Top 5 goaltender prospects Sabres fans must know about in the 2024 NHL Draft

While the Buffalo Sabres may not need to worry about their goaltenders with the big club for now, they must rebuild organizational depth at the position, with Topias Leinonen and Scott Ratzlaff serving as the only two notable names. Neither are anywhere near finished products, and they won’t even see AHL ice this season, so any sort of competition would be a welcome addition. 

Unfortunately, the 2024 NHL Draft’s goaltending class isn’t great, but regardless of how weak a group is, they all contain a few hidden gems. This is something general manager Kevyn Adams must unearth, as the names listed in the following slides would become eventual trade bait should Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi lock down the position with the big club. 

Still, there is no stability at the AHL level with it being just a matter of time before Levi takes a full-time role in the NHL. Even if none of the names listed make it to the NHL as a full-time goaltender, they would still hold value as an “insurance policy” and, as mentioned, part of an eventual trade package. 

Sabres should find value at goaltender in the 2024 NHL Draft

Thanks to stale play at the position before Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s breakout year and Devon Levi’s serviceable performances - his overall numbers really weren’t that bad - nobody realizes more than the Sabres the importance of drafting at least one goaltender per year, as the position is a luxury in the league. Netminders often take longer to fully hone their respective games, and even then, it’s a toss-up to whether they become high-value players. 

So, which netminders are worth looking at starting in the middle rounds in this season’s NHL Draft, and what does their current outlook entail? Keep reading and get to know five players Kevyn Adams must place onto his draft board for that final weekend in June. 

Eemil Vinni, Jokipojat

At 6’2, 185 lbs, Eemil Vinni doesn’t carry the same size as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Topias Leinonen, and thankfully, he was nowhere near Liiga this year following a pair of forgettable appearances in 2022-23. But Vinni logged a solid season in 2023-24 with JoKP of Mestis with 37 appearances, a 2.72 GAA, an 0.892 save percentage, plus two shutouts. 

Vinni didn’t fare as well in the playoffs, with an 0.867 save percentage and a 3.13 GAA in seven games, but he has played much better on the international stage, with a 5-0-0 record, a shutout, a 1.39 GAA, and a 0.942 save percentage. 

Should he go to the Sabres, Kevyn Adams’ best bet would be to pick him between Rounds 3 and 4 and avoid the reach as he did a couple of seasons back with Leinonen. Remember, building organizational depth should be the key here, and Vinni has the potential to both put on more size and continue to develop well in Finland before he even needs to make a trip to North America. 

Like others on this list, Vinni also wouldn’t need to sign an entry-level deal with the team anytime soon, so he would be a low-risk, potentially high-reward pick. 

Carter George, Owen Sound Attack

Since he won’t turn 18 until late May, Carter George has more room to grow, and what we have seen so far shouldn’t even imply his overall potential. He still has a lot of time to grow from what is currently a 6’1, 185 lbs frame, and you can also expect him to build on what was his first full season as a starting goaltender with the Owen Sound Attack. 

George’s season wasn’t outstanding, culminating with a 3.30 GAA, a 0.907 save percentage, and 23 wins, but his four shutouts indicate he’s capable of enjoying some epic performances. That wasn’t the case in the postseason, as he started and lost all four games en route to a 4.08 GAA and a 0.904 save percentage, the latter of which wasn’t too bad. 

He also did a fantastic job during his two starts in the World Juniors 18, snagging two wins, a 1.50 GAA, and a 0.946 save percentage. For a goaltender in a weaker class, he’s a prime candidate to be the first off the board, so if Adams were to reach for someone, it would be George. 

His youth and the way he managed to pull off a decent overall performance should entice NHL front offices, and you can expect him to make leaps in 2024-25 and later on. Overall, George would create impeccable competition with Scott Ratzlaff in the future if drafted. 

Ilya Nabokov, Magnitogorsk

One who could go as highly as the third round, Ilya Nabokov is someone you know what you’re getting from a size standpoint, and that could be a knock on the 21-year-old, who is just 6’0, 179 lbs. But wow, talk about shades of Devon Levi, but at the MHL and KHL level, where he finished the season with a 0.930 save percentage, three shutouts, 23 wins, a 2.15 GAA, and 43 regular season appearances with the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. 

No, you won’t see him in North America next season, as he’s slated to return to Magnitogorsk in 2024-25. But he would be more than worth taking if Kevyn Adams doesn’t sign Luukkonen to a long-term deal this summer, as Nabokov did not just enjoy an impressive regular season but also an incredible postseason. 

In 23 playoff games, Nabokov logged four shutouts, 16 wins, a 0.942 save percentage, and a 1.82 GAA. To be fair, Metallurg Magnitogorsk finished as Gagarin Cup Champions, and they also enjoyed an outstanding regular season that saw them win the Eastern Conference. 

Nabokov’s overall experience and the fact he played for the KHL’s best team - second-best in the regular season - have inflated those numbers. But either way you look at it, he was still a major contributor for the organization. 

Mikhail Yegorov, Omaha

Mikhail Yegorov turned 18 in March, and with one season of USHL hockey complete, he’s more used to the North American game than the likes of Eemil Vinni and Ilya Nabokov. He also has the desired height of a goaltender at 6’4, and he may not have fully grown into his frame yet. 

Also, unlike Nabokov, Yegorov didn’t have the luxury of playing for a great hockey team, as the Omaha Lancers struggled to a 16-43-3 finish for just 35 points. This put them 14 points behind the next-to-last-place finisher, the USDP, who had 49 points, so Yegorov didn’t just play for a bad team - he played for one that couldn’t have finished any worse. 

This explains why he ended with a 3.86 GAA, an 0.892 save percentage, and one shutout in 43 games. Next season, we will gauge his sample size more, as Yegorov will compete for time in the net at Boston University. 

He’s one of the better goaltenders in this class, and if Adams wants a high-potential prospect in Yegorov, the third round is probably where he’ll need to spend his pick. Yegorov’s prototypical size will attract teams, and if they’re patient and let him play out his college eligibility, they will have something.