Whilst the likes of Jordan Binnington, Carter Hart, Mackenzie Blackwood, Jack Campbell and Cal Peterson have shown rookie goaltenders can prosper in the hustle and bustle of the NHL, their AHL counterparts have also shown a great deal of promise though 2018-19.

In many ways the jump from the Junior/College or European level to the AHL can be more troublesome than the leap from AHL-NHL but it hasn’t affected the following four goaltenders who have hugely impressed for their respective teams this season.

*All statistics listed are for qualified goaltenders – Goalies must have 1020 minutes to be considered qualified*

Shane Starrett     Bakersfield Condors

18-3-3     0.916Sv%     Two Shutouts

At the time of writing the Bakersfield Condors are in the midst of a fifteen, yes 15!, game winning streak and playing a huge part in that is Shane Starrett.

Less than two years after putting pen to paper for the Air Force Academy (NCAA), the Massachusetts native signed an entry level contract with Edmonton Oilers in April of 2017.

His first year as a professional was mostly spent with Wichita Thunder and his numbers weren’t overly spectacular – 3.01GAA and .912Sv%.

However it proved to be a spectacular learning curve for the 24 year old who leads all rookies with 18 wins, which is also fifth amongst all goaltenders.

Starrett’s entry level deal is up at the end of this season and if he carries on this level of form it’ll be interesting to see how the Oilers proceed with their promising net minding prospect.

Josef Korenar     San Jose Barracuda

16-5-1     0.918Sv%     Three Shutouts

The Czech native was scouted by San Jose initially in his countries youth leagues and then a single season spent in the USHL with Lincoln Stars.

Korenar spent last season on loan back in the professional Czech league after being penned to an NHL entry level deal by the Sharks.

The 21 year old won his first five AHL starts, giving up nine goals in the process before going on to record a seven game winning streak through November and December.

With a 0.918Sv% Korenar is ranked sixth amongst all goaltenders and tied first amongst all rookies in that category.
The Czech native is a huge reason San Jose are sat second in the Pacific Division and hot on the heels of first placed Bakersfield.

Marcus Hogberg     Belleville Senators

10-4-4      0.918Sv%     One Shutout

Hogberg isn’t a rookie in the truest sense of the word having played on eighteen occasions for Belleville and sixteen outings for Brampton Beast (ECHL) in 2017-18 and played professional in Sweden before that with Linköping HC (SHL).

However the 24 year old does deserve the plaudits for his performance this season behind one of the weaker teams in the Eastern Conference.
Belleville has won five of it’s last six games with Hogberg between the pipes – the Swedish goaltender producing a combined 0.933Sv% in that span.

Ottawa’s goaltending situation has been in flux this year and Hogberg’s first taste in the NHL wasn’t a particularly great one behind a terrible team. However he didn’t appear totally out of place and that experience should hold him in good stead moving forward.

Currently tied for the rookie lead in save percentage with Josef Korenar, don’t be surprised if Hogberg’s performances this season are good enough to propel a weak Senators teams to the Calder Cup playoffs.

Kaapo Kahkonen     Iowa Wild

15-9-5     0.910Sv%     Five Shutouts

Not much was known about the Finnish native when Minnesota Wild drafted him 109th overall in the 2014 NHL draft.
Having played professionally in Liiga with Lukko and recording a combined 0.9231Sv% in two seasons, the 22 year old immediately made a name for himself in North America.

Three straight shutouts in games 3-5 of his AHL career announced his arrival and earned him the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending November 18, 2018.
Five clean sheets overall is just one fewer than Connor Ingram and is obviously the best amongst all rookies to date.

The 22 year old is responsible for over half of Iowa’s 27 wins this season and a big reason the Wild currently sit second in the Central Division.

Selected as AHL-Star for his impressive first half of the season, expect a goaltender who set career best marks during his last year in Finland to kick on to a new level from hereon in.