NHL teams will look at what Brandon Bussi did in the Stanley Cup Final for the Carolina Hurricanes and wonder if they can have the same fortune. Bussi was a journeyman goaltender who spent years in the American Hockey League before he was given a shot. He made the most of it and led the Hurricanes to the Cup title. 

Teams will also look at their goaltending issues and wonder if the fix is in the AHL. Multiple teams struggled to find reliable goaltending last season, and the easiest way to address the need is by targeting an AHL goaltender, a high upside move at a reasonable price. 

The NHL is in the middle of a trade frenzy leading up to the draft. So, there’s a chance one of the big names in the AHL will be moved or acquired in the coming weeks. 

Sebastian Cossa is the one goaltender everyone has in mind. He put together a great season for the Grand Rapids Griffins, yet fell out of favor with the AHL team and their NHL affiliate, the Detroit Red Wings. It showed when the Calder Cup Playoffs rolled around, and the Griffins turned to Michal Postava for the run, only to see the team eliminated in the Central Division Final. 

The 23-year-old Cossa is still a talent that a lot of teams like. He stood out this season and is developing into an NHL-caliber starter. The Red Wings could move him for NHLers or borderline in a deal that compensates for a potential Dylan Larkin trade and not worry about their goaltending for next season, especially with Postava and Trey Augustine in the system. 

The question about Michael DiPietro’s small frame will always be there. For all the greatness he’s had in the AHL, there will be that doubt. He won the goaltender of the year award in the AHL in each of the past two seasons, and at this level, he has nothing more to prove. 

So, eventually, an NHL team will give him a shot. Considering the Boston Bruins struggled to find a reliable backup for Jeremy Swayman, calling up the Providence starter makes a lot of sense. Otherwise, DiPietro is the high-risk and high-reward goaltender who teams might want to round out their goaltending. 

When the Buffalo Sabres claimed Colten Ellis off waivers at the start of last season, it put a clock on Devon Levi, their top goaltending prospect. Levi has the upside to become a great goaltender someday but he’s stuck with the Rochester Americans with no path to join the Sabres. 

He had a rocky season with the Amerks but proved he can be a primary starter, which he was last season. The Sabres are pushing a lot of their chips in to contend next season, and it’s why Levi can become a part of a blockbuster trade, especially if he goes to a rebuilding team that needs goaltending. 

Clay Stevenson is an interesting goaltender to keep an eye on, someone who many thought wouldn’t make it through waivers last season. He’s 27 and had a rollercoaster tenure with the Hershey Bears and Washington Capitals. However, he’s shown enough, especially this past season when he became the unquestioned starter, that he can play in the NHL. 

Moreover, Stevenson has the skill sets that translate to the NHL. He’s athletic but also reads the play well and has a detailed approach that works with the structured offenses of the NHL. Stevenson might be the backup for the Capitals next season but if not, he’s an option for a handful of teams to take a chance on. 

Leevi Merilainen is a top prospect in the Ottawa Senators system but he struggled both in the NHL and in Belleville last season and might need a fresh start. It’s most likely that he stays at least one more season with the Senators but he’s someone who can fly under the radar and watch another team make a move for him. 

One goaltender who has become expendable in the AHL is Joel Blomqvist. He was the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins starter two seasons back but with the rise of Sergei Murashov, he’s moved down in the depth chart. Yet, he’s still one of the AHL’s best and worth adding for half of the league. 

If there’s one goaltender who can ride the high of the playoffs into a starting role, it’s Colorado Eagles starter, Trent Miner. He led the Eagles to the Western Conference Final, and it all came together for him at the right time. After the 2025 playoffs, Arturs Silovs was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, so maybe Miner is this year’s version of that. 

Another name to keep tabs on is Remi Porier, who burst on the scene with the Texas Stars this season. The 24-year-old goaltender is hitting his stride with the Stars and would be a great trade chip for Dallas but they might view him as next in line for an NHL role at some point. 

Then there’s the question about what happens in Toronto. The Marlies won the Calder Cup, and the Maple Leafs are looking to rebound on the fly. They already traded Joseph Woll, opening up a path for Dennis Hildeby or Artur Ahktyamov to join the NHL team but if they make a big swing and land a proven veteran, one of the young goaltenders might be going the other way.