The goaltending picture for an NHL team can change quickly, and a strong organizational depth chart at the American Hockey League level is a necessity.
Injuries, performance, or other factors often force an NHL team to use a third or even a fourth goalie on its depth chart. Last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and San Jose Sharks each used five goalies. The Vegas Golden Knights went through five goalies during their 2022-23 Stanley Cup championship season.
A capable third or fourth goalie usually can provide experience at the AHL level. When a need arises in the NHL, that same goalie must be counted on to be a dependable recall option.
Here is a look at some of the goaltending depth that Western Conference teams possess. A look at the Eastern Conference ran earlier.
Calgary Flames (Calgary)
Dustin Wolf’s full-time promotion to the Flames following three standout seasons in the AHL meant that Calgary was in the market for organizational goalie depth in the offseason.
Devin Cooley signed a two-year contract with the Flames as a free agent July 1. He divided last season between the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks. Acquired by San Jose from Buffalo for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on March 8, he went on to play six games with the Sharks. He finished 2-3-1 with a 4.98 goals-against average and .870 save percentage in his first NHL stint.
The 27-year-old has played an AHL-leading 14 games and is 10-3-0 with three shutouts. His 1.89 GAA is third in the AHL and his .940 save percentage ranks second.
Los Angeles Kings (Ontario)
The Kings have used the tried-and-true combination of having a top prospect (Erik Portillo) and a veteran (Pheonix Copley) at the AHL level.
Portillo, recalled by the Kings on Nov. 24, the 24-year-old yet to make his NHL debut. Los Angeles acquired him from Buffalo for a 2023 third-round pick March 1, 2023. The Sabres selected him in the third round (No. 67) of the 2019 NHL Draft, and he played three seasons at the University of Michigan before turning pro. In six games with Ontario, he is 4-2-0 with a 2.68 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Copley, 32, brings NHL experience to Los Angeles’ depth chart with 77 games between the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and Kings. He played a career-high 37 games with Los Angeles in 2022-23 and finished 24-6-3 with a 2.64 GAA and .903 save percentage before missing all but eight games last season with a knee injury. He signed with the Kings as a free agent July 13, 2022, and signed a one-year contract July 1.
He has played one game with the Kings this season, stopping 10 of 12 shots in relief in a 6-2 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 16.
Minnesota Wild (Iowa)
With Marc-Andre Fleury expected to retire after this season, Jesper Wallstedt is viewed as the future in goal for Minnesota, and with good reason.
The 22-year-old, selected by the Wild in the first round (No. 20) of the 2021 NHL Draft, had two strong AHL seasons on his resume when he signed a two-year $4.4 million contract Oct. 8.
In the meantime, Wallstedt is fine-tuning his game with Iowa and continues to showcase his durability, especially after Troy Grosenick had surgery on a torn right anterior cruciate ligament Oct. 1. Wallstedt has picked up that workload, and his 10 games tie him for fifth among AHL goalies.
Nashville Predators (Milwaukee)
Magnus Chrona got a new start with Nashville after it acquired him Aug. 23 from San Jose with forward David Edstrom and a first-round pick in the 2025 draft for goalie Yaroslav Askarov, forward Nolan Burke, and a 2025 third-round selection.
The 24-year-old has had a strong start with Milwaukee, where he is 4-2-1 in seven games and has a 2.44 GAA and a .918 save percentage. In a hectic 2023-24 season with the Sharks organization, he played nine NHL games as well as playing in the AHL (San Jose) and ECHL (Wichita). The Predators also have 26-year-old Matt Murray, who signed as a free agent July 1. Murray has gone 5-2-1 in eight games and has a 2.35 GAA and .924 save percentage.
San Jose Sharks (San Jose)
Like Wallstedt with Minnesota, Askarov is a first-round pick who is viewed as a future No. 1 NHL goalie.
Nashville chose Askarov in the first round (No. 11) of the 2020 NHL Draft. In two seasons with Milwaukee, he was a two-time AHL All-Star and was named to the 2023-24 AHL Top Prospects Team. He also helped lead Milwaukee to the Western Conference Finals in each season.
The 22-year-old opened the AHL season with two shutouts. He is 6-3-0 with a 1.92 GAA (fourth in the AHL) and .939 save percentage, which is third in the league. He was recalled Nov. 18 and made his Sharks debut Nov. 21, when he made 29 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss at the St. Louis Blues. He got his first win of the season Nov. 25 at home, making 22 saves in a 7-2 win against the Kings. In those two NHL games, he was 1-0-1 with a 1.96 GAA and .927 save percentage.
The Sharks returned him to the AHL on Nov. 26.
