You can never have too many goalies, especially when you're the Carolina Hurricanes. It seems like every season there's something happening to their starting tandem, causing a third guy to step in and keep the team afloat in the interim. It wasn't long ago when that guy was Pyotr Kochetkov.
The depth between the pipes is lacking for the organization, meaning it needs to be urgently addressed when the 2025 NHL Draft begins on June 27. There are only four goalies across all levels under contract for next season, which is hardly enough. This is a tough goaltending class to gauge, outside of the first on the board, so it's anyone's guess what will happen.
The state of goaltending across the organization
It's clear at the NHL level that the Hurricanes will ride with their tandem from this season. Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov have turned into a solid duo, assuming both players are healthy. The water gets a little muddier the further down you look. Both Spencer Martin and Dustin Tokarski are UFAs this season, and Yaniv Perets is an RFA.
This leaves just two goalies signed, both on their entry-level contracts. Ruslan Khazheyev, 20, spent most of the season in the AHL, playing 20 games for the Chicago Wolves. His numbers weren't pretty, going 5-13-0 with an .876 save percentage, but he showed some promise. Nikita Quapp, 22, signed his ELC before the Canes lost his signing rights after playing last season in his native Germany.
The team is still linked to Russian goalie Amir Miftakhov, though those rumors have been ongoing for over a month without substantial progress. He has a little experience in North America after being drafted in 2020 by the Lightning. I'd also assume the team is scouring the market to sign a third or fourth stringer, though this year's goalie crop is underwhelming.
4 potential targets for the Hurricanes in this year's draft
Joshua Ravensbergen: There's only one goalie considered a shoo-in for the first round this season. Ravensbergen is that guy. He's the top goalie listed on just about every list, including the NHL Central Scouting list for North American goalies. At 6'5", he has the size you hope for in a goalie and is projected to be one of the few goalies that could blossom into a legitimate starter in the NHL.
Obviously, where Ravensbergen lands in the draft is to be determined, so there's a very good chance he doesn't fall to the Hurricanes at #29. Plenty of teams in front of them are in the market for goaltending. If he makes it to the end of the first round, the Canes might jump on the opportunity. Taking the consensus top goalie on the board could be hard to pass up.
Jack Ivankovic: After Ravensbergen, it's anyone's guess how the rest of the goalies stack up in this year's class. On some boards, Ivankovic could sneak his way into the first round. On others, he's likely available in the second, third, or fourth round. A lot of that boils down to his size. He's under 6', which could be an issue for some scouts and front offices.
Ignoring his size, Ivankovic has put together quite a resume. He was named the top goalie at this year's U18 Championship after allowing six goals and leading Canada to gold. He also played a game at the World Juniors, losing in a shootout to Latvia despite 24 stops in regulation and seven more in the shootout. There's room for him to grow, both physically and in his game.
Petteri Rimpinen: This is not a player the Hurricanes are going to consider in the first round. Rimpinen is likely to fall into the middle rounds, but I've started to like him more as I've read about him and watched his highlights. He's another small goalie, standing 5'11", but he played big for Finland during this year's World Juniors, guiding the Finns to a silver medal with a .933 save percentage.
Rimpinen was passed over during last season's draft, so he's had another year to develop in Liiga, the top Finnish league. His .912 save percentage was second in the league, and he ranked in the top 10 in wins (16) and GAA (2.38). I could see the team taking a flyer on him in the third or fourth round, if he's still available.
Linards Feldbergs: If you're a fan of the World Juniors or an American fan who revels in Canada's misfortunes, this name might be familiar. Feldbergs was another standout at World Juniors, particularly his performance for Latvia against Ivankovic and Canada. Feldbergs stopped 55 shots during regulation and was perfect in the shootout in one of the greatest upsets in tournament history.
Feldbergs has been through the process twice now, making him one of the older goalies in the class. With age comes experience. He ventured to North America last season, playing 41 games in the QMJHL and posting respectable numbers. It might be worth the Hurricanes considering Feldbergs with a mid-to-late-round pick, especially when he has the reputation of being a gamer.