We will examine each team in the West to determine who the starting goalies should be or could be, as well as those competing for a backup role.

Some teams are set with a 70/30 split, like Winnipeg, while others have fairly wide-open battles for each spot going into 2025-26.

Dobber's 20th Annual 2025-26 Fantasy Hockey Guide breaks down every team in the NHL and how many games and wins we can expect from every goalie.

Anaheim Ducks

Starter

Lukas Dostal (25.0 years of age)

Dostal should play 60-70% of the games for Anaheim in 2025-26. He played 54 games in 2024-25 with 23 wins, a 90.3 save percentage and a GSAx (goals saved above expected) of 12.04, to go along with 10 steals.

The Ducks should be a better team overall, so look for Dostal to get 25-30 wins.

Backups

Petr Mrazek (33.4)

Mrazek played 38 games with Chicago in 2024-25 on a fairly weak defensive team. He managed 12 wins, a save percentage of 89.1, a GSAx of negative 11.44 and three steals.

He's unlikely to play more than 25-30 games in 2025-26 but his numbers could improve with 10-15 wins.

Ville Husso (30.4)

Husso will compete with Mrazek but he likely comes into 2025-26 as the third goalie in Anaheim after playing just 13 games in the NHL in 2024-25 with Detroit where he picked up just two wins and a save percentage of 89.0.

He would have to severely outplay Mrazek or benefit from an injury to either Dostal or Mrazek to get more than 10 games with the Ducks in 2025-26.

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Calle Clang (23.1)

Clang is the dark horse in Anaheim and comes in as the number four goalie. He's been in the AHL the past two seasons and hasn't played more than 32 games in either year. His overall AHL record is 22-32-5 with a save percentage around 89.6.

Calgary Flames

Starter

Dustin Wolf (24.2)

Wolf was excellent in 2024-25, playing 53 games with 29 wins, a save percentage of 91.0, a GSAx of 12.74 and seven steals.

He should play 50-60 games in 2025-26 and should flirt with 30 wins once again.

Backups

Ivan Prosvetov (26.3)

Prosvetov is back in the NHL after spending 2024-25 in the KHL where he played 38 games with 20 wins and a save percentage of 92.0.

He has played 24 NHL games in his career with eight wins and a save percentage of 88.1.

He is likely to get the first crack as back up over Devin Cooley. He could play 25-30 games and rack up 12-15 wins.

Devin Cooley (28.1)

Cooley played six games in the NHL with San Jose in 2023-24, where he had two wins, and a save percentage of 87.0.

In 2024-25 he played solely in the AHL for 46 games where he had 21 wins and a save percentage of 90.5.

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Chicago Blackhawks

Starter

Spencer Knight (24.2)

Knight was an addition to the Blackhawks who should be there for the next five years as this team improves. Unfortunately for both himself and the team, it probably will take a few years to translate into wins.

Knight had a record of 17-16-3 with a save percentage of 90.2 and a GSAx of 6.1 split between Florida and Chicago in 2024-25.

Knight should be the starter and get 50-55 starts if healthy but I'd put his wins between 15-20.

Backups

Arvid Söderblom (25.9)

Soderblom played almost as many games as Knight in 2024-25 (36 compared to 37), but Knight will be given the chance to claim the starting role early on and should be given a pretty long rope as well.

He has a career record of 17-52-11 and a save percentage of 88.9 all with Chicago.

If Soderblom can play 25-35 games, he could see 9-14 wins.

Laurent Brossoit (32.3)

Brossoit didn't play an NHL game in 2024-25 as he injured his knee and had surgery.

He is still signed at $3.3 million AAV for 2025-26, so if healthy he should be in the mix for either the starting or backup role. He's never played more than 24 games in an NHL season, so I'd guess the latter role.

Drew Commesso (23.0)

Since turning pro after 2022-23, Commesso has played 77 AHL games with a record of 36-31-8 and a save percentage around 90.9.

I'm not sure of the overall plan between Knight, Soderblom and Commesso long-term, but I gather that they don't believe Soderblom is the guy, or they wouldn't have brought in Knight. It makes me think that the Knight/Commesso combo is their plan by 2026-27.

Colorado Avalanche

Starter

Mackenzie Blackwood (28.6)

Blackwood proved in 2024-25 that he could play 50 games or more and be a consistent starter. He split his 56 games between San Jose and Colorado and still ended up with 28 wins and a save percentage of 91.2 overall.

If he can play 50-55 games in 2025-26, he could win 32-38 games with Colorado. He just needs to be a solid, average NHL goalie.

Backups

Scott Wedgewood

Wedgewood has been a fairly solid backup since he came into the NHL to stay in 2020-21. He's never played more than 37 games or less than 21 since 2021-22. I think he will play 25-30 games in 2025-26 and could win 17-21 games.

Trent Miner (24.4)

Miner has bounced between the AHL and the ECHL since turning pro in 2020-21. He's played 68 AHL games and 76 ECHL games since then, but he has played 56 AHL games over the past two years with a record of 31-16-7 and a save percentage of 92.2.

He has put himself in a position to get into some NHL games (he had two NHL games in 2024-25) and he should legitimately be a contender for the backup role in Colorado at some point.

He's a small (6-1, 185 lbs) goalie by NHL standards, so he has to be great to stay.

Ilya Nabokov (22.3)

Nabokov was the 38th overall pick in 2024 and is coming to North America in 2026-27. He will be given every opportunity to succeed in the AHL or NHL when he does come over.

Dallas Stars

Starter

Jake Oettinger (26.6)

Oettinger has been a little ordinary over the past three seasons and especially so during the playoffs. Having said that, he has played between 54 and 62 games and won between 35 and 37 games during that stretch.

His career record is 149-66-27 with a save percentage of 91.2. He wins games.

There is no reason to think he won't play 55-60 games and win 35-37 games in 2025-26 outside of an injury. There aren't many teams who like their starters to exceed 60 games anymore.

Backup

Casey DeSmith (33.9)

DeSmith is a consummate backup goalie who plays well every three or four games when he gets his starts. He has a career record of 84-61-23 with a save percentage of 91.0. He has never had more than 15 wins and hasn't dipped below 11 in a year that he plays at least 20 games.

I'd expect 22-27 games and 12-16 wins in 2025-26.

Remi Poirier (23.8)

Poirier would be the third goaltender on the depth chart in Dallas at this point. He's played 69 AHL games over the past two seasons with a record of 34-27-5 and a save percentage of 90.6.

Edmonton Oilers

Starter

Stuart Skinner (26.7)

Skinner has played between 50 and 59 games in each of the past three years and won 26 to 36 games over that period. Unfortunately, his save percentage has gone from 91.4 to 90.5 to 89.6.

His 2024-25 campaign was below average. The Oilers need average.

I don't see how he can duplicate another 50 games with more than 26 wins as I don't think Edmonton gives him any rope to struggle in 2025-26. I think he ends up as the backup or on another NHL team.

Backups

Calvin Pickard (33.2)

On the surface, Pickard has played 59 games with Edmonton and has a record of 34-17-2 and a save percentage of 90.4 which seems pretty impressive since 2022-23. He had 22 wins in 2024-25 in just 36 games. To add to that his record in the 2024-25 playoffs was 7-1-0 with a save percentage of 88.6.

He's a fine NHL backup but won't carry a team for 50 games. I don't think he will duplicate 22 wins, but he could see 15-20.

Matt Tomkins (31.1)

Tomkins has had a roundabout path back to the NHL. He was a 7th round pick in 2012 who turned pro in 2017-18 after playing four years at Ohio State University. He bounced between the AHL and ECHL until 2021-22 when he went and played in the SHL for two seasons.

In his two SHL seasons he had a record of 39-25-0 with a save percentage of 91.0. He had never played more than 15 games in an AHL season until coming back there in 2023-24 where he played 29 games with a record of 15-12-2 and a save percentage of 90.4. He backed that up with 26 AHL games in 2024-25 and a record of 12-10-3 and a save percentage of 90.7.

He ended up playing six games for Tampa Bay in 2024-25 going 3-2-1 with a save percentage of 89.2.

He should be the third goaltender in Edmonton, but I still don't see how they enter 2025-26 with Skinner and Pickard as their combo.

Los Angeles Kings

Starter

Darcy Kuemper (35.2)

Kuemper had back-to-back 57 game seasons between 2021-22 and 2022-23 with Colorado and Washington. He paid for it in 2023-24 with Washington and played just 33 games. He is 35-years old now and played 50 games in 2024-25 where he went 31-11-7 with an impressive 92.2 save percentage.

I don't think the Kings can risk playing him more than 50 games in 2025-26, so I'd expect 45-50 games and 25-30 wins.

Backups

Anton Forsberg (32.6)

Forsberg has played between 28 and 46 games in each of the past four campaigns and might be an ideal backup for Kuemper as the role will call for 30-35 games in 2025-26.

Forsberg has been a little inconsistent in Ottawa since his 22 wins in 46 games during 2021-22. He might have a better defense in Los Angeles, so perhaps he can win 15-20 games in 2025-26.

Erik Portillo (24.8)

Portillo might have been pegged as the goalie of the future in Los Angeles going into 2024-25 but he struggled a little in the AHL with a save percentage of 88.9 even though his record of 15-5-3 was still impressive.

He will need to get back to his 2023-24 numbers of a 91.8 save percentage in 39 AHL games. As it stands, he's the number three or four goalie with Los Angeles.

Pheonix Copley (33.5)

Copley went 24-6-3 with a save percentage of 90.3 as recently as 2022-23 with the Kings. He has managed to play just nine NHL games and 42 AHL games since.

He outplayed Portillo in 2024-25 in the AHL, but I would think that Portillo will get more opportunities in 2025-26.

Minnesota Wild

Starter

Filip Gustavsson (27.1)

Gustavsson had a bounce back 2024-25 with 31 wins and a save percentage of 91.4 in 58 games.

With Marc-Andre Fleury retiring, Gustavsson should get 55-60 starts once again and win more than 30 games again.

Backups

Jesper Wallstedt (22.6)

Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick in 2020-21 but he struggled mightily in 2024-25 in 27 AHL games and two NHL games. He had a record of 9-14-4 with a save percentage of 87.9 in the AHL and lost both his NHL starts with a save percentage of 84.3.

I think he'd have to play himself out of the backup role by being terrible over his first three or four starts in 2025-26.

Wallstedt was supposed to be the future starter in Minnesota and he's still young, but this year is very important. He could get 20-25 games and win 10-13 games in the NHL.

Cal Petersen (30.7)

Petersen is the third option if Wallstedt falters. He didn't play in the NHL in 2024-25 but did play 31 AHL games with a record of 13-15-3 and a save percentage of 88.5.

Nashville Predators

Starter

Juuse Saros (30.2)

Entering into 2024-25, Saros had played between 64 and 67 games and won between 33 and 38 games in each of the three seasons prior. He was a top five fantasy goalie.

He didn't carry that into 2024-25 where he played 58 games and went 20-31-6 with a save percentage of 89.6. It was the first time he had a year under 90.0 in eight years.

I don't think Nashville can be as bad as they were in 2024-25 and that goes for Saros as well. I think he will play 55-60 games and win 25-30 times.

Backup

Justus Annunen (25.3) 34-15-15-1 88.3 -15.78 1 steal

Annunen started 2024-25 with Colorado but ended up with Nashville as part of the Scott Wedgewood trade.

He played 34 NHL games in 2024-25 and went 15-15-1 with a save percentage of 88.3.

He could take some games away from Saros but if Saros is even close to where he was before, Annunen might not get more than 20-25 games and 10-12 wins.

Magnus Chrona (24.9)

Chrona played 30 AHL games and had a record of 12-11-4 with a save percentage of 90.3. He could be the third goalie on the depth chart.

San Jose Sharks

Starter

Yaroslav Askarov (23.1)

Surely it is time for Askarov to become the number one goalie in the NHL in 2025-26. He played just 13 NHL games with a record of 4-6-2 and a save percentage of 89.6. He played 22 AHL games with a record of 11-9-1 and a save percentage of 92.3.

A conservative estimate for him might be 35-45 games and 12-17 wins in 2025-26. San Jose is likely to be better in 2025-26.

I think he might be in a 1A/1B situation in 2025-26 with Nedeljkovic.

Alex Nedeljkovic (29.5)

Nedeljkovic has played 38 NHL games in each of the past two campaigns with Pittsburgh where he had a record of 32-22-12 and a save percentage of 89.8.

I think we can put him down for 35-45 games and 12-17 wins as well.

Backup

Jakub Skarek (25.7)

I believe that Skarek was brought in to bolster the AHL team, with the idea that Askarov would be in the NHL as a regular.

He has played 161 AHL games with a record of 49-84-13 with a save percentage around 89.0. He could be third goalie on the depth chart.

Seattle Kraken

Starter

Joey Daccord (28.9)

Daccord has proven me wrong over the past two seasons as he's played 50 and 57 games and won 19 then 27 games to go along with save percentages of 91.6 and 90.6.

He's established himself as the starter in Seattle and should play 55-60 games again in 2025-26 and 25-30 wins.

Backups

Philipp Grubauer (33.6)

In his four seasons with the Kraken, Grubauer has seen his games go from 55 to 39 to 36 and to 26 in 2024-25. His win totals have gone from 18 to 17 to 14 and to eight.

I don't think he will get much more than what he put up in 2024-25, so 25-30 games and 8 to 12 wins.

Matt Murray (31.1)

Murray hasn't played much hockey over the past three years, with 26 games in the NHL in 2022-23, three games at the AHL level in 2023-24 and 21 AHL games and two NHL games in 2024-25.

He won 117 NHL games with Pittsburgh between 2015-16 and 2019-20 but won just 30 NHL games after that.

There is a chance he could win out over Grubauer and be the backup, but the contract of Grubauer is a lot to bury.

Nikke Kokko (21.3)

Kokko is only 21 years of age, but had a record of 20-10-2 and a save percentage of 91.3 in the AHL in 2024-25. He's a little ahead of himself at this age for a goalie, so look for him to get another year at the AHL level to prove himself.

St. Louis Blues

Starter

Jordan Binnington (32.0)

Binnington is a very consistent fantasy goalie. He's played between 56 and 61 games over the past three years while winning 27, 28 and 28 games. His save percentage has wavered a little between 89.4 and 91.3, but he's still the number one goalie in St. Louis for 2025-26.

Mark him down for 55-60 games and 25-30 wins.

Backups

Joel Hofer (24.9)

Hofer has been very solid as a backup, two years into his NHL career. He's played 30 and 31 games since 2023-24 and won 15 and 16 games with a save percentage of 91.4 and 90.4.

Hofer could start to take some starts away from Binnington, but I think he's still going to get 25-30 games in 2025-26 with 14-17 wins.

Colten Ellis (24.8)

Ellis had a solid AHL campaign with a record of 22-14-2 and a save percentage of 92.2. He should be the third option if anything happens to Binnington or Hofer.

Utah Mammoth

Starter

Karel Vejmelka (29.1)

Vejmelka has been a starter in three of his four NHL seasons, since coming over for the 2021-22 season. In 2024-25 he had a career-high 58 games and 26 wins with a save percentage of 90.4.

Utah should be a little better in 2025-26 so Vejmelka could see 50-55 games and 25-30 wins.

Backups

Connor Ingram (28.3)

Ingram was the starter over Vejmelka in 2023-24 where he played 50 games and won 23 games with a save percentage of 90.7. He couldn't hold on to that role in 2024-25 and played just 22 games with nine wins and a save percentage of 88.2.

There were underlying issues for Ingram as he entered the Player's Assistance Program and we don't know his status for 2025-26.

Vitek Vanecek (29.5)

Vanecek is two years removed from playing 52 games in 2022-23 and posting a record of 33-11-4 with a save percentage of 91.1. Since then, he has played 57 NHL games and gone 22-23-7 with a save percentage of 88.6.

With Ingram uncertain for 2025-26, Vanecek could play 25-30 games and put up 12-15 wins. He could also take over the starting role from Vejmelka by November.

Jaxson Stauber (26.2)

Stauber has played 12 NHL games over the past two seasons with a record of 7-2-1 and a save percentage of 90.2.

He could be third-string goalie if Ingram is out.

Matt Villalta (26.1) 1-1-0-0

Villalta has played 94 AHL games since 2023-24 with a record of 49-39-6 and a save percentage of 90.8. He's played three NHL games with a record of 1-1-0 and a save percentage of 86.7.

He comes in as the fourth string if Ingram is out and the fifth string if Ingram is back. Look for a goalie or two to be moved to another team as Utah has some depth here.

Vancouver Canucks

Starters

Kevin Lankinen (30.2)

Lankinen was forced to play 51 games in 2024-25 and he performed admirably. He went 25-15-10 with a save percentage of 90.2. He was just slightly above average which is not an easy thing to do when you haven't played more than 37 games since your rookie year in 2020-21 with Chicago.

The number of games that Lankinen plays in 2025-26 will rely entirely on the health and performance of Thatcher Demko.

I think he will play 35-45 games and win 17-22 times.

Thatcher Demko (29.6)

Demko has only played more than 35 games in a season twice in the six that he has been in the NHL. Even if healthy and playing well, the Canucks aren't going to play him more than 50 games in 2025-26.

If he can get his game back to even an average level, I think he will play 35-45 games and win 17-22 games.

I think this will evolve into a 1A/1B situation.

Backups

Nikita Tolopilo (25.3)

Tolopilo has back-to-back 20-win seasons in the AHL playing just 35 and 36 games. His save percentage has been 90.5 and 90.2 so he has been consistent for the most part. He will compete with Jiri Patera for the third goaltender role, but the club would probably reward Tolopilo first if there was a call-up.

Jiri Patera (26.4)

Patera played just seven AHL games in 2024-25 with a record of 2-2-1 and a save percentage of 89.9. He has played eight NHL games in 2022-23 and 2023-24 with Vegas and had a record of 3-3-1 and a save percentage of 90.2.

It's likely that he and Tolopilo split the crease in Abbotsford in 2025-26, with Patera starting as fourth on the depth chart.

Vegas Golden Knights

Starter

Adin Hill (29.2)

Hill had never played more than 35 games in an NHL season before 2024-25 where he played 50 and ended up with a record of 32-13-5 with a save percentage of 90.6.

I think 50 games is probably his ceiling and he might see 45-50 games in 2025-26 with 27-32 wins.

Vegas doesn't have the ability to bring up their third-string goalie for the playoffs and have him win them the Stanley Cup that year. They lack goalie depth now.

Backups

Akira Schmid (25.2)

The Golden Knights are taking a bit of a chance on Schmid if they are pegging him as their back up goalie for 2025-26. He played just five NHL games in 2024-25 and 30 AHL games where he struggled to a record of 9-18-3 and a save percentage of 88.6.

He has played 48 career NHL games with a record of 16-18-4 and a save percentage of 90.3. He should be all right in Vegas, but there is a risk that this team will be looking for an NHL goalie in November.

Schmid will need to play 25-30 games, and if he can, he should win 14-18 games.

Carl Lindbom (22.1)

Lindbom is next on the list for Vegas as he actually outplayed Schmid in the AHL in 2024-25 on his way to a record of 18-15-2 and a save percentage of 91.2.

He had one full season in the SHL in 2023-24 where he went 17-7-0 with a save percentage of 91.1.

He could get some pretty good opportunities sooner than later in Vegas.

Winnipeg Jets

Starter

Connor Hellebuyck (32.1)

There is a goaltending tier in the NHL that includes just Hellebuyck and then there is a tier below that includes everyone else. That includes his playoff woes unless those woes carry forward into 2025-26.

He has played no less than 60 games in each of his past four seasons with his wins ranging from 29, 37, 37 and 47.

I think he'll continue to play 60-65 games, but 47 wins is a once in a career total, so I’d put him back to 35-40.

Backup

Eric Comrie (30.0)

Comrie was very good in 2024-25 for the Jets as a backup who was never going to play more than once every four games. He ended up playing 20 games and going 9-10-1 with a save percentage of 91.4.

He should duplicate his 20 games but look for him to perhaps break 10 wins.

Thomas Milic (22.2)

Milic had won everywhere he had been since playing for the Burnaby Winter Club in 2017-18 as a 14-year-old. He had never had a losing record until 2024-25 in the AHL where he went 5-12-2.

In 240 games before that at various levels, Milic had a record of 151-55-12. He needs to cement his role at the AHL level before he becomes a candidate to backup at the NHL level.

Dominic Divincentiis (21.3)

Divincentiis has limited pro experience as he played 28 AHL games and 20 ECHL games in 2024-25. Much like Milic, he has won since his first OHL year in 2021-22. In 165 games in the OHL, AHL and ECHL he has a record of 105-43-9.

The Jets might need to add a third-string goaltender as Milic and Divincentiis might be a little young for the challenge.

Thank you very much for reading, and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15