Breakthrough: Some young goalies have started to force their way into the spotlight. So far this season, it has been done by Jesper Wallstedt for the Minnesota Wild, Brandon Bussi of the Carolina Hurricanes, Yaroslav Askarov with the San Jose Sharks, Akira Schmid with the Vegas Golden Knights, Arturs Silovs for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jet Greaves on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Breakthrough Devin Cooley with the Calgary Flames, and even Colten Ellis for the Buffalo Sabres as they like him enough to play keep him around and play him in a three-goalie system and as much as the others.
But more teams need the help in net, and soon. Breakthrough Teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and some of the weakest teams in the league all need help in net or a change, and either they have the solution and future in net in their system, or don’t and have to go out and find one. For the Canadiens and Red Wings, help has arrived or is soon to arrive, but for the Oilers, help has to be found.
With all of the young and inexperienced goalies stepping up around the league, there are even more that are about to make themselves known. The Canadiens are fed up with their tandem and called Jacob Fowler up from the AHL after posting a 2.09 GAA, .919 SV%, and three shutouts in 15 games. For the moment, the only other young goalie with a similar opportunity coming right now is Dennis Hildeby for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with both of their top two goalies injured.
Around the league in the minors, there are top goalies like Michael DiPietro (Boston Bruins), Nico Daws (New Jersey Devils), Sebastian Cossa (Red Wings), Sergei Murashov (Penguins), Blue Clay Stevenson (Washington Capitals), and more that are already waiver eligible and NHL-ready, or are soon.
Breakthrough Some goalies are stuck behind tandems that aren’t going anywhere for a couple of years and will have to find their opportunity elsewhere, like DiPietro, Daws, and Stevenson. There have been so many young goalies break in and play well this season, and there can easily be plenty more, but goalies like Cossa, Murashov, and DiPietro Breakthrough are chomping at the bit to get a real shot. As for the next, it has to be Fowler in Montreal or Hildeby in Toronto. They will have every chance to prove they belong and to stick around, forcing a move.
