The goalie position is such a hard position to figure out. Sometimes, you can take a goalie in the first round and get a premier talent. Prime examples being Jake Oettinger and Andrei Vasilevskiy, both taken in the first round and have developed into top ten goalies in the NHL. But then you will have guys like Connor Hellebuyck and Igor Shesterkin getting taken in the fourth round and beyond and become consistent Vezina contenders.

In any case, it is always a positive to see your team’s young goalie prospect playing well in North America, more so in the second highest level of North American hockey, that being the AHL. Some of these guys are getting their first taste of AHL hockey, while others are becoming some of the best young talents in their respective position.

Devon Levi – Rochester Americans: A seventh-round pick by the Florida Panthers back in 2020, Levi was one of the best goalies that the NCAA had seen in decades. After posting a 1.90 goals against average and a .942% save percentage, his rights were traded to Buffalo (along with a first-round pick) for Sam Reinhart. His professional career got off to a solid start, winning five out of his first seven starts and posting a 2.94 goals against average and a .905% save percentage. Since then, it has not been great but his time in the AHL seems to be working well for him.

In 39 games played with the Rochester, he has posted a 2.19 goals against average and a .920% save percentage with a 24-11-4 records while helping the Rochester
Americans clinch a playoff berth. His GAA is the 6th best out of all goalies in the AHL and his .920% save percentage is 5th in the AHL.

He has real flashes of absolute brilliance, being able to stay with the play even with absolute chaos around him. This level of play has not directly translated to the NHL, as he has struggled in his 9 NHL appearances this year. Levi has a lot of potential, but he needs to bring what works for him at the AHL level to the Sabres.

Nikke Kokko – Coachella Valley Firebirds: The youngest goalie out of these four, Kokko came to North America after playing exceptionally well for Pelicans in the Finnish Liiga. His first year in the Seattle Kraken organization has been what every young goalie dreams of, playing at a high level in the AHL and eventually making your NHL debut in your rookie year. Now, the NHL debut did not go to plan, however his play in the AHL level has been great for the Kraken.

In 31 games played with Coachella Valley, he has a 2.24 goals against average and a .914% save percentage. His record is also pretty good, that being 19-9-2. He has not allowed more than three goals in a start since March 12^th.

Kokko is the prototypical goalie that teams love to draft. Physically developed, he stands at 6’4 and 190 pounds, and as technically solid as a 21-year-old can be. He moves well laterally and controls any rebound he gives with relative ease. There is a lot to like in his first North American season and he’s got a good shot at being a 1B starter at the NHL level in the future.

Carl Lindbom – Henderson Silver Knights: After being a statistical top ten goalie in the SHL with Farjestad BK, with a 2.12 goals against average and a .911% save percentage, Lindbom made his move to North America and has found early success in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. In 33 games with Henderson, he has a 2.60 goals against average and a .914% save percentage with a record of 17-14-1, His goals against average and save percentage are both good for 2^nd out of all qualified AHL rookies.

With Lindbom, it is impressive that he is maintaining a solid/good rookie season for a Henderson team that is not .500 on the season. Lindbom’s fight through rebounds and traffic is impressive for his age, with his technical ability is lacking a little behind. There is a little to dislike in his game, combine that with the fact that Vegas might be looking for a new backup goalie next season, it should not shock anyone if Lindbom makes a run at the backup spot at the NHL level next season.

Sebastian Cossa – Grand Rapids Griffins: The 15^th overall pick back in 2021, it has been a weird few seasons since he was drafted. After having a solid final season with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2021/22 WHL season, Cossa was signed to his entry-level-contract and started his season in the AHL, where he had a solid debut in a 3-2 win, making 21/23 saves. He then spent the rest of the season in the ECHL while making two other AHL starts and giving up a combined 11 goals in those games. Since then, he has been much better in the AHL and even made his NHL debut this season.

In 38 games played for the Grand Rapids Griffins, he has a 2.48 goals against average and a .909% save percentage with a record of 20-13-6.

The first trait that sticks out when someone sees him play is his freakish size. Cossa stands at 6’7 and weighs a solid 220 pounds. The only NHL goalie that is as big as him is Ivan Fedotov and the only AHL goalie that is taller than him is Cooper Black. Despite his size, he is solid in moving from post to post. His progression is solid enough that fans could probably expect Cossa to be an NHL regular within a year.