More than any other position, the AHL most proves its value to NHL clubs by churning out goaltender after goaltender. From last season alone, the likes of Joel Blomqvist and Dustin Wolf have earned NHL promotions. Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck came through the AHL as a Winnipeg Jets prospects a decade ago. Go up and down NHL rosters, and chances are high that the goaltenders on a given NHL roster have spent time in the AHL. The league offers an NHL-style workload and high-end talent to test young netminding prospects before they make that NHL jump.
Here are several AHL goaltenders to watch this season:
2024 San Jose Barracuda vs Ontario Reign
Yaroslav Askarov – San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)
The Askarov situation became one of hockey’s top stories deep in the quietest days of this past August. Askarov, taken 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2020, wanted to compete for a job with the NHL club this fall. Instead Nashville had gone out and signed veteran Scott Wedgewood after giving Juuse Saros an eight-year contract extension July 1. Rather suddenly Askarov looked to be boxed out for the sort of opportunity he sought with Nashville. So the Predators dealt him to the Sharks, who are in a full-fledged rebuild. Askarov is only 22 years old and coming off two solid years with Milwaukee. Still, he has shown inconsistency at times as most young goaltenders do. Askarov bet on himself by pushing for that deal. Now he needs to deliver. The Sharks need that, too. Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek are only signed for this season. The Barracuda have a much-improved roster this season, starting with Askarov. He has every opportunity to become a NHL number-one goaltender in San Jose for a long time.
Drew Commesso – Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks)
Commesso made a successful jump to the pro game following three excellent seasons at Boston University. With last season’s partner Jaxson Stauber now with the Utah organization, the Rockford net for now fully belongs to the 22-year-old Commesso, a key part of Chicago’s rebuilding plan. The Blackhawks have experience in net, especially when Laurent Brossoit returns from injury. When that happens, expect Arvid Soderblom to go to Rockford. Until then, though, Commesso has a chance to get plenty of early work with the IceHogs.
Sebastian Cossa – Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)
Led by Steve Yzerman, Red Wings management has shown a willingness to take a very long-term outlook with prospects. Yzerman did that with Tampa Bay, and he has done that again in Detroit. That philosophy meant that Cossa went to the ECHL as a rookie in 2022-23 even though he was the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Once Cossa had shown that he was ready to move higher, the Red Wings sent him to Grand Rapids last year. That patience paid off as Cossa had a strong year and took charge of the Grand Rapids net. Now the challenge will be to build on that and take the Griffins deep into the postseason.
Alexei Kolosov – Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)
Will he or won’t he? Controversy surrounded Kolosov throughout the summer. According to published reports, Philadelphia management wanted Kolosov with Lehigh Valley, where he spent the end of last season, while Kolosov wanted to go back to Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. Would he show up for training camp or would he stay back home in Belarus? He did not show up. Until he did. Now he is with the Phantoms, though the Flyers first had to bring in Eetu Makiniemi as goaltending insurance in case Kolosov stayed home. But the 22-year-old is here now. Expectations are high for the 2021 third-rounder. Now he has to live up to them.
2024 Hartford Wolf Pack vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Filip Larsson – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)
It was five years ago that Larsson came to Grand Rapids as an intriguing, on-the-rise prospect. With Detroit’s rebuild in its earliest stages and the organization in need of help, it was easy to look at Larsson standout freshman season at the University of Denver and wonder what might be there. It did not pan out at all. Larsson struggled to establish himself and ended up dividing his season between the Griffins and the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. From there he cycled through HockeyAllsvenskan, Denmark, and the SHL for four seasons. But last year with Leksands of the SHL he went 19-9-0 with a 1.93 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, and a league-high five shutouts. That work attracted Pittsburgh’s interest, and the Penguins brought him back to North America on a new two-year deal. This year’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team should be a much-improved group. At 26 years old now, maybe this time around will work out for Larsson.
Erik Portillo – Ontario Reign (Los Angeles Kings)
Three strong seasons at the University of Michigan made for considerable anticipation as Portillo went into his first full pro season a year ago. A standout performance with the Reign has only intensified those hopes among Kings fans. Portillo, who turned 24 last month, finished 24-11-3, with a 2.50 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. He showed that he could take on the number-one job before veteran Aaron Dell came aboard last January. The Reign fell short of expectations in the postseason, but Portillo’s strong play continued. Another strong effort would make Portillo a clear favorite to become a full-timer in Los Angeles by next season.
Clay Stevenson – Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
It speaks to Hershey’s riches of options that Stevenson found himself stationed as a back-up on the Bears’ charge to a second consecutive Calder Cup title last spring. While Hunter Shepard held the number-one playoff job, Stevenson had a standout first season in the AHL in going 24-10-2, with a 2.06 goals-against average and .922 save percentage, leading the AHL with seven shutouts. He also was part of a Hershey entourage that went to the AHL All-Star Classic. Shepard is back for another season, and he certainly has earned the Bears’ trust. But Stevenson, 25, will certainly push him for that top job. Washington thinks enough of Stevenson to have given him a new three-year deal midway through last season.
Jesper Wallstedt – Iowa Wild (Minnesota Wild)
Marc-Andre Fleury plans to retire after this season, and Minnesota management has already found his future replacement. It’s Wallstedt, the goaltender they selected 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. To that end, the Wild signed the 21-year-old to a new two-year $4.4 million contract extension that will take effect next season. With Fleury and Filip Gustavsson in Minnesota, it’s back to Iowa again for Wallstedt, however.
2024 Manitoba Moose vs Iowa Wild
While Iowa again struggled last season, Wallstedt did not. He went 22-19-6, while posting a 2.70 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 45 games for Iowa last season, while earning three starts with Minnesota as well. Mature, composed, and strikingly honest in his self-assessment, Wallstedt will be able to fine-tune his game that much further before he makes that full-time move to Minnesota for good.
