Developing goalies is an area where the American Hockey League provides extensive value for NHL teams.
Young goalies come into the AHL needing some combination of heavier workloads, the opportunity to face high-end shooters and, if they previously trained in Europe, a runway to adjust to the North American style of game.
Here is a look at some of the top incoming young goalies from the Eastern Conference (in alphabetical order). A look at the Western Conference's young goaltending talent will follow in two weeks.
Carson Bjarnason, Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers)
The 20-year-old is stepping into a situation where he does not have to take on a full workload as a rookie.
The Flyers have Bjarnason in tandem with Aleksei Kolosov, an experienced goalie who played 17 NHL games last season, two this season, and is the likely recall option. Bjarnason joined Lehigh Valley after four seasons with Brandon of the Western Hockey League.
Bjarnason was selected in the second round (No. 51) of the 2023 NHL Draft and averaged 44 games in his final three WHL seasons. He's 3-1-1 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in five AHL games.
Sebastian Cossa, Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings)
Like the Red Wings have done with so many of their prospects, they have chosen to take the patient route with Cossa after choosing him in the first round (No. 15) of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old is 4-0-0 with a 1.75 GAA and .939 save percentage in his third season but day to day with an undisclosed injury.
Red Wings management opted to have Cossa play 46 games with their ECHL affiliate in Toledo in 2022-23 before promoting him to Grand Rapids the following season. He made his NHL debut when he relieved Ville Husso after the first period and made 12 saves in a 6-5 shootout win against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 9, 2024.
Despite Cossa and Michal Postava each sidelined because of injury, Grand Rapids remained the only AHL team without a regulation loss (9-0-0-1) after a 3-2 overtime win against Toronto on Wednesday.
Jacob Fowler, Laval (Montreal Canadiens)
Fowler is a prime example of the AHL's importance in goaltending development.
The third-round pick (No. 69) in the 2023 draft signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens on April 4 after two exceptional seasons at Boston College. He finished 25-7-2 with a 1.63 GAA and .940 save percentage in 35 games as a sophomore last season and won the Mike Richter Award given to the top goalie in college hockey.
Fowler, who turns 21 on Nov. 24, is 5-3-0 with a 2.26 GAA and .915 save percentage. After a slow start to the schedule, Laval is in a busy period of eight games in 18 nights to finish November.
Sergei Murashov, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh Penguins)
The 21-year-old native of Yaroslavl, Russia, has had an impressive rise through Pittsburgh's farm system.
The Penguins took him in the fourth round (No. 118) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He came to North America last season after playing for Yaroslavl in the Kontinental Hockey League and split time between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Wheeling of the ECHL.
Murashov was 17-7-1 with a 2.40 GAA and .922 save percentage in 26 games for Wheeling and 12-3-0 with a 2.64 GAA and .913 save percentage in 16 AHL games. After a strong training camp with the Penguins, he returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and was named the AHL goalie of the month for October. He is 5-2-0 with a 1.73 GAA and .931 save percentage.
Tristan Jarry is out with a lower-body injury, so Pittsburgh recalled Murashov on Nov. 4. He made 24 saves in his NHL debut, a 3-2 home loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 9, and accompanied the Penguins to Stockholm for the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal.
Simon Zajicek, Providence (Boston Bruins)
The 24-year old joins veteran Michael DiPietro, who was named the top goalie in the AHL last season. He signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Bruins on May 19 after his standout season with HC Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga, finishing 15-13-0 with a 2.12 GAA and .930 save percentage.
Zajicek has carried that same standard with him to Providence for his first North American season, going 4-1-0 with a 1.60 GAA and .943 save percentage that leads the AHL. After Wednesday's 3-2 overtime win against the Hartford Wolf Pack, Providence is 11-1-0-0 with a .917 points percentage that ranks second in the league behind Grand Rapids (.950).
