4. Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa Senators

The soon-to-be 23-year-old, whose birthday is Aug. 13, has already shown enough to likely start the season with the Senators, who selected him in the third round (No. 71) of the 2020 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3 Finnish goalie went 8-3-1 with a 1.99 GAA, .925 save percentage and three shutouts with Ottawa last season, just his second full season in North America, and was 18-12-4 with a 2.37 GAA, .913 save percentage and four shutouts with Belleville (AHL).

5. Jacob Fowler, Montreal Canadiens

One of the hardest parts of compiling this list is comparing goalies already in the NHL to prospects yet to face a shot in the world’s top circuit, so it says a lot about Fowler’s talent to finish fifth in voting. The 20-year-old was picked in the third round (No. 69) of the 2023 NHL Draft by Montreal and signed on April 4 after finishing his second season at Boston College at 25-7-2 with a 1.63 GAA, .940 save percentage and seven shutouts. He then played three regular-season games with Laval (AHL), going 2-1-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .914 save percentage, and appeared in another eight playoff games, going 3-3 with a 2.48 GAA and .902 save percentage while gaining valuable experience for his upcoming first full pro season.

6. Trey Augustine, Detroit Red Wings

The only other goalie on this list yet to play in the NHL, Augustine wasn’t far behind Fowler despite the fact he is going back to Michigan State University for a third season in the fall. Praised for his mature approach almost as much as his skills and strong technical game, the 20-year-old already has won two gold medals and one bronze with the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship, including gold as the starter last season.

7. Jet Greaves, Columbus Blue Jackets

The 24-year-old is the only undrafted goalie to make the list and has impressed in 21 NHL appearances with the Blue Jackets, going 10-9-2 with a 2.62 GAA, .924 save percentage and two shutouts. He rattled off five straight wins at the end of last season to push Columbus to the verge of a postseason berth and finish the season 7-2-2 with a 1.91 GAA and .938 save percentage. The lack of draft pedigree and size — like Wolf, he is 6-foot — may have dropped him on this list, but he’s already proven himself on the ice in the NHL.

8. Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres

Selected by the Panthers in the seventh round (No. 212) of the 2020 NHL Draft and traded to the Sabres as part of the deal for forward Sam Reinhart a year later, Levi went right to the NHL at the end of a second standout season at Northeastern University and went 5-2-0 with a 2.94 GAA and .905 save percentage for Buffalo late in 2022-23. Another 6-foot goalie, Levi spent has more time in the AHL than NHL in the two seasons since, but the cerebral 23-year-old has a 2.28 GAA, .922 save percentage and seven shutouts in 68 AHL games, and has the skill and speed to succeed in the NHL.

9. Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

The first Swedish goalie ever selected in the first round of an NHL Draft, he saw the Wild trade up to pick him No. 20 in 2021. Though his save percentage dropped below .900 last season in both the AHL and a two-game stint in the NHL, Wallstedt has already played five pro seasons at age 22 and showed in the first four — two in the AHL and two in Sweden’s top league — he’s capable of better.