Welcome back to this week's installment of The Journey. It has been a hot minute since I last provided an update on any of Dobber's Rankings, mainly because the movements have been rather insignificant. Well, that all changes today. Dobber recently dropped updates for all three positions, and I will be happily spending the next few weeks diving into some of the list's top movers. 

Here are the updated rankings for your reference:

• Forwards
• Defenceman
• Goaltenders

Seeing as it has been since March – also known as the time before COVID, which now seems like an eternity ago – I have decided to start between the pipes. Here are a few names that have made moves among the most recent Dobber Rankings list.

Collin Delia, Blackhawks – (March: 21 – November: 10)

The Blackhawks have officially been dwindled to the bare bones in regards to their goaltending situation. With their seasoned veteran Corey Crawford now out of the picture, the reins will be handed to two unproven backup options. Delia, 26, will split the season with Malcolm Subban, and your guess is as good as mine as to who will come out on top as the breadwinner between the two. Neither of which have yet to showcase any spectacular play among the NHL ranks as of yet, so, do not count out the prospect of Delia overriding the tandem as the go-to option between the pipes. It's certainly a coin flip at this point. 

Playing in the AHL, Delia had a respectable 2019-20 season, especially considering his club (IceHogs) sat in the basement in regards to offensive statistics. He finished with a 16-13-2 record, to go with a 2.66 goals against and .912 save percentage. The numbers were by no means spectacular, but worthy to be granted an opportunity to show his stuff at the top level.

Despite his potential to become a number one, or at the very least, the better half of a tandem, I would certainly tread lightly. The Blackhawks show obvious signs of future struggle, and both netminders could endure some very real growing pains throughout the year. If your league penalizes goals against heavily, do your best to stay clear.

Daniel Vladar, Bruins – (March: 16  – November: 14), Jeremy Swayman, Bruins – (March: 12  – November: 16)

Both netminders have swapped positions in the fall rankings update, with Vladar given the benefit of moving up a few spots. Vladar has served four years pro, both with the club’s ECHL and AHL affiliates, which certainly gives him the advantage for the immediate future. 

We were given a very short glimpse of Vladar in a Bruins jersey, but it is one that he and fantasy owners will want to erase from their memory. Stepping in cold halfway through the match, he was peppered for three goals on 15 shots in a quick 29-minute stint during the summer playoff bubble. Do not let that cloud his potential, as he took great steps in his development last season in the AHL, sporting a league-leading 1.78 GAA and .936 SV%. He certainly showed the organization that he's got “the stuff” needed to take on that next chapter, should he be summoned to do so. Of course, with Rask still in the mix, and Halak renewing his deal, he will have to wait for an opportunity to redeem himself. Until then, he continues to sit on the outside of the bubble, looking in.

Swayman, on the other hand, will turn pro next season, likely making his AHL debut following a three-year run with the University of Maine. His 2019-20 campaign was a memorable one, to say the least. He not only took home the NCAA Goaltender of the Year Award and the Hockey East Player of the Year, but he was also named a Hobey Baker finalist. Depending on his opportunity, there is a strong chance that Swayman arrives in Providence and blows the club's socks off, instantly putting himself back in the lead in the race to become the Boston Bruins’ future number one. 

Ivan Prosvetov, Coyotes – (March: 44 – November: 21)

With rumors circulating that the Yotes will be selling one of their two starting goalies, Adin Hill will surely be the first to be handed a backup role. This would allow Prosvetov to solidify his hand as the club's AHL starting netminder, as he heads into his sophomore season. His rookie year was decent, as he posted a 14-10-1 record with a .909 GAA and .900 SV %, all of which had him in the top percentile among rookie goaltenders. He is by no means close to an NHL role, but owners should get a better snapshot of what he has to offer over the next two to three seasons.

Lukas Dostal, Ducks – (March: 30 – November:22) 

Re-draft owners will likely have to wait out the year and perhaps even one more before they see any significant results. So unless you want to take a shot at him sneaking in through injury or extended rosters, chances are that this is not the year to grab him. Otherwise, for all dynasty owners, Dostal is shaping up to be quite the prospect and is currently on his way to North America as one of the top budding goaltenders from overseas. Last season, he posted a stellar 27-8-6 record, with a 1.78 GAA and .928 SV%, while this season through 11 matches sports a dominant 10-1-0 record with 1.61 and .941. It's safe to say that he is a bonafide stud in the making.

John Gibson is the sure starting goaltender for the immediate future, and there are no questions about that. Now that Gibson is 27, it wouldn’t be crazy to assume that the Ducks have entertained the idea of planning an exit point with him, depending on how Dostal fares among the North American ranks. He has not had the most impactful run in recent memory, although, still a very noteworthy goaltender. If Dostal hits the AHL running and continues his dominant nature, keep a close eye on what happens in Anaheim, as there could be a new masked hero in town.

Joel Hofer, Blues – (March: 37 – November: 24)

With Jake Allen now in Montreal, Ville Husso (ranked 15th) is the clear target to serve as the backup or option B with the big club. This allows Hofer to jump up the pipeline, and solidify himself as the organization’s top prospect between the pipes. Although Hofer is making his first attempt at the jump from junior to pro, his potential is still very much in the air. Of course, if his spectacular run in last year's WJC was any indication, he is certainly on the right track. Not only did he backstop Team Canada to a gold medal, but was named the tournament’s top goaltender. 

With Binnington now 27, Hofer is someone that fantasy owners should be keeping in their back pockets just in case. He is young (20 years old), skilled, and depending on how he fares in these next few seasons, could certainly find his game at the highest level down the road.

Hugo Alnefelt, Lightning – (March: 65 – November: 36)

There is only one issue with Alnefets game, right now… he shares the same goaltending pipeline as Andrei Vasilevskiy. Clearly, Vasi is in the front seat, in fact, he is basically taking up both seats upfront, meaning any source of opportunity may prove hard to come by. However, there is a clear trend ongoing in the league – that trend being a goaltending tandem system. With that in mind, the young Swede could be injected in an option B for the club down the road. But, we won't worry about that yet, as he is still some years away from making an impact at the NHL level.

If you are a fan or a fantasy owner, you may have a hard time keeping tabs on him over the past few seasons. He has had a hard time staying still in recent memory, playing for a variety of teams and age groups. Instead of me listing his past whereabouts, here is his DobberProspects statistics page, which is an eyeful:

While he likely serves as a backup option, Alfentres will likely represent Sweden at next month’s WJC for his second stint. Make sure to look out for his name bar on the bench.

Joseph Woll, Leafs – (March: 61 – November:38)

Toronto's 2016 third-round netminder was thrown into a large number of games (31) throughout his inaugural pro season (2019-20) with the Toronto Marlies. That heavy utilization out the gate did not bode well for his overall game, statistically speaking, as most of his number sat at the very bottom of the league. Granted, it's no easy task stepping into the pro ranks asked to backstop the better half of the team's schedule. Woll mentioned on several occasions in various interviews how he was not fully prepared for the erratic playing schedule of the AHL and how awkward it was for him to adjust. Of course, now that he has had a year to soak it all in, he should return more prepared.

Fellow prospect Ian Scott is slated to make his jump to the pro rankings this season. These two goalies, along with a list of depth options, will battle for a home in American Hockey League. With the unknowns surrounding the ECHL, it will be interesting to see what will happen to the goaltender(s) that falls short, as they may not have a solid home to play for the time being. 

Overall, Woll is 22, carries a large frame, and has the upside to become a starting goaltender in the future. Of course, as mentioned, he will have to bypass a long list of goalie options in order to reach that full potential.

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Thanks for stopping by. As always, follow me on Twitter @hall1289 for CBJ, FLA, and all things prospect-related!