The goaltending picture for an NHL team can change quickly, and a strong organizational depth chart at the American Hockey League level is a necessity.
Be it because of injuries, performance, or other factors, an NHL team often has to use a third or even a fourth goalie on its depth chart. Last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and San Jose Sharks each used five goalies. The Vegas Golden Knights went through five goalies during their 2022-23 Stanley Cup championship season.
A capable third or fourth goalie usually can provide experience at the AHL level. When a need arises in the NHL, that same goalie must be counted on to be a dependable recall option.
Here is a look at some of the goaltending depth in the AHL’s Eastern Conference. A look at the Western Conference will follow in two weeks.
Boston Bruins (Providence)
A trade to the Bruins has helped to revive Michael DiPietro’s career.
Boston acquired the goalie along with defenseman Jonathan Myrenberg from the Vancouver Canucks for forward Jack Studnicka on Oct. 27, 2022, after the Canucks selected DiPietro in the third round (No. 64) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He ended up playing most of the 2022-23 season with Maine, the Bruins' ECHL affiliate, before a promotion to Providence last season. Boston saw enough to sign him to a one-year, two-way contract March 20.
Boston’s organizational goaltending picture was uncertain during training camp before it signed Jeremy Swayman to an eight-year contract Oct. 6. But DiPietro has solidified himself with an excellent start for Providence. He is 5-2-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in seven games.
Carolina Hurricanes (Chicago)
With Frederik Andersen having been limited to four games because of a lower-body injury, the Hurricanes have used Spencer Martin to complement Pyotr Kochetkov. Martin’s lone appearance came in a 6-4 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 9, but he has played 58 career NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Carolina.
At the AHL level, the 29-year-old can be a dependable No. 1 option, both to mentor prospects Ruslan Khazheyev and Yaniv Perets, and also help to fortify a Chicago roster brimming with young prospects. In three games with Chicago, he is 1-1-1 with a 2.32 GAA and a .920 save percentage. Carolina picked him up off waivers from Columbus on Jan. 19, 2024.
Detroit Red Wings (Grand Rapids)
Top prospect Sebastian Cossa is the focal point with Grand Rapids. In his third pro season, the 21-year-old is 6-3-1 with a 1.99 GAA and .935 save percentage in 10 games. Detroit selected him with the No. 15 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Ville Husso, 29, is with Detroit, but the Red Wings have used him with Grand Rapids to get playing time and round back into form. In the AHL this season, he's 2-0-0 with a 1.23 GAA and .958 save percentage. He had a 22-save shutout against Manitoba (Winnipeg Jets) in his first AHL game of the season Oct. 18.
Pittsburgh Penguins (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
As the Penguins work to establish their footing this season, they have used Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as a place to get work for incumbents Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, along with the usual process of developing talent.
Jarry, 29, returned to the AHL on a conditioning loan and played five games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He went 4-1-0 with a 2.16 GAA and .926 save percentage before his return to Pittsburgh on Saturday. It was his first AHL stint since the 2018-19 season.
Nedeljkovic, 28, used a one-game trip to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to get back into action after sustaining a lower-body injury in training camp. He made 33 saves in a 4-3 home win against Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers) on Oct. 18 before his recall to Pittsburgh the following day.
Washington Capitals (Hershey)
The AHL has long been a goaltending pipeline for the Capitals.
Pheonix Copley, Philipp Grubauer, Braden Holtby, Vitek Vanecek and Semyon Varlamov are among the goalies Washington has developed with Hershey in an affiliation that goes back to the 2005-06 season.
The Capitals have only had to use Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson this season, but Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson stationed with Hershey for recall if needed.
Last season Shepard and Stevenson combined to win the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award as Hershey allowed a league-best 2.10 goals per game. Shepard, the most valuable player of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, then helped to lead Hershey to its second consecutive Calder Cup championship in June. Shepard, 29, was 27-4-3 with a league-leading 1.76 GAA and .929 save percentage to go with five shutouts. He was named the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award winner as the top goalie in the AHL.
Stevenson, 25, had a league-leading seven shutouts and went 24-10-2 with a 2.06 GAA, .922 save percentage and a league-leading seven shutouts last season, his first full campaign in the AHL.
Hershey is again leading the Atlantic Division, and Shepard is 8-2-0 with a 2.10 GAA and .924 save percentage in 10 games.
