The Utah Hockey Club‘s (10-11-4) goaltending has already been through ups and downs in their first 25 games in the NHL. Connor Ingram started six of the first seven games, but he suffered an upper-body injury on Nov. 20, and hasn’t returned. Karel Vejmelka was given the nod in six of the team’s last seven games, while Jaxson Stauber was called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Tucson Roadrunners to be backup. On Nov. 30, Stauber earned his first-career shutout against the Vegas Golden Knights. His 29-save performance made him a promising backup option while Ingram recovers.
Here’s a look at Utah’s goalies in the NHL, AHL and junior leagues.
NHL: Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka
Both Ingram and Vejmelka have started 13 games for Utah. Here are their stats:
Ingram: 6-4-3 record, 3.61 goals-against average (GAA), .871 save percentage (SV%) and a league-worst minus-10.9 goals saved above expected. Top performance: Oct. 30 against the Calgary Flames — 30 saves and posted a .968 SV%.
Vejmelka: 3-7-1 record, 2.38 GAA (90th percentile among NHL goalies), .917 SV% and plus-12 goals saved above excepted (third-best in the NHL). He also ranks in the 97th percentile for high-danger save percentage with a .865 SV%. Top performance: Nov. 13 against the Carolina Hurricanes — stopped 49 shots and notched a .980 SV%.
Although Ingram has the better record, Vejmelka has been statistically the better goalie overall so far. If the Czechian-born netminder can continue his early-season success, he should be head coach André Tourigny’s top choice to man the crease. Ingram is set to make a $1.95 million average annual value (AAV) for the next two seasons. After a career-best campaign in 2023-24, in which he tied for the league lead in shutouts with six, he has had a shaky start to the season.
Vejmelka is in the last year of his $2.725 million AAV contract. The 6-foot-4, 224-pound goalie was the Arizona Coyotes’ starter in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before losing the starting position to Ingram in the second half of last season. He is also one of the few right-handed goalies in the league, making him tough to read.
Related: Coyotes’ Karel Vejmelka Defies Odds, Makes 23-Man Roster
Regardless of who Utah’s coaching staff decides to start as the season progresses, at $5 million combined in salary, the team is spending a lot less on goaltending than most NHL franchises.
AHL: Jaxson Stauber, Matthew Villalta, and Dylan Wells
The Roadrunners have slotted three different goaltenders into the lineup with Stauber’s recent call-up. Here are their stats:
Stauber: 5-2-0-0 record, 2.29 GAA and a .930 SV%.
Villalta: 4-6-0-0 record, 3.35 GAA and a .890 SV%.
Wells: 1-0-0 record, 3.64 GAA and a .853 SV%.
Stauber, signed as a free agent during the offseason, recorded an 18-8-3-2 record, 2.85 GAA and a .902 SV% with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL last season. The 25-year-old is on a one-year make-it-or-break deal worth $775,000. As of now, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound goalie has performed to a higher standard than the value of his contract.
Last season, Villalta’s 31 wins led the AHL and he represented Tucson at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic along with forwards Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan. The Los Angeles Kings’ 2017 third-round pick earned a start with the Coyotes last season in a February game against the Edmonton Oilers when he allowed five goals. This season has also been tough for the 25-year-old.
Wells has bounced around the NHL, AHL and the ECHL over the past three seasons. The 26-year-old served as Villalta’s backup in 2023-24 and finished with a 10-5-3-1 record, a 3.28 GAA and a .898 SV%. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has suited up for more games with the Allen Americans of the ECHL than the Roadrunners this season. With being Stauber called up, Wells is looking to solidify his position in Tucson as the team’s backup.
Utah’s Other Notable Goaltenders
Arizona’s 2023 second-round pick Michael Hrabal is thriving at the NCAA Division I level with University of Massachusetts Minutemen. The Praha, Czechia native has a 2.55 GAA and a .913 SV% in 14 games this season. The towering 6-foot-6, 209-pound goalie has the ability to stand tall over most of his opponents, aiding his vision when shots come through traffic. If the 19-year-old continues his impressive start to his college career, Utah could sign him to his entry-level contract (ELC) as soon as next season.
Rasmus Korhonen was the Coyotes’ 2021 fourth-round selection. The 22-year-old has played in three different leagues and countries, including the AHL (United States), Liiga (Finland’s top hockey league) and now, HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden’s second-highest professional league). The Finnish netminder has gained valuable experience going toe-to-toe with three well-known hockey nations. In 2021-22, he played five games for the Roadrunners and recorded a 2-2-0-0 record, 2.98 GAA and a .889 SV%. Playing for Västerås IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan this season, the 6-foot-5, 203-pound goaltender is having a setback season with a 9-11-0 record, 3.05 GAA and a .893 SV%. If he wants to sign his ELC, he will need to turn around his season as his contract rights expire June 1, 2025.
Overall, Hrabal highlights the top of Utah’s goalie prospects. While Ingram and Vejmelka are a serviceable tandem for now, the clock is ticking as both of their contracts expire in the coming years.