2026 NHL Trade Deadline: Breaking down the top goaltenders available

Mar 5, 2026, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 5, 2026, 08:43 EST

2026 NHL Trade Deadline: Breaking down the top goaltenders available

Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

A goalie trade is hard to pull off. But sometimes, it can change a team’s Stanley Cup hopes in the process.

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline isn’t projected to be one for the ages. There aren’t a ton of big-name trade chips on the board, especially if Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou stay put in St. Louis. But among the top goalies on the market, you have four Stanley Cup titles, another three championship appearances, two 4 Nations Face-Off champions, one of the best young goaltenders in the league, and a guy with a goal and a fight to his credit.

It’s not a terrible crop to choose from, even if a handful of them are currently in the midst of down years. There are a couple of playoff-bound teams with the need to shake things up in the crease – Carolina, Edmonton, and Montreal come to mind. So, today, we’re looking at seven goaltenders rumored to be on trade block with Friday’s 3:00 PM ET deadline creeping closer:

Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

Age: 37
Cap hit: $10,000,000, Pending UFA
(16-team no-trade list)

Not only are the Panthers unlikely to become the first team in the salary cap era to three-peat, but they might not even make the playoffs, period. Bobrovsky has a 16-team no-trade clause, so moving his $10 million salary could prove to be a mission. But he’s also a pending UFA with a ton of big-game experience over the past three years – for the right team, Bobrovsky might be exactly what they need to chase another Cup.

But as Matt Larkin said, “having won back-to-back Stanley Cups and played in three straight Finals, (Bobrovsky) might not be motivated to chase another championship at the cost of uprooting his life. Unless he’s already planning to leave as a UFA, that is.” The opportunity needs to truly make sense, especially if, as many theorize, he’d be willing to come back as a UFA on a cheaper deal this summer. If the Panthers – and Bobrovsky – feel this season was a blip in their contention window, both sides might elect to just stay put here. At 37, Bobrovsky could probably use a bit of rest this spring, anyway.

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

Age: 23
Cap hit: $2,200,000 through 2026-27

This one always felt off. Why would the Wild move on from one of the top Calder Trophy candidates with legit starting goalie-caliber numbers this season? Filip Gustavsson is still “the guy” in Minnesota, but even he has proven he can be shaky at times. If the return isn’t simply too good to be true, Minnesota needs to keep Wallstedt around. Are they that confident in Slovakia Olympic standout Samuel Hlavaj? He’s a solid goaltender, but it would be a mistake to overvalue him just because he looked great for a week and a half (which, of course, no pro scouting team worth its salt would do).

Wallstedt is still in his first full NHL season and boasts an impressive 14-6-4 record with four shutouts and a .911 save percentage. It took him 11 games to record his first regulation loss this year, with his four donuts coming during a six-game stretch. When he’s hot, he’s unstoppable – which is why just about every NHL franchise should have interest. Sure, Wallstedt stumbled (a lot) in the AHL a year ago, but he’s still seen as one of the best young goaltenders in the game today and has perhaps the highest ceiling of any goalie on this list.

Samuel Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens

Age: 29
Cap hit: $3,150,000 through 2026-27

Montembeault has had a downright ugly season this year, which included a trip to the AHL’s Laval Rockets. But with 14.65 goals saved above expected at 5-on-5 last year and 13.25 the year prior, Montembeault proved he can be one of the top goaltenders in the league at his best. With the potential for Montreal to switch things in the crease this week, could Montembeault get shipped out to find his footing again? He’s a year removed from Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off team, after all.

Arguably, no position in the NHL deals with as much mental stress as a goaltender. One bad game, followed by a few days off, could be brutal for a netminder’s psyche. Even some of the most elite tenders go through it from time to time. Montembeault has spent most of his career trying to prove people wrong – starting with his time in Florida, where the Panthers elected to put him on waivers before the 2021-22 season. It’s clearly not working out in Montreal, but maybe he’ll get things turned around in a new home. His $3.15 million AAV until 2027 isn’t too bad, either.

Stuart Skinner, Pittsburgh Penguins

Age: 27
Cap hit: $2,600,000, pending UFA

The Penguins flipped Tristan Jarry to Edmonton to acquire Skinner and his expiring deal earlier this winter. While he has had his moments, it feels like Arturs Silovs is the man going forward with this team (and that Sergei Murashov is fully capable of making the move up). Regardless of how the rest of the year goes for Pittsburgh, you could argue they don’t need Skinner and that flipping the pending UFA to bring in a draft pick or two might be the best option for everyone available.

At his best, Skinner can lock in and shut teams down. That “best” only seems to happen during non-Stanley Cup Final elimination games, though. But his cap hit isn’t too bad and he can be a decent supplementary addition to a team with an established goaltender already. Teams seem to value playoff experience, and Skinner has plenty of it already.

Alex Nedeljkovic, San Jose Sharks

Age: 30
Cap Hit: $2,500,000, Pending UFA

The crease was always going to be Yaroslav Askarov’s – both short- and long-term. Nedeljkovic was there to give the team stability and a veteran presence, while also stealing a few wins here and there. Playing in San Jose means its goaltenders are used to being busy – a la Mackenzie Blackwood – so it’s an opportunity for goaltenders to prove themselves to the wider market. It’s been far from a perfect season for San Jose, but they’re firmly in the playoff conversation – and Nedeljkovic has been solid.

But with few goalies on the trade market, a team could look to Ned for some stability heading into the playoffs. His contract isn’t too bad, and the cost to snag him is likely a decent draft pick at best. The best bet is the team that picks him for playoff depth is happy with his play and signs him to a multi-year deal. Nedeljkovic shouldn’t be as expensive as many others on this list, either. It probably won’t cost much to bring him over. If you’re not convinced about your team’s crease situation, you can definitely do worse than taking on a pending UFA.

Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

Age: 32
Cap hit: $6,000,000 through 2026-27

Binnington has been one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL the past two seasons, no question about it. But could his play at the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Winter Olympic Games help his stock? The Blues are in a retool, and Binnington might not be around by the time the team is truly ready to make a push. Unless Binnington magically finds a way to bring his 4 Nations-level performance to the NHL consistently, there likely won’t be a better time for the Blues to move on from him.

There are plenty of teams who could use Binnington in a 1A/B tandem situation, or take over the crease altogether. Montreal, for example, could look to swap Montembeault to bring in Binnington and his higher $6-million cap hit. Edmonton never seems to know what to do in the crease, either. The Oilers might have an imperfect blueline, but it would still be a step up for Binnington. Can he be a true No. 1 in the NHL moving forward? Many still believe so.

Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs

Age: 32
Cap hit: $2,500,000 through 2025-26; $3,750,000 through 2029-30
(16-team no-trade list)

The Maple Leafs extended Stolarz to a four-year deal back in September, only for things to backfire on the performance front. Between injuries, inconsistent play, and the struggling nature of the team as a whole, Stolarz is currently in the midst of his worst NHL season to date. That probably doesn’t help his trade value. But even when his deal kicks in, his $3.7 million AAV isn’t too tough to swallow.

It took a while for Stolarz to really find his groove in the NHL. But after helping Florida win the Stanley Cup in 2024 as a backup, and then earning his first true starting gig the following year (only to get marred by injuries), Stolarz has proven he can get the job done. On the flip side, Toronto has to be sure they can trust Joseph Woll, while also promoting Dennis Hildeby to the backup job after some so-so play in the NHL.

PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF TRADE DEADLINE SPECIAL

The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th, from 11 AM-3:30 PM ET for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

Recently by Steven Ellis

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER