As a follow-up to my prior post regarding the top-ranked skaters in this upcoming draft, here are the top-ranked goaltenders as well.
North American Goaltenders
Carson Bjarnasson (Brandon) – Bjarnasson is 17-14-4 for the Wheat Kings this season, with a 2.99 goals against average and .909 save percentage. Also, at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer, the Canadian goaltender was 1-0-0 with a GAA of 1.00 and .950 save percentage. He is a solid second-rounder in many mock drafts, and a projected first-rounder by McKeen’s Hockey and Sportsnet. He received an “A” rating (first-rounder) on the NHL’s preliminary players to watch list.
Michael Hrabal (Omaha) – The 6’6″ Czech is 6-10-3 on the season with a 3.22 GAA and .896 save percentage. Also, Hrabal was 1-2-0 for Czechia at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, with a 2.73 GAA and .917 save percentage. In mock drafts, for the most part he is a projected late first-rounder or early second-rounder. Also, he received an “A” rating on the NHL’s preliminary list.
Trey Augustine (U18 National Team Development Program) – Augustine is 14-0-2 with a 2.74 GAA and .927 save percentage with the NTDP so far this season. Also, he posted a record of 4-1-0 at the 2023 world juniors, with a GAA of 2.85 and save percentage of .891. In my review of mock drafts, he is a projected second-rounder in all of them. Also, he received a “B” rating (second or third rounder) on the NHL’s preliminary list.
Adam Gajan (Green Bay) – The Slovak began the season with Chippewa in the NAHL, where he posted a 9-8-1 record with a GAA of 2.99 and .911 save percentage. He currently plays for the Gamblers in the USHL, where he is 5-1-0 with a GAA of 2.48 and .927 save percentage. He also went 2-2-0 with a GAA of 2.40 and .936 save percentage for Slovakia at the world junior championship. He is ranked as a late first-rounder to early third-rounder by mock drafts, and received a “C” rating (4th through 6th round) on the NHL’s preliminary list.
Carsen Musser (U18 National Team Development Program) – Musser has an 11-4-0 record so far this season with the NTDP, with a 2.67 GAA and .886 save percentage. He is unranked by most mock drafts, but received a “B” grade on the NHL’s preliminary list.
EUROPEAN GOALTENDERS
Alexander Hellnemo, Skelleftea – Jr. (SWE-Jr.) – Hellnemo is 11-6-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .918 save percentage so far this season at the U20 level (he has been added to the Skelleftea’s SHL roster, but hasn’t seen game action yet). He did not receive a grade on the NHL’s preliminary list.
Juha Jatkola, KalPa (Finland Liiga) – Jatkola is 17-11-6 this season, with a 2.19 GAA and .905 save percentage. He is not rated in the mock drafts I have reviewed, and received a “C” grade on the NHL’s preliminary draft list.
Ian Blomquist, Vasteras (SHL-2) – Blomquist is 4-8-2 so far this season, with a 2.69 GAA and .909 save percentage. He is not rated by the mock drafts I have reviewed, and received no grade on the NHL’s preliminary draft list.
Adam Dybal, Karlovy Vary (Czechia-Jr.) – Dybal is 24-11-0 with a GAA of 1.82 and .943 save percentage so far this season. Also, he was 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .917 save percentage this past summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Dybal and received no grade on the NHL’s preliminary draft list.
Aksels Ozols, HS Riga (Latvia) – Ozols has a save percentage of .900 in 15 games this season for HS Riga, Latvia’s top professional league. Ozols is not rated by the mock drafts I have reviewed, and received no grade on the NHL’s preliminary draft list.