Five NHL goaltending prospects who dominated the AHL in 2025-26

Apr 13, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 12, 2026, 23:20 EDT

Five NHL goaltending prospects who dominated the AHL in 2025-26

The grind of the American Hockey League season can be taxing on anyone, including goalies.

We don’t typically see netminders playing 55-60 games like the top NHLers do. But between the long bus rides, jam-packed weekends and, in some cases, the up-and-down call-up nature of the NHL, it’s not an easy schedule by any means. So it’s a perfect landing spot for the game’s top netminders to get used to the big-game lifestyle.

Goalies take longer to develop. Most don’t get real cracks at making the NHL until 23-24. So today, we’re looking at five U-25 AHL goaltenders who have stood out this year. So, Michael DiPietro isn’t included based on age, despite the 26-year-old dominating the AHL yet again this year. We’re also going to disqualify Jacob Fowler, who, while excellent in Laval, has spent most of the second half with the Montreal Canadiens. And, sorry to Connor Ungar – you need to have played at least 20 games.

Here are five star AHL goaltenders you need to know – including a few with NHL experience already:

Rémi Poirier, 24, Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)

Poirier was a sixth-round pick by the Stars in 2020, but he has definitely established himself as a legitimate goaltending prospect. He had a couple of solid seasons in Texas before finally blowing up with a record of 25-19-8 with two shutouts and a .911 save percentage this year. Poirier has heavily outperformed both Arno Tiefensee and Ben Kraws, and has stolen more than a handful of games for Texas this season. He even earned his first NHL call-up but ultimately didn’t get the chance to play.

At 24, Poirier is definitely an older prospect. Dallas has one of the worst pipelines in the NHL, and Poirier is the team’s top option in net right now. With Jake Oettinger locked up long-term and Casey DeSmith signed until 2027, there isn’t a clear path forward for Poirier. He has another year left on his own deal and will likely remain Texas’s No. 1 next season. It’s not clear whether Dallas has any long-term ambition to make Poirier an NHL goaltender. Regardless, he has proven what he’s capable of the AHL, at least.

Sebastian Cossa, 23, Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)

Cossa is one of the top goaltending prospects in the world right now. The 6-foot-6 monster has been very consistent throughout his three years in Grand Rapids, and no goalie on this list has more shutouts than Cossa’s five. He nearly has as many shutouts as he has losses (eight). That’s insane. Cossa’s ability to steal victories (his 47-save win over Chicago back in December comes to mind) is truly remarkable, and he’s one of the biggest reasons why the Griffins look to be favorites to win the Calder Cup. Here’s an insane stat for you: of his 17 starts in the first half of the season, he lost just one game in regulation. Once. That’s it.

Cossa has very little to prove in the AHL at this point. Cossa made his NHL debut last year, stopping 12 shots in 45 minutes for his first career victory. If Detroit really believes in Cossa, he needs to be John Gibson’s backup next year – no more veteran free agent signings. Cossa is athletic, huge and has a winning pedigree. He’s ready for the big show. The Red Wings are in a weird place as a franchise right now, but Cossa is a legitimate bright spot and deserves the promotion.

Michael Postava, 24, Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings)

A second GRG goalie? There’s a reason the team has been so dominant this year. But Cossa can’t take all the credit, even if he’s the starter. According to InStat, Postava has the best 5-on-5 save percentage of any U-25 AHL goaltender at .929, trailing only DiPietro (.939) among all eligible. Given Postava was an undrafted free agent signing out of Czechia, he has proven to be extremely valuable to this franchise. He even got called up as a backup a few weeks ago, although he never got into NHL game action.

Postava was one of the top European-based goalies available last year after just one year in the top pro Czech league. He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but he absolutely deserves a ton of credit for moving across the globe and putting up some of the best numbers in the AHL right out of the gate. With Cossa expected to go up to the NHL next year, Postava will have a chance to fight for more starts in Grand Rapids alongside Trey Augustine.

Sergei Murashov, 22, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Murashov burst onto the North American hockey scene last year by dominating both the AHL and the ECHL. This year, Murashov has put up some of the best numbers in the AHL, which include a .918 save percentage and a dazzling record of 23-8-4. Murashov has been a star for years now, so it wasn’t entirely shocking to see him register a 4-0 shutout in just his second NHL game back in November.

Murashov seems like the prevailing favorite to become Pittsburgh’s long-term No. 1. He’s as legit a goaltending prospect as the Penguins have. He doesn’t have much NHL experience, but there’s a pathway forward for him if the Penguins let Stuart Skinner to hit the UFA market this summer. Murashov’s mobility, play reads and glove hand are all elite for the AHL level, and he deserves a shot in the NHL. He’s young compared to others on this list, having just turned 22. But, truthfully, the numbers at every level prove that Murashov has a bright future.

Carl Lindbom, 22, Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights)

Could Lindbom be the answer in net long-term for the Golden Knights? While Adin Hill hasn’t looked great for the big club, Lindbom has gone 23-5-6 with three shutouts and a .924 save percentage for Henderson. His numbers during his eight-game run in the NHL were iffy at best, but that seems to be a trend, no matter who’s in net. But as an AHLer, Lindbom has been good for two straight seasons, which should give the Golden Knights some confidence.

The positionally sound goaltender is actually the smallest in the system (size isn’t everything) but he makes up for it with pure athleticism and speed. It’s one thing to impress against your own age group, but Lindbom has been a standout at just about every level so far. Pavel Moysevich recently signed his entry-level contract, so he’ll push for starts in Henderson next year. The Golden Knights have both Hill and Carter Hart signed for next year, while Akira Schmid is a pending RFA. Will the Golden Knights treat Lindbom as the team’s true No. 3 next year, or will he continue to remain buried?

Also considered: Devon Levi, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres); Thomas Milic, Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets)

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