DiPietro Finally Gets His Chance: Which Journeyman Goaltenders Are Next?

The question surrounding Michael DiPietro for the past two seasons was: What more does he need to do to become an NHL-caliber goaltender? The Providence Bruins starter won the Goaltender of the Year award in back-to-back seasons and was dominant in the American Hockey League. The answer was that he just needed a team to give him that chance. 

The Boston Bruins are finally giving him that chance. He won’t be the starter; that’s Jeremy Swayman, and Jiri Patera will have a say as well, yet the backup role in Boston heading into the season belongs to DiPietro. He’s not the only goaltender moving from the AHL to the NHL. Devon Levi and Sebastian Cossa were traded this summer, and Sergei Murashov is expected to leave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to join the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, DiPietro is the journeyman who bounced around and did his time in the AHL only to finally get his shot at 27. 

Who is next? Who is the next journeyman or late-bloomer who has stepped up in the AHL and, with a big season, can be on an NHL team in the near future? The 25-or-older category has a few names that come to mind as they can break out and become the next group of goalies to watch. 

The Syracuse Crunch are confident that Ryan Fanti can take over the reins as the starter. It’s why they moved on from Brandon Halverson, another late bloomer who was a reliable veteran in recent seasons. 

Fanti took time to develop and, more specifically, needed to find a team that would give him starts. It’s what the Crunch did the past season, as he split starts with Halverson. Fanti didn’t let them down, with a .905 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA) in 27 games. 

It sets up Fanti, who turns 27 when the season starts, for a big year ahead. It’s something the Tampa Bay Lightning are hopeful of since they need a backup, especially with Andrei Vasilevskiy aging. Fanti is a bigger goaltender and starting to hit his stride, so this season will be the telltale for the journeyman and whether he can take that next big step. 

Aside from one game in the 2024-25 season, Erik Portillo never got a chance to prove he can play for the Los Angeles Kings. Instead, he’s been stuck on the Ontario Reign for the past three seasons, hoping for a breakthrough. 

Last season was as close as it gets to the breakthrough for Portillo. In 30 games, he had a .907 SV% and a 2.45 GAA while taking it up a notch in the playoffs with a .926 SV% and a 2.14 GAA in three games. At 26, he looks ready for the NHL.

And this is the time to call him up. The Kings have an aging duo and need young goaltenders in the system to step up. With two prospects joining the Reign this season, there’s a juggling act in the AHL. So, this is the season to keep Portillo in the NHL. Certainly, another great season from him will secure his case to get the call-up to the next level. 

Cooper Black leaves fans who see him put together a dominant performance mesmerized. He can stand on his head, and by the way, he’s 6-foot-9. Yes, he’s not just big; he dwarfs the new wave of tall goaltenders that are sprouting up all around the AHL (and NHL). 

Like many bigger goaltenders, Black struggles to find consistency. He can allow five goals in one start and then only one in the next (that happened on March 17 and 21 for those wondering). That said, he’s coming into form at 25 years old, and it’s why the Florida Panthers signed him to a two-year deal this offseason. 

Black will be the go-to starter for the Charlotte Checkers. Last season, he played 42 games and posted a .903 SV% and a 2.47 GAA, and the Panthers will keep a close eye on him, hoping he builds off of that season to prove he can be part of the goaltending unit. 

Rémi Poirier has started to look like an NHL-caliber starter in recent seasons. Along with the stats, he’s taken on a bigger workload and become the number-one goaltender for the Texas Stars.

Even with the Brandon Halverson signing, the Stars are still turning to Poirier. While it means they have a backup and won’t overwork Poirier, he’s still the future goaltender they are developing. 

For the Dallas Stars, Poirier might be the future goaltender to rely on. Jake Oettinger is in his prime, and Poirier still has room to improve but he’s on track to make it to the NHL with another strong season. 

The Calder Cup Playoffs are when Trent Miner turned heads. He had four shutouts. The rest of the AHL had 14. Miner would not only dominate in the net, but he would also take over games. He led the Colorado Eagles to the Western Conference Final with a .925 SV% and 1.87 GAA in the playoffs. 

Miner stands out because he’s a bigger goaltender who can flip that switch. Yes, he’ll have rough nights in the net but he can also be the best player on the ice. It’s something the Colorado Eagles have seen in recent seasons and particularly the past one as he rounded out his game. 

The Colorado Avalanche aren’t looking for another goaltender, at least not yet. They also have a younger option in the AHL, Isak Posch, whom they are developing for the long run. That said, another great season from Miner will put him on the map for an NHL role.