Since 1979, the NHL has hosted the Entry Draft, once considered the Amateur Draft from 1963-1978. For this top ten list, we decided only to base our selections on players from the NHL Entry Draft since it is hard to decipher the last round in the Amateur Draft days.
Related: 10 Best First-Round Drafted Goalies in NHL History
However, as we looked through the names and statistics of the netminders chosen in the final round, only 124 of them found a team from their respective draft classes. Interestingly, only 23 goalies have skated in an NHL game, meaning that only 18.5 percent of them eventually made it.
The first goalie to make his NHL debut as a last-round player was Kari Takko in 1985, beating out Rick Knickle, a Buffalo Sabres selection from the 1979 Draft who didn’t play until 1993. Meanwhile, the latest late-round picks to make their debuts are Devon Levi (Sabres) and Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames), both seventh-round selections who made it to the NHL during the 2022-23 season.
10. Erik Källgren
212th overall 2015 (Arizona)
Erik Kallgren took seven years to make his NHL debut after being drafted in the 2015 Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. Moreover, he’s played in just 24 games and has an 11-6-5 record while helping the Toronto Maple Leafs contend in the Eastern Conference. Whether he finds a starting role or excels as a backup will determine how high he climbs on this list.
9. Andrei Trefilov
261st overall 1991 (Calgary)
Andrei Trefilov played seven seasons in the NHL, recording a 12-25-4 record with three franchises, including two tours with the Flames. Statistically, he never had a winning season, with his best mark being an 8-8 campaign with the Sabres in 1995-96.
8. Garrett Sparks
190th overall 2011 (Toronto)
The last time Garrett Sparks played in the NHL was during the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Kings. Considering the Maple Leafs had high expectations for him, he went 14-18-2 in 37 games with the team. As of 2022-23, he’s played in the American Hockey League and the ECHL in the Kings’ system.
7. Kari Takko
200th overall 1981 (Minnesota)
Kari Takko is one of the first last-round goalies to make his way to the NHL, debuting four years after the Minnesota North Stars selected him in 1981. Even though he never had a winning season, he played 142 games, finishing his career with a 37-71-14 record and one shutout.
6. Anders Lindbäck
207th overall 2008 (Nashville)
Anders Lindback had a brief 130-game career in the NHL, eventually returning to Europe, where he still plays in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). After playing with five teams in six seasons, he departed with a 42-58-8 record.
5. Anton Forsberg
188th overall 2011 (Columbus)
Anton Forsberg is one of the young players on a mission to turn the Ottawa Senators into legit contenders. Even though he blew out both knees in 2022-23, he’s on track to return in the upcoming season.
Although he’s been looking for a team to be a starter, Forsberg has shown promise in 77 games with the Senators. Thus far, he’s 36-32-7 on a team still acquiring pieces to officially end their rebuild.
4. Martin Gerber
232nd overall 2001 (Anaheim)
Martin Gerber only played seven seasons in the NHL, collecting a 113-78-21 record with five franchises. Luckily, he was with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 when they won the Stanley Cup. Although he guided the team to the playoffs, he eventually lost his starting job to Cam Ward.
Unfortunately, Gerber got a late start to his career, suiting up for the first time in the league at 28 years old, and eventually retiring at 36. Considering he only had a losing record with the Anaheim Ducks, he did pretty well for himself in terms of wins and losses.
3. Brian Elliott
291st overall 2003 (Ottawa)
Brian Elliott continues his NHL career, playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, his sixth team in 16 seasons. As another netminder with over 500 games of experience, he’s also closing in on 300 wins, a milestone many goalies seek.
Interestingly, he’s never won 30 games in a season, peaking at 29 in 2009-10. Even though he’s won a William M. Jennings Trophy, he’s been a backup since 2018, compiling a 65-39-12 record during that stretch.
2. Frederik Andersen
187th overall 2010 (Carolina)
Frederik Anderson‘s career has come full circle, now playing with the team that initially drafted him in 2010, the Hurricanes. Although he never signed with them in 2010, he reentered the draft in 2012, going to the Ducks instead.
Eventually, Andersen debuted and won the William M. Jennings Trophy with the Ducks before going to the Maple Leafs. After setting career highs in games played and wins, he returned to Carolina, where he’s led the team to back-to-back Eastern Conference Final appearances.
1. Jaroslav Halák
271st overall 2003 (Montreal)
Jaroslav Halak is a two-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner and one of the game’s most-traveled goalies, playing with seven franchises. As one of three goalies selected in the ninth round of the 2003 Entry Draft, he’s closing in on 300 wins.
Considering only 39 netminders have ever reached that plateau, Halak will find himself in some elite company when he gets to the milestone. Delegated to a backup role these days, he’s still chasing his first Stanley Cup title.
Related: NHL Draft History: Final Selections Who Defied the Odds
Historical Perspective
Overall, making it to the NHL is a challenging task. Whether playing a single game or making a career out of it, there’s no denying that players have to overcome the odds to find success. Considering everyone on this list was long shots to play in the NHL, it shows that no matter where you get drafted, you will find the results if you do the work.
