Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

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This week, I'm diving into the world of goaltending prospects, focusing on those primed to make a splash in the upcoming NHL season. These young netminders have already demonstrated their potential value and are in the mix for playing time this year in some capacity. Prospect goalies are listed in the Top 50 Fantasy Prospect Goaltenders ranking from Spring 2023, along with the most recent Winter 2024 rankings. Some of the goalies featured in this write-up also appear in the Top 100 Keeper League Goaltenders rankings from September 2024.

Arturs Silovs – Vancouver Canucks

Let's unravel this sticky situation between Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs. Their health statuses, although trending positively, are still in question. Quick rewind: Silovs signed a two-year deal with Vancouver this summer, essentially a lifeline for the Canucks amid Demko's injury woes. Demko missed 14 games starting in March due to an injury but returned just before the playoffs. He re-aggravated that injury during the series against Nashville and was subsequently out for rest of the postseason.

Silovs stepped in and recorded a 2.91 GAA and a .898 SV%. He doesn't have much NHL experience beyond that playoff run, but with Demko's health still a major question mark, Silovs might get more reps than expected. But here's the kicker: Silovs himself dealt with some knee inflammation over the summer, so that also may be a concern. Rumors are swirling that Demko may miss training camp and preseason but is skating and working out on the ice, so if Silovs can get healthy and suit up for the start of the season, his value could increase. Although Silovs isn't primed for a full-time workhorse role, he may not have a choice if Demko's health remains an issue throughout the season.

Justus Anunnen – Colorado Avalance

You can pencil in Alexandar Georgiev as the Avalanche's starter and while his numbers last season weren't anything special, that's also a product of the team and the style they play in front of him. Meanwhile, Justus Annunen is quietly gaining traction. He played 14 games for the Avs in 2023-24, posting a solid 2.25 GAA, a .928 SV%, and even snagging two shutouts. It is a small sample size, but the Avalanche clearly believe in his development. They backed that belief by signing him to a two-year, one-way deal worth $837,500 AAV last spring.

Annunen is likely stepping into the full-time backup role this year, and the Avs could give him more starts to see how he handles a bigger workload, especially with Georgiev entering the final year of his contract. With Mikko Rantanen's extension looming (and the hefty price tag it'll bring), Annunen's cap-friendly deal might make him the Avs’ best option between the pipes moving forward.

It does not seem likely that Annunen will steal the staring gig from Georgiev just yet. He was solid in the backup role last year, but doing it over 50+ starts is a whole different game and I am sure the Avalanche would rather see him progress into the position rather than be thrown into it. For now, he's a strong spot-start option, and it'll be exciting to watch how he continues to progress this season. Keep him on your radar—he might just surprise you.  Annunen could see around 25-30 games this season which is as solid streaming option for your fantasy team, offering the Avalanche more dependable backup goaltending than they've had in recent years.

Lukas Dostal – Anaheim Ducks

The big question still remains: How long will John Gibson remain with the Ducks? Gibson's performance over the past few years has not been living up to his usual standards and although he had a decent start to the 2023-24 season in early December, he sustained an injury which catapulted Lukas Dostal into the No. 1 spot. Dostal was not exceptional himself however he managed to outperform Gibson despite what he had in front of him.  He had solid seven-game stretch during Gibson's was injury, which help boost the organization's confidence and led to a split in starts between the two netminders. Despite the endless trade rumors, moving Gibson has proven tricky—his health issues and $6.4 million cap hit until 2026-27 does not make it any easier.

Gibson, after eight seasons with the Ducks, has spent what should've been his prime years on a struggling team. The Ducks may have been hesitant to trade him in the past without a clear successor, but if Dostal stays on course and continues to improve, he could push Gibson out the door, as keeping him around as a backup at that price tag won't make much sense, however the Ducks do need Gibson to either lead by example for the sake of Dostal or play better so that they can move him. Either way the Ducks are in a tough situation here.  Dostal will probably look at a close to equal time share of the crease unless there is one clear front runner between the two.

Dustin Wolf – Calgary Flames

With Jacob Markstrom out of the picture, the Flames have handed the reins to 23-year-old Dustin Wolf. A seventh-round steal back in 2014, Wolf now enters the 2024-25 season battling for the starting job. Let's be real though—the Flames are in full rebuild mode after a busy offseason, and wins are going to be hard to come by.

Last season, Wolf started at total of 15 games, largely due to injuries sustained to Markstrom and Dan Vladar. He finished with a 7-7-1 record, a .893 save percentage, and a 3.16 GAA. They are not the best numbers by any means but Wolf is still clearly a better option than Vladar, who looks set to back him up this year. Wolf is going to get a ton of ice time and face a barrage of shots. Calgary's prospect pipeline is thin outside of Hunter Brzustewicz, Zayne Parekh, and Samuel Honzek, none of whom are NHL-ready. While Wolf has long-term potential, if you’re banking on him this season, brace yourself for a rough ride.

If Wolf plays up to expectations, he could lock down the Flames' starting job for years. He could see 35-45 games out of the gate, with the potential for 45-55 if he performs well, racking up a few wins along the way.

Jesper Wallstedt – Minnesota Wild

Jesper Wallstedt is making a solid case as one of the top goaltending prospects, and it's hard to argue against him. As Iowa's No. 1 goalie, he posted a solid 22-19-4 record, two shutouts, and a .910 save percentage. In his brief NHL stint, he went 2-1-0 with a shutout in three starts. Wallstedt, at 6-foot-3, has the ideal size and a sharp, unflappable game.

Despite his potential, don't expect him to jump into the starting role right away, especially with Filip Gustavsson locked in for two more years and the Marc-Andre Fleury as the backup. Wallstedt's development will likely continue in the AHL, but he's ready for more NHL action if needed. Keep an eye on him—he could be challenging for the starters position once he's up with Minnesota full-time.

Devon Levi – Buffalo Sabres

Devon Levi's first pro season was a bit of a rollercoaster, bouncing between the NHL and AHL. Despite his strong finish to 2022-23, starting the season with the Sabres never felt right. Once he settled in with Rochester, though, Levi found his rhythm and was nearly unstoppable, especially during their playoff push. While Levi could be Buffalo's future in net, the team can afford to be patient with him thanks to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's emergence. Levi was rushed into the starter’s role last year which did not work out well for him nor the team, but with UPL performing well late in the season, the Sabres were able to give Levi more time in the AHL to develop. Bringing in James Reimer this offseason adds a safety net, as he's proven capable of stepping up when needed in a backup role.

Levi might get a few NHL starts this season, but expect him to spend a good chunk of the year honing his game in the AHL while with a few opportunities to be called up while UPL and Reimer handle things in Buffalo. He's undoubtedly a key part of the Sabres' long-term plans, and keeper league managers should already have him stashed for the future.

Spencer Knight – Florida Panthers

Spencer Knight rejoined the Panthers over the summer, participating in development camp before stepping into Florida's formal training camp in September. He's under the watchful eye of goaltending consultant Francios Allaire, Goaltending Coach Leo Luongo, brother of Panthers legend Roberto Luongo (Special Advisor to the GM), all key figures in the Panthers' Goaltending Excellence Department.

Last season with the Charlotte Checkers, Knight posted a solid 25-14-5 record, a .905 save percentage, a 2.41 GAA, and five shutouts—third-most in the AHL. While Sergei Bobrovsky remains the Panthers’ workhorse, he's not getting any younger, and his $10 million contract is coming up in a couple of years. The Panthers have a couple more years to figure things out, but they've got a high-end goalie prospect in Knight, and if they manage his workload properly, he could pave a smooth transition into the NHL.

Knight will take the starting job from Bobrovsky, but it's likely we'll see him in 20-25 games this season. If all goes well, this will give Bob some much-needed rest down the stretch, which could be huge for the Panthers come playoff time.

Yaroslav Askarov – San Jose Sharks

And finally, we have Yaroslav Askarov. There is a lot of excitement around Askarov this offseason meanwhile he has only played three NHL games. Askarov still needs more time and has plenty of room to grow. With his move to San Jose, he’ll be competing with Vitek Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood for starts and I am not too sure how difficult that will be for Askarov as both Vanecek and Blackwood have not been any good as of late and that's saying it nicely. If Askarov can demonstrate he’s at least an average starter, he'll see plenty of ice time. However, he'll face challenges on a Sharks team that’s still in rebuild mode with a thin blue line and many young forwards. Despite that, he is well-positioned to reach his potential as a top-tier goaltending prospect. For dynasty fantasy owners, this trade is a win. Askarov now has a clearer path to a starting role, either immediately or in the near future, which wasn't as likely before the trade.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.