Developing goalies is an area where the American Hockey League provides extensive value to NHL teams.

Young goalies come into the AHL needing some combination of a heavier workload, an opportunity to face high-end shooters and, if they previously trained in Europe, a runway to adjust to the North American style of game.

Here is a look at some of the top incoming goalies from the Western Conference (in alphabetical order). A look at the Eastern Conference's young goaltending talent was published earlier .

Stanislav Berezhnoy , Rockford (Chicago Blackhawks)

The Blackhawks took a shot on undrafted 22-year-old after he had an excellent season in the Vysshaya Hockey League (Russia) last season.

Chicago signed Berezhnoy to a two-year, entry-level contract on July 15, 2025. He spent last

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