The NHL season has wrapped up and while the AHL’s Calder Cup finals are still being decided, the rest of the 2024-2025 hockey season has come to an end. This marks the finale of a long, eventful season for prospects hoping to hear their name at the NHL Draft. Today I’ll dive into the top goaltenders eligible for this years NHL Entry Draft. Highlighted by two Russian net-minders, this year’s goalie class has the top end star power, as well as the depth of what makes a good class. My ranking this year features a look at a top 20 ranking, as well as 10 more names listed as ‘Honorable Mentions’. 11 different countries are represented this year, which is incredible to see. Without further ado, let’s dive into this years class!
1. Semyon Frolov, Moscow Spartak (MHL)
Frolov started the year as my number one ranked goaltender, that has not changed. If anything, he’s only further solidified that spot with an outstanding draft season that included a move from Ladya to top tier program MHK Spartak, one of the top teams in the MHL. At 6’3 200 pounds, Frolov has the perfect NHL frame, while having the athleticism and reflexes to go with it.
There needs to be some fine tuning to the situational selection of his game, but the raw talent is too good to deny. He controls his movements at an elite level while keeping himself composed and square to pucks. He doesn’t open up any holes as he moves side to side. One of my favorite parts of watching Frolov play is he explodes off the post shutting down any down low to danger area plays. Frolov, in my opinion is a first round talent.
2. Pytor Andreyanov, CSKA (MHL)
Like Frolov, Andreyanov remains my number 2 ranked goaltender for the draft. His draft season has been nothing short of remarkable. He took full control of the number one role with Red Army in the MHL over Toronto prospect Timofei Obvintsev and has ran with it. He had a .940 save % in 27 games this season, while also being the number one goaltender for the Russian U18 team that has played games vs the likes of Russia U20, Kazakhstan U20, and Belarus U20. At 6 feet tall, he’s not exactly NHL size, but the skating, depth awareness, and reading of the game blended with his quick reflexes make for a potential NHL true number one. Andreyanov has such a strong belief in his abilities and is never rattled.
3. Alexei Medvedev, London Knights (OHL)
Medvedev is excellent in his recoveries, getting to where he needs to be to make second saves or at least to be in position to make second saves. He hit a nice growth spurt this season and now has the perfect NHL frame at 6’3. It’ll be interesting to see him continue to develop as he had an excellent rookie season with London. He reacts well to pucks and while I don’t quite love his angles yet, he has quick reflexes that often times makes up for a poor angle. The mechanics Medvedev presents are elite, however. Hes an excellent skater, he holds his edges well, and keeps himself composed when the play breaks down.
4. Michal Pradel, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Pradel has been one of the biggest risers of the season for the public eye, but I was high on him from the start. He moves up two spots from the first ranking of the year after his move to Tri City in the USHL and strong showing at the U18s. Pradel is 6’5 and looks so efficient and calm in his net. Every movement is fluid and calculated, he doesn’t get too busy and exert extra energy with wasted movements, a quality trait for this age. Pradel is athletic enough to not get stuck relying on his size. He moves side to side well and is able to keep himself square to pucks when passes go across.
5. Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Ravensbergen started the year as a potential first round prospect to the public eye. I had him ranked 4th to start the year. Ravensbergen is 6’5 and displays some outstanding, raw, athletic attributes that make it easy to see why many like this prospect. When Ravensbergen is on, he can steal any game and it looks like there is absolutely nothing to shoot at. Displays quick reflexes and strong legs making it difficult to beat him on low shots and second opportunities in tight. When given time to set his feet, Ravensbergen is excellent in positioning himself well for first shots.
Some side to side mechanical flaws will need to be addressed, but the raw talent and upside is worth it. Ravensbergen carried his Prince George team as a 17 year old in the WHL playoffs and was named the team’s MVP. He had a solid season this past year, but I expected a little more.
6. Ondrej Stebetak, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
One of my personal favorites in the draft. I believe we saw only a shell of what Ondrej Stebetak can become. The 6’2 Czech goaltender was a 17 year old rookie given the keys to the starting role in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks. After a tough first half of the season, Stebetak started to settle in the second half with some inconsistencies being overshadowed by highlight reel saves and some strong performances. Stebetak has shown a flare for playing his best when it matters the most. He was dynamite in the WHL playoffs vs Prince George, he was even better vs top seeded Everett as his team pulled the upset in which he had multiple 40 plus save performances. He was also fantastic in the Hlinka Gretzky tournament for the Czechs in which he recorded a .947 save % and helped them to a silver medal.
Stebetak displays excellent skating, specifically with quick side to side movements. Hes sharp on his edge which allows him to explode across the crease to take away back door plays. At 6’2, Stebetak does a great job of understanding the depth of his positioning so that he covers the whole net, while not being too aggressive. He can stretch out and make the tough save when needed with tremendous flexibility and reflexes. The ceiling for Stebetak is high and I believe he will be one of the best goaltenders in the WHL now that he has a season under his belt.
7. Petteri Rimpinen, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)
A year ago at this time, I had Petteri Rimpinen ranked 9th on my final draft ranking. He went undrafted. Rimpinen now goes through the draft for the second time and the 6 foot goaltender has a lot more hype and belief that he will get selected. Now the question, how high? The size is the biggest concern because Rimpinens other question mark last year was his international play. This year, at age 18, Rimpinen was one of, if not, the best goaltender in the Liiga (Finnish top pro league) and went on to become the top goaltender at the IIHF World Junior championship. He capped off his season being named the “Rookie of the Year” in the Liiga.
The freak athletic goaltender looks to follow in fellow countrymen, Juuse Saros, as a small goaltender (by NHL standards) to break into the NHL. Rimpinen displays incredible reflexes, is a remarkable skater, and his most underrated trait, his reading of the play. The mind of Rimpinen works so fast and he has the athletic ability and instincts to go with it. He thinks one step quicker than shooters and is able to kill plays quickly. Dustin Wolf esque. His tremendous season earned him the nickname “Showtime” in the city of Espoo, before becoming a countrywide nickname.
8. Lukas Beckman, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Another big riser for me, Beckman had a solid draft eligible season. A .914 save % in the QMJHL, a reliable netminder for his team. Beckman is very fluid in the net. His movements are calculated, smooth, and he doesn’t seem to ever overplay situations. He reacts well to first shots and has the foot work to make quick recoveries to get into position for second saves. Beckman kind of resembles the typical Canadian goaltender for me at this point. Technically sound, very methodical, not super reliant on athleticism, but makes the saves needed to help his team. At 6’2, I think teams will like what they have to work with in Lucas Beckman.
9. Kam Hendrickson, Omaha/Waterloo (WHL)
Another second year draft eligible? You bet. Hendrickson was in my top 10 a year ago, but because he was playing high school hockey and had a small sample size in the USHL, he was not selected. I would expect that to be corrected in Los Angeles in June. Hendrickson was lights out for the worst team in the USHL splitting time with Devils prospect Mikhail Yegorov in the first part of the season. With a large volume of shots night in night out Hendrickson displayed himself to the scouts in a big time manner. His ability to read the play and put himself in great position made the transition from high school to the USHL smooth.
Hendrickson is a phenomenal skater, his recoveries are lightning quick, and he does a great job of understanding when to stay in the butterfly and quick slide over or recover into a t push across the crease. An underrated skill and one a lot of young goaltenders have bad habits on. Hendrickson was traded to Waterloo where he continued to shine before getting injured toward the end of the season. He’s committed to UConn, a rising program in the NCAA.
10. Jack Ivankovic, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
One of the biggest goaltending names for the NHL draft in 2025 and also one of the toughest prospects to project. His range of selection is all over the place in terms of projection. Some have Ivankovic as their number one ranked goaltender and a first round prospect, others have him top 2, most have him top 5, then there’s others, like myself, who have him outside of the top 5. There is a lot of talent here with Jack Ivankovic, who had a pretty solid season in the OHL, and a wicked international campaign with Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky, World Juniors, and capping it off at the U18 worlds. He earned a gold in both U18 tournaments.
Here’s the catch: he’s only 5’11. In my viewings of Ivankovic, I thought he really struggled to track in traffic, where the 5’11 frame clearly hurt him. A lot of the time he struggled was in a weak defensive league like the OHL. That is something that is only going to get tougher as he goes up the ranks. The bright side? Ivankovic is an incredible athlete, he is an absolute battler and has all the talent to put himself in position to be a pro goalie. He’s committed to the University of Michigan where he’ll get to take his time to really touch on the flaws of his game, while enhancing his strengths. Ivankovic has great hands, he does a great job of tracking pucks into his glove, and directs pucks off his blocker into harmless areas. Rebound control can sometimes be an issue, but he reacts so well and gets himself into position to make second saves.
Outside the Top 10
11. Andrei Trofimov (Magnitogorsk, MHL)
12. Elijah Neuenschwander (Chur EHC, Swiss League)
13. Love Harenstam (Skelleftea, Sweden U20)
14. Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko (Ufa, MHL)
15. Burke Hood (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
16. Mans Goos (Farjestads, Sweden U20)
17. Patrik Kerkola (KalPa, Liiga)
18. Roberto Leonardo-Henriquez (Anchorage Wolverines, NAHL)
19. Linards Feldbergs (Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL)
20. Carl Axelsson (Austin Bruins, NAHL)
Honorable Mentions
Samuel Meloche (QMJHL), Ivans Kufterins (Latvia), AJ Reyeltes (USHL), Ryan Cameron (NAHL), Arsenii Radkov (MHL), Jooa Sammalniemi (Finland U20), Bor Glavic (BCHL), Alexander Levshyn (OJHL), Louis Antoine-Denault (QMJHL), Michal Orsulak (Czechia U20)
Photo courtesy of David Reginek-Imagn Images.