Five NHL Goaltenders Who Could Be Traded This Summer

Each summer, we see teams across the NHL make several roster changes. This will certainly be the case during the 2026 NHL off-season, especially given that multiple teams underperformed this season.

Yet, when looking at potential off-season trade candidates, a decent chunk of them are goaltenders. 

Because of this, let’s look at five goaltenders who have the potential to be traded during the summer. 

Samuel Montembeault is a prime trade candidate to watch this season. Not only has the 6-foot-3 goalie struggled this season with the Canadiens, but he has also been passed on their depth chart by young goaltenders Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler.

With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Canadiens traded him this off-season. Ridding of his $3.15 million cap hit until the end of the next season would give Montreal more cap space to work with to improve their roster elsewhere. 

In 25 games this season, Montembeault has a 10-8-4 record, an .872 save percentage, and a 3.43 goals-against average. 

Dennis Hildeby looks ready to be on the Maple Leafs’ roster full-time, and it could make Anthony Stolarz expendable this off-season.

After having the best save percentage in the NHL in 2023-24 and 2024-25, Stolarz has struggled this season with the Maple Leafs. In 26 games, the 6-foot-6 goalie has a 10-10-3 record, a 3.28 GAA, and an .893 SP.

With the Maple Leafs retooling, Stolarz could be a good trade chip to help them improve their roster elsewhere, especially on the blueline. His past success could make him a popular target for teams looking to improve between the pipes.

Jordan Binnington was a top trade candidate leading up to the deadline, and that is likely to be the case again this summer. The Blues are focused on the future, and it’s clear that the 32-year-old Binnington could use a fresh start.

Binnington has struggled mightily this season, though, as evidenced by his 12-20-7 record, .875 SP and 3.28 GAA in 40 games. While this is the case, his strong resume and clutch performances in big moments should generate interest. 

The Canucks are in teardown mode, as they traded Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland, Tyler Myers, and Kiefer Sherwood all this season. More trades should be on the way this summer as the Canucks continue their rebuild, and Thatcher Demko is one to watch. 

At 30 years old, Demko is not necessarily a fit for a team that is fully rebuilding, like the Canucks. The Canucks also have goaltenders Kevin Lankinen and Nikita Tolopilo, which could make them more open to moving on from Demko for the right price.

However, a potential Demko trade could be tricky, though. The San Diego, Calif., native has dealt with plenty of injury trouble in recent years, including season-ending hip surgery. However, with Demko capable of being a star when healthy, the possibility that he generates interest should not be ruled out. 

Jesper Wallstedt was a popular name in the rumor mill leading up to the deadline, and that could be the case again this off-season. While Wallstedt is an incredibly promising young goaltender, the Wild have starter Filip Gustavsson locked up long-term. 

With the Wild currently in their Stanley Cup window, Wallstedt could be the perfect trade chip for them to use to add another star forward to their roster. However, there would also be a clear risk for the Wild in trading Wallstedt, as he is already an established goalie and has the potential to get even better.

In 32 games this season with the Wild, Wallstedt has a 17-9-6 record, a 2.63 GAA, a .915 SP, and four shutouts. 

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