Medvedev is a quick goalie who has a somewhat unorthodox hunch-back style, but his pure athleticism prevails more often than not. There just aren’t many flaws in how he commands the crease – scouts love him. He’ll be the No. 1 in London this year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him challenge for the top goaltender honors in the CHL.
17. Carl Lindbom, 22 (Vegas Golden Knights)
2024-25 Rank: 15 (-2)
Lindbom has been a workhorse the past few years (by young goalie standards), and he was one of the AHL’s best goalies this past season. The positionally sound goaltender is actually the smallest in the system (size isn’t everything) but he makes up for it with pure athleticism and speed. It’s one thing to impress against your own age group, but Lindbom has been a standout at just about every level so far. I fully expect him to become an NHLer, but most likely as a backup.
18. Yegor Zavragin, 19 (Philadelphia Flyers)
2024-25 Rank: New
Zavragin was one of the better junior-aged goalies in Europe last year, posting solid numbers in the KHL with HK Sochi and SKA St. Petersburg. He was then loaned back to the MHL for the playoffs and put on a clinic with some outstanding performances. Zavragin is a 6-foot-2 goaltender who moves well around the net, and his glove hand is very quick, too. Flyers fans are excited about Zavragin, and rightfully so – especially given the up-and-down nature of Philly’s crease in recent years. He’s under contract with St. Petersburg until 2027, so there’s plenty of time for him to keep pushing for more starts and control his post-to-post movements.
19. Erik Portillo, 24 (Los Angeles Kings)
2024-25 Rank: 14 (-5)
Portillo is on the verge of aging out, but we’ll hopefully see some more NHL duty from him this year. He was excellent in his debut back in November, stopping 28 of 29 shots against the Anaheim Ducks. Portillo then returned to Ontario, where he posted a great record, but his stats were… not as stunning. He primarily served as a backup to Pheonix Copley, who is back for another season – which could continue to hurt Portillo’s opportunities. I think he still has potential as a backup goaltender – and it doesn’t hurt that he’s 6-foot-6. I just wonder if he’ll need to find an opportunity elsewhere, especially once George turns pro on a full-time basis.
20. Michal Pradel, 18 (Detroit Red Wings)
2024-25 Rank: New
Count me in as an early believer in Pradel. The 6-foot-5 goaltender takes up a ton of the net, and he’s also so quick and agile, too. He was applauded for his ability to steal games in the USHL and he carried that over to the season-ending U-18 World Championship. Pradel battles hard, sees cross-crease passes well and doesn’t let a bad goal bother him. Goalies with Pradel’s size and mobility are coveted across the league, and while he has a long way to go to become a legit NHL prospect, I like his game enough right now to feel confident in his placement.
21. Semyon Frolov, 18 (Carolina Hurricanes)
2024-25 Rank: New
Frolov was one of the top goaltenders in the 2025 NHL Draft, and the Hurricanes clearly liked what they saw. The 6-foot-3 keeper has ideal size, he’s athletic and he tracks shots well, allowing him to come out on top in 2-on-0 situations quite often. He has all the makings of a solid, smart, calm goaltender who doesn’t let many bad goals in, and I love the way he moves from post to post. Frolov’s KHL contract goes until 2027, so there’s still plenty of time to develop back home before making the jump over.
22. Jakub Dobeš, 24 (Montreal Canadiens)
2024-25 Rank: New
Dobeš played more NHL games than AHL games last year, so he was almost eliminated from this list. But given that he only played 16 NHL games, I decided to let him stay. Dobeš started as Montreal’s third-stringer last year but stole the backup job from Cayden Primeau and never looked back. He had a shutout in his NHL debut, and while he had some iffier starts down the stretch, his play midway through the year is partly to thank for Montreal’s playoff appearance. He’ll be Samuel Montembeault’s backup again this year, and while I’m not convinced Dobes is anything more than a backup, I think he can be an important piece of this team for a few more years while Fowler develops in Laval.
23. Lucas Beckman, 18 (Ottawa Senators)
2024-25 Rank: New
Goalies are unpredictable, but Beckman could be an interesting pick by the Senators. He had a monster season in the QMJHL and won a pair of golds as Canada’s backup at two U-18 events. Beckman isn’t massive at 6-foot-2 but he moves very well in his crease, although he can overreact to chances at times. Still, scouts see a lot of upside here, especially after going from a AAA goaltender a year ago to one of the best in the CHL. I’m excited to see how he does in his second year in the Q before potentially challenging for the starting gig on Canada’s 2027 World Junior team.
24. Dylan Garand, 23 (New York Rangers)
2024-25 Rank: 21st (-3)
There are still some firm believers in Garand, who is coming off his best season to date with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. The 23-year-old might be small at six-foot, but he’s exceptionally quick laterally. He has done a solid job at becoming more aggressive at the top of his crease, helping to offset some of the size concerns. The reality is that Dustin Wolf is the exception, not the rule. Will Garand be able to make it as an NHL backup? Maybe when Jonathan Quick retires, but I’m still not 100 percent convinced he’ll become a full-timer. At the very least, I want to see him given a real chance.
25. Drew Commesso, 23 (Chicago Blackhawks)
2024-25 Rank: 12th (-13)
Many have given up on the 23-year-old as a future NHLer, but I’m not ready to do that just yet. He had a solid season in the AHL, going 18-15-6 with four shutouts and a .911 save percentage. Commesso also saw his first NHL action, ultimately allowing four goals to the Devils in December. He doesn’t overeact on shots too often and has a good glove hand. His consistency can be an issue, though, and it feels like he needs to steal games a bit more than he is. Commesso will have a hard time getting to the NHL with Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom holding the fort but will make things very interesting if he has another strong year in Rockford.
Other notables: Adam Gajan (Chicago Blackhawks); Callum Tung (New York Rangers); Carson Bjarnason (Philadelphia Flyers); Sergei Murashov (Pittsburgh Penguins), Niklas Kokko (Seattle Kraken); Dennis Hildeby (Toronto Maple Leafs)
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