AHL notebook: Goalies who could move before NHL Trade Deadline

The 2022 NHL Trade Deadline is March 21 at 3 p.m. ET, less than four weeks away.

That means NHL scouts are a regular sight in the American Hockey League, looking to find young talent to acquire. NHL teams with Stanley Cup hopes are trying to determine who they can afford to lose in a trade, and if there is an AHL veteran who might be a thrifty trade acquisition for the NHL stretch run.
In the first of a two-part series, here is a look at AHL goalies who could be on the move (in alphabetical order). Defensemen and forwards will be covered March 10:

Justus Annunen, Colorado (Colorado Avalanche)

Since being selected by the Avalanche in the third round (No. 64) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Annunen has progressed steadily.
The 21-year-old is 17-9-5 with a 2.64 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 34 games, the second-most appearances in the AHL, in his first full North American season.
The Avalanche are a Stanley Cup contender and already have two capable goalies in Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz. Though each could become an unrestricted free agent after this season, Colorado has a chance to win now. Could Annunen be a sweetener in a trade to acquire help toward a long playoff run?

Collin Delia , Rockford (Chicago Blackhawks)

The 27-year-old has been a steady organizational presence for Chicago since signing as a free agent July 28, 2017.
But he has been limited to two NHL games with Marc-Andre Fleury holding the No. 1 job, and Kevin Lankinen was activated off injured reserve Wednesday after being out since Jan. 22 with a hand injury. Delia has spent most of this season with Rockford, where he is 9-7-2 with a 2.82 GAA and .911 save percentage in 18 games.
Chicago also has 22-year-old Arvid Soderblom developing and splitting between the AHL and NHL. The Blackhawks signed Soderblom as a free agent from Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League on May 13, 2021. He is 9-7-1 with a 2.57 GAA and .925 save percentage in 17 AHL games, and has played three games with Chicago. He was assigned to the AHL on Wednesday when Lankinen was activated.
With many decisions ahead for the Blackhawks, Delia might have opportunities elsewhere.

Adam Huska , Hartford (New York Rangers)

Igor Shesterkin is the No. 1 goalie in New York, but what happens with backup Alexandar Georgiev?
Keith Kinkaid, on the Hartford roster, has played 167 career NHL games and could make a capable backup for Shesterkin if Georgiev is traded.
Huska has been a strong addition since the Rangers selected him in the seventh round (No. 184) of the 2015 NHL Draft. In his third full pro season following his NCAA career at Connecticut, he is 5-6-3 with a 2.38 GAA and .916 save percentage in 15 games for Hartford. He turns 25 on May 12. Might he thrive in a new organization with more AHL playing time to develop further?

Eetu Makiniemi , Chicago (Carolina Hurricanes)

The Hurricanes have an abundance of young, talented goalies.
Makiniemi has been out since Dec. 17 with an undisclosed injury, but prior to that, the 22-year-old was 11-2-1 with a 2.06 GAA and .922 save percentage in his first 14 AHL games with Chicago. Last season, he was 13-14-7 with a 2.59 GAA and .907 save percentage in 34 games for Ilves of Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.
Carolina signed Jack LaFontaine from the University of Minnesota to a one-year entry-level contract Jan. 9 and assigned the 24-year-old to Chicago, where he is 1-0-3 with a 2.31 GAA and .875 save percentage in six games. The Hurricanes selected him in the third round (No. 75) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Carolina assigned another top goalie prospect, Pyotr Kochetkov, to the AHL on Feb. 15, after the 22-year-old was 10-10-2 with 2.23 GAA and .926 save percentage in 23 games with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorad of the Kontinental Hockey League. Selected by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 36) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Kochetkov made his AHL debut Saturday with 30 saves in a 5-3 win against Iowa (Minnesota Wild).
The Hurricanes are a top Eastern Conference contender. With so many goalie prospects, they have set themselves up with plenty of trade options.

Calvin Pickard , Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings)

For an NHL team that needs a reliable goalie, Pickard could fit that need.
He has again been a workhorse with Grand Rapids; he's tied with Annunen for second in the AHL in games played (34) and is second in minutes (2,021: 12). He played an NHL career-high 50 games with the Avalanche in 2016-17; in 115 career NHL games, he is 35-54-10 with a 3.01 GAA and .904 save percentage. Colorado selected him in the second round (No. 49) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Pickard, who turns 30 on April 15, is 17-11-5 with a 2.46 GAA and .923 save percentage in the AHL this season.