The Top 10 NHL Goalie Prospects

*This archive was originally written by Matthew Zator

Drafting and developing a franchise goaltender is tough. It is made so difficult because there is a set learning curve at the position. Traditionally, netminders develop at a much slower pace than skaters. When the mental part of the game is factored in, it is no wonder that so many top prospects never hit the big time. With that being said, it is time to take a look at the top 10 NHL goaltending prospects.

By the end of the 2025-26 season at each level, a handful of goaltending prospects stood out in big ways and took their games to another level, while others have had less-than-stellar performances for their respective teams. The 2026 NHL Entry Draft had plenty of strong netminders, but as of now, none crack the top ten list heading into the 2026-27 season.

As far as criteria go, a goaltender is no longer considered a prospect if he has played more than 25 NHL games in any single season, more than 50 career NHL games, or is older than age 23 as of Aug. 2026.

Honorable Mentions: Ilya Nabokov (Colorado Avalanche), Yegor Zauragin (Philadelphia Flyers), Carl Lindbom (Vegas Golden Knights), Lucas Beckman (Ottawa Senators)

10. Hampton Slukynsky, 21, Los Angeles Kings

After making the jump from the junior ranks (United States Hockey League) to the collegiate ranks two seasons ago, Hampton Slukynsky was great at Western Michigan University. In his freshman season, he helped lead the Broncos to a National Championship while also being a part of the 2025 United States World Junior Championship (WJC) gold medal-winning team. He built off of that this past season, putting up a 27-11-1 record, with a 2.30 goals-against average (GAA), and a .915 save percentage (SV%).

When watching Slukynsky play in net, it is easy to notice his energy and athleticism. He moves around the net very well and has the poise to stay calm under pressure when facing high-danger scoring chances from his opponents. He also has the flexibility and mobility to recover well in tough situations and make saves that seem to be out of the question, while also taking away space for opponents. He made his professional debut at the end of last season, playing in two games with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) and giving up only one goal in each. Watching how he fully adjusts to the professional ranks this upcoming season along with fellow Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect, Carter George, will be something to keep an eye on for Kings fans.

9. Carter George, 20, Los Angeles Kings

After spending the first two-plus seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Owen Sound Attack, Carter George finally ended up on a team in the hunt to make a run at the OHL Championship at the 2026 trade deadline, being dealt to the Soo Greyhounds. In his time with the Attack, George was one of the OHL’s top netminders but didn’t have the team success many had hoped for. With the Greyhounds, he had the team in front of him to succeed and put up a 13-8-3 record in just 24 regular season games.

What stands out the most in the Kings’ 2024 second-round pick is his all-around game in the net. He is very fundamentally sound in the crease and has all of the pieces to be a high-end netminder. While he may not be the biggest in size (6-foot-1), George uses his compact stance and movements to fill the net very well. He will be making the full-time jump to the professional level this upcoming season with the Reign and should end up splitting time with Slukynsky. With both of these goaltenders in their system, the Kings’ future looks bright from the backend of the ice.

8. Mikhail Yegorov, 20, New Jersey Devils

In his first full collegiate season at Boston University, New Jersey Devils prospect Mikhail Yegorov had a solid season as a 20-year-old. While he struggled at times with consistency and rebound control, he still put up a 16-15-2 record, with a 2.73 GAA and a .904 SV%. For his size (6-foot-5), he moves around the net very well and takes up plenty of room in the net. He is great at setting up quickly and squaring up to shooters to eliminate angles for high-danger scoring opportunities.

Heading into his second full season of college hockey, if Yegorov can find the consistency and overall play that made him a second-round pick in 2024, he has a strong chance to climb up these rankings come the end of the season. Taking the next jump in his development will go a long way towards the Devils having a strong goaltender of the future.

7. Jack Ivankovic, 19, Nashville Predators

Jack Ivankovic left the OHL and played college hockey in his draft-year plus-one season at the University of Michigan, where he was great behind one of the country’s best teams. The Nashville Predators’ second-round pick in the 2025 Draft, Ivankovic plays a great fundamental game and is as steady as they come in the crease. In his freshman season as a Wolverine, he tallied the second-most wins (25) and ranked in the top ten in both GAA and SV%.

Ivankovic’s strong season was also headlined by being one of the netminders for Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC) and having a solid showing. If he can roll into this season with Michigan and have another strong season, there is no reason he will not be the lead man in the crease for the Canadians at the 2027 tournament and should be on the shortlist of goaltenders looking to win the Mike Richter Award (NCAA’s top goaltender) come the end of the season. The future of the goaltender position looks strong for the Predators with Ivankovic developing and in tow.

6. Joshua Ravensbergen, 19, San Jose Sharks

After making the Canadian WJC roster for the 2026 tournament, Joshua Ravensbergen was a spectator for the games, as he did not get in the net in any of them. But what he did in his draft-year plus-one season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Prince George Cougars was impressive, to say the least. He put up the league’s most wins (32), SV% (.919), and the fourth-best GAA (2.51). He was great all season long for the Cougars and proved exactly why the San Jose Sharks picked him in the first round of the 2025 Draft.

He is another netminder with great size, standing 6-foot-5, and he plays a great, fundamentally sound game in the crease. He rarely finds himself out of position, and if he is, he finds a way to recover and make great saves. Heading into this season, Ravensbergen will have big shoes to fill as he heads to Michigan State University to help fill the hole left by Trey Augustine. As with many junior players heading to the college game, seeing how he performs against older competition will be something to watch. There is little reason to believe he won’t succeed given his development over the past few seasons, and with another strong season, he should have a strong chance to be in the mix for a bigger role for Canada at the 2027 WJC.

5. Sebastian Cossa, 23, Utah Mammoth

Ever since being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2021 Draft, eyes have been carefully watching Sebastian Cossa. After struggling in the early stages of his professional career, the big netminder found his footing in the AHL and became one of the league’s best goaltenders over the past couple of seasons. But in the second half of last season, Cossa struggled with his overall play and was eventually taken over by Michal Postava as the starter for the Grand Rapids Griffins. Even so, his 26 wins ranked third-best, and he ranked in the top ten in both GAA and SV%.

There is plenty to love about Cossa’s game, as he has the athleticism and mobility in the net to be a shutdown netminder. The biggest question for him heading into the season after being traded from the Red Wings to the Mammoth is whether he can work his way onto the opening night roster. He has plenty of professional playing experience but never got a true shot in Detroit; with a change of scenery, he could become the netminder many believed he would be after being the first goaltender drafted in 2021.

4. Michael Hrabal, 21, Utah Mammoth

The second Utah Mammoth goaltender on this list, Michael Hrabal, has the size teams love in their goaltenders, standing 6-foot-7. At his size, Hrabal moves around the crease well and takes up plenty of room in the net to take away shooting lanes for opponents. His size also lets him see around and over screens in front of him and anticipate the play. He had yet another superb season at UMass last season, putting up a 19-9-1 record with a 1.95 GAA and a .937 SV%, ranking in the top five in both statistical categories among netminders who played in at least 15 games.

After UMass’ season concluded, Hrabal made his professional debut in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners and was solid in the five games he played in (3-1-1, 2.96 GAA), and with Cossa now in the organization, this upcoming season will be a big one to see how Hrabal performs in a full season at the professional level. If he can translate his collegiate success, the Mammoth could end up having a strong one-two duo of the future in the net with him and Cossa.

3. Sergei Murashov, 22, Pittsburgh Penguins

After getting a cup of coffee at the NHL level last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season (1-1-2, 2.56 GAA, .897 SV%), Sergei Murashov spent the rest of the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL and proved that there is not much left for him to show at the minor league level of hockey. He put up a 24-9-4 record with a 2.20 GAA and four shutouts for the “Baby Penguins” and was impressive every step of the way. He has the all-around game in the crease to make the routine saves, while also having the ability to flash the leather and make some highlight-reel saves.

Heading into this season, Murashov has a strong chance to at least break training camp on the NHL roster, with Arturs Silovs as the only goaltender returning from last season’s Penguins roster. After having a few growing pains last season, the young Russian netminder has the chance to take the reins as the goaltender of the future for the Penguins.

2. Trey Augustine, 21, Detroit Red Wings

Trey Augustine finished his collegiate career at Michigan State University on a high note, putting up a 24-9-1 record, ranking in the top-ten in SV% (sixth-best at .929), and wins (third-most) among goaltenders who played 15 games last season. His season culminated in winning the Mike Richter Award and being a Hobey Baker Award finalist (NCAA’s top player). He allowed two or fewer goals in 22 of the 34 games he played last season for the Spartans and signed his ELC after the season ended.

While only playing in three games with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL this past season (0-2-0, 3.39 SV%), it is expected that Augustine is going to get plenty of playing time with the Griffins this season in his first professional season. After seeing Michal Postava break out last season, it is likely that the two will be splitting time in the crease this season, but Augustine has all of the makings to become a cornerstone netminder that the Red Wings have long been looking for.

1. Jacob Fowler, 21, Montreal Canadiens

After his first full professional season this past season, Jacob Fowler has done nothing to give up the top spot amongst NHL goaltender prospects heading into the 2026-27 season. The 2023 third-round pick split time between the AHL with the Laval Rocket and the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens. In 17 regular-season games at the NHL level, Fowler compiled a 9-6-2 record, with a 2.43 GAA and a .908 SV%, and looked really solid. He looked great for the Rocket as well, putting up a 19-7-2 record while posting the AHL’s sixth-best SV% (.916) and fifth-best GAA (2.23) among all goaltenders who played at least 20 games.

Fowler has all of the tools and potential to become the franchise goaltender that the Canadiens have long looked for since Carey Price was at the top of his game, but the question heading into this season is whether Fowler can break into the opening-night roster with both Jakub Dobes and Sam Montembeault under contract, or if he will end up in Laval once again. After a great collegiate career at Boston College and a successful first professional season, the future looks really strong in the crease for the Canadiens thanks to Fowler.