Penguins' Positional Battle Tiers: Goaltenders

Training camp is fast-approaching for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and that means positional battles are, too. 

And, no, these won't be the positional battles of training camps past for the Penguins. This time around, the organization has prospects who are legitimately on the verge of full-time NHL minutes, and they also have a collection of players who, even if they were on an NHL roster last season, are not guaranteed a spot this season. 

We have reached our final positional battle, and that is the one between the pipes. After the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, the Penguins let veteran Stuart Skinner walk to free agency and re-signed Artūrs Šilovs, who had a stellar performance in the playoffs. They also have a few legitimate, promising goaltending prospects who will make a serious case to be the starter on Sept. 30. 

So, how will the goaltending battle resolve at the end of camp? Here are the guarantees, the maybes, and the longshots.

Perhaps some folks disagree, but the only sure bet to make the NHL roster out of all the goaltenders at camp will be the 25-year-old Šilovs.

Šilovs's .939 save percentage and 1.52 goals-against average in Round 1 versus the Phildelphia Flyers in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was enough to earn him a spot on next year's roster. He is also eligible for waivers - while the others are not - making him the most likely candidate to stick around. 

It's easy to forget that Šilovs was only a rookie last season, and although there were inconsistencies throughout the season, he proved - once again - that he shows up big-time when it matters most. That is worth an extended look. 

It is a risk going into the season with mostly unproven goaltenders, but that's the juncture the Penguins are at right now. Šilovs will surely have some competition nipping right at his heels. 

Contrary to popular belief, there is no actual, legitimate guarantee that Murashov is the other guy to start the season in the NHL. Understandably, it's presumed to be as such, especially because of his performance in the Calder Cup Playoffs across all 15 games that included a .931 save percentage and 2.11 goals-against average.

However, the reality is that Joel Blomqvist exists, too, and there is always the possibility that Blomqvist outperforms Murashov in training camp. Murashov was the starting goaltender for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) last year and posted a .919 save percentage during the regular season, and he also saw five NHL games. 

But it's a new season, and he's hardly the only goaltending prospect vying for an NHL job out of camp. Chances are that he is the other guy next to Šilovs, but a chance is a chance is a chance. 

That said, it would probably take a truly horrific camp for Murashov to get cut.

As mentioned, Blomqvist is not a longshot by any means. The 24-year-old put up a respectable .914 save percentage in WBS last season, which wasn't far behind Murashov. And that was after dealing with an injury to begin the season.

Since Blomqvist's 2024-25 15-game sample at the NHL level, the young goaltender has been searching for consistency and confidence, and he seemed to have found it last season in the AHL. The Penguins still believe he is going to be a valuable piece of their future, and that door is still very much open. 

If he has a stellar camp, he could make decisions pretty hard for Dubas and the staff. He may not be No. 1 on the prospect goaltending depth chart nowadays, but don't count him out. 

Unfortunately for the 25-year-old Gauthier, his last two training camps were pretty much nonexistent due to injury, and it really is a shame. He has put up dominant numbers in the ECHL for the last three seasons with the Wheeling Nailers - former affiliate of the Penguins - and he was simply blocked from the AHL by three guys named Blomqvist, Murashov, and Filip Larsson. 

His latest campaign included a .929 save percentage through 36 regular season games and a .922 save percentage during 17 Kelly Cup Playoff games. Undrafted, Gauthier has quietly put together a pretty nice professional career for the Penguins' organization so far, and he just signed a two-way contract this summer after signing an entry-level NHL contract to finish the 2025-26 season. 

He should finally get his chance to see pretty regular AHL minutes this season, and his tandem partner is still up in the air. But, unless something drastic happens in terms of performance or injury, there is very little real chance that Gauthier makes the NHL squad out of camp.

D'Aigle might be several years away from NHL action, but don't overlook this guy. The 19-year-old put together a nice season for the lowly Victoriaville Tigres despite - for the second season in a row - getting peppered on a nightly basis.

His .908 save percentage might not jump out, but it's impressive considering the pure volume of shots he faced last season. And when you combine his quickness and athleticism with his 6-foot-4, 211-pound frame, it's not difficult to see the intrigue. 

That said, the NHL roster is a huge, huge longshot. This guy is a pretty promising goaltending prospect and may just continue to climb, but for now, he's far too raw to be anywhere near NHL-ready. The chance isn't zero, but it's much closer to that than to 100.

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