Who is the goalie of the future?
Sebastian Cossa (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
The goaltending position is the most important one on the ice. So the more arrows an organization has in its quiver, the better.
Some of these goalie prospects are untouchable, but at least one Red Wings prospect has the potential to surprise. So here is the list of goaltender prospects, ranked from least likely to most likely (and organized by tiers).
Gage Alexander has a long way to go to get a sniff of NHL action. The 6-foot-6 22-year old goalie hasn’t had a lot of opportunity this season.
Alexander has only played five games for the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He’s been great in the opportunities he’s been given, posting a 4-1 record, a 2.81 goals against average (GAA), and a .913 save percentage (SV%).
He’s going to need a lot more at-bats to make it to the AHL, let alone the NHL.
Landon Miller has more runway ahead of him, being Alexander’s junior by three years. Even though he has worse numbers than the aforementioned Alexander, he will be moving on from the OHL next season.
His performance took a step back for the 2024-25 season. In 37 games, he has a record of 13-17-1, a 4.07 GAA, an .877 SV%, and one shutout. The year before he boasted a record of 17-6-0, a 2.79 GAA, an .889 SV%, and two shutouts.
He is only ranked higher than Alexander because of his age, as the dip in production this year is cause for pause.
Rudy Guimond probably isn’t on anyone’s radar for the Red Wings future starting goaltender. However, there are reasons to be optimistic about his (potential) future impact on the NHL team
The 6-foot-3 goalie is only 19 and split his season between the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. Cedar Rapids had a tumultuous start to their season and was granted an opportunity with the Wildcats.
Guimond joined the Wildcats on December 8th. Since then, he has a record of 16-0, a 1.73 GAA, a .940 SV%, and three shutouts. If he can get into the AHL before the next goalie on this list, he is definitely a goalie to keep an eye on.
Carter Gylander has a better chance than Guimond for a few reasons. For starters, he has four years of solid numbers at the NCAA in his rearview mirror.
This season, he has played 32 games in the ECHL. Gylander has had good success, with a 19-8-5 record, a 2.65 GAA, a .906 SV%, and two shutouts.
He’s also played three games for the Grand Rapids Griffins this year. He will need to secure regular playing time with the Griffins to be in contention for Red Wings starting goalie in a few years.
Sebastian Cossa has been the subject of much discussion since the Red Wings drafted him in 2021. This season, he’s been a strong force in the AHL.
In 36 games, he has a record of 19-12-6, with a 2.42 GAA, .912 SV%, and one shutout. Cossa has even gotten a sniff of the NHL, coming in relief of Ville Husso and earning his first NHL win.
He may have size, athleticism, and a great AHL record going for him. However, the last goalie on this list has a couple of things that Cossa does not.
Trey Augustine is a remarkable goaltender having a remarkable season. The 20-year-old is only in his second year of NCAA and took a major step forward.
Last season, he boasted a record of 23-9-2, a 2.96 GAA, a .915 SV%, and three shutouts in 35 games. He has played a few fewer games this year, with better personal stats. In 30 games, he has a 2.08 GAA, a .924 SV%, and three shutouts. Augustine had a record of 19-7-4.
Augustine was also phenomenal at the World Juniors, where Team USA claimed gold for the second consecutive year. He was lights out, winning all four games he played in tournament play with a 1.75 GAA and a .936 SV%.
His penchant for performing at a high level during high-pressure games, his improving performance at the NCAA-level, and the fact that he’s only 20 years old, have him poised to take over the Red Wings starter role one day – and keep it.
