"Loyal to the Oil’: Discovering Faith During the Stanley Cup Finals"

 

**2024 NHL Draft: Top Eligible Goalies**

The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft is set for June 28-29 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round will take place on June 28 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), followed by rounds 2-7 on June 29 at 11:30 a.m. ET (ESPN+, NHLN, SN, SN1). NHL.com is leading up to the draft with detailed profiles on top prospects, podcasts, and other features. Today, we highlight the top eligible goalies. You can find NHL.com's full draft coverage [here](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-draft).

Mikhail Yegorov's performance with Omaha in the United States Hockey League (USHL) didn't solely earn him the No. 1 spot in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. It was his ability to progress and develop despite a challenging season that stood out.

Yegorov posted an 8-25-3 record with a 3.86 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in 43 games as Omaha finished with the worst record in the USHL.

"He didn't end up playing on a very good team this year, unfortunately, so he faced a lot of shots, a lot of quality shots," said Al Jensen of Central Scouting. "When he's on, he covers a lot of the net quickly. I see a huge upside in him, and it was actually an easy choice for me to put him at No. 1 for the final rankings."

**2024 NHL Draft: Top 10 Goalies**

Here are NHL.com's top 10 goalies available for the 2024 draft:

1. **Mikhail Yegorov, Omaha (USHL)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 1 (North American goalies)

   - **Bio:** Yegorov (6-foot-5, 188 pounds) improved throughout the season. In his final 10 games, he allowed three goals or fewer nine times and had a .906 save percentage. He's expected to return to Omaha next season before heading to Boston University in 2025-26. "He's very smart and his technical game is sound... Here's a kid that size, moves well, great structure in his game," said Al Jensen of Central Scouting.

2. **Carter George, Owen Sound (OHL)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 2 (North American goalies)

   - **Bio:** George (6-1, 194) posted a 23-21-9 record with a 3.30 GAA, .907 save percentage, and four shutouts in 56 OHL games. He helped Canada win gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2024 IIHF World U-18 Championship, where he was voted the tournament's best goalie. "He's very smart. He's very strong. He holds his ground well," Jensen said.

3. **Eemil Vinni, Jokipojat (FIN-2)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 1 (International goalies)

   - **Bio:** Vinni (6-3, 187) went 17-9 with 10 ties, a 2.72 GAA, and an .891 save percentage in 37 Mestis games. He helped Finland win bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with a 1.75 GAA and .927 save percentage in four games. "Vinni is a hybrid type of goalie with active feet," said Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen, NHL director of European Scouting.

4. **Nicholas Kempf, USA U-18 (USHL)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 4 (North American goalies)

   - **Bio:** Kempf (6-2, 189) was 23-7-2 with a 2.99 GAA, .897 save percentage, and three shutouts in 37 games for the USA Hockey NTDP U-18 team. He helped the United States win silver at the World U-18s and is committed to play at Notre Dame next season. "He's got great instincts. He's got great competitiveness," said Jensen.

5. **Ilya Nabokov, Magnitogorsk (RUS)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 2 (International goalies)

   - **Bio:** Nabokov (6-foot, 179) was the MVP of the KHL playoffs, helping Magnitogorsk win the Gagarin Cup. He posted a 16-6 record with a 1.82 GAA and a .942 save percentage in the playoffs. This will be his final season of draft eligibility. "Nabokov looks composed, has sharp skating, and is competitive," said Vuorinen.

6. **Pavel Moysevich, SKA St. Petersburg (RUS)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 4 (International goalies)

   - **Bio:** Moysevich (6-4, 187) played at three levels in Russia, including the KHL, where he had a 1.25 GAA and .942 save percentage in 13 games. He also excelled in the VHL and MHL.

7. **Kim Saarinen, HPK Jr. (FIN-JR)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 3 (International goalies)

   - **Bio:** Saarinen (6-4, 176) was named the best goalie in Finland's junior league, with a 2.41 GAA and .917 save percentage in 23 games. He also debuted in Liiga with a 2.46 GAA and .909 save percentage in two games.

8. **Evan Gardner, Saskatoon (WHL)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 7 (North American goalies)

   - **Bio:** Gardner (6-foot, 175) led the WHL with a 1.91 GAA and .927 save percentage in 30 games as a rookie. He was 21-5-2 and tied for second in the league with four shutouts.

9. **Dawson Cowan, Spokane (WHL)**

   - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 5 (North American goalies)

   - **Bio:** Cowan (6-2, 186) was 18-20-2 with a 3.59 GAA and .899 save percentage in 43 games for Spokane, which allowed the most goals among WHL playoff teams.

10. **Lukas Matecha, Tri-City (WHL)**

    - **NHL Central Scouting ranking:** No. 3 (North American goalies)

    - **Bio:** Matecha (6-3, 196) went 13-19-1 with a 3.42 GAA and .901 save percentage after moving from the Czech Republic to play for Tri-City.

These goaltenders have shown exceptional skill and potential, making them the top prospects in the 2024 NHL Draft. Keep an eye on them as they continue to develop and make their mark on the hockey world.