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FILE – New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) makes a save against Boston Bruins forward Alex Steeves (21) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, March 16, 2026, in Newark, N.J.<\/p>\n
Noah K. Murray\/AP Photo\/Noah K. Murray<\/p>\n
FILE – Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) makes a glove save against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of an NHL hockey game, March 28, 2026, in St. Louis.<\/p>\n
Connor Hamilton\/AP Photo\/Connor Hamilton<\/p>\n
Former Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy went with Adin Hill as his goaltender for the final stretch this past season.<\/p>\n
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Replacement coach John Tortorella quickly switched to Carter Hart.<\/p>\n
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And now current coach Ryan Craig, expected to have both goalies at his disposal, could divide their play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel really good about our goaltending with Adin Hill and Carter Hart,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said.<\/p>\n
The Golden Knights last season relied on multiple goalies when Akira Schmid started 29 games, Hill 27 and Hart 18. Other teams, notably Florida, New Jersey and Philadelphia, are expected to take a similar approach into next season, especially with it going from 82 to 84 games.<\/p>\n
Vegas retaining Hill wasn’t necessarily expected. Hill, who has five years remaining on a contract that pays $6.25 million per year, had been rumored as someone the Golden Knights would try to deal after he lost his job to Hart. Vegas instead shipped Schmid to the Panthers.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think Adin is going to bounce back,” McCrimmon said. “He\u2019s a good goalie that had a tough season. We need him to revert to form. I expect that he will. Carter, for me, made a great impression getting us to the Stanley Cup Final. I think we\u2019re in good shape at that position.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hill was in net when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, coming off the bench in the second round at Edmonton and carrying Vegas from there. He started a career-high 50 games a year ago, but never more than 35 in any other season. His .870 save percentage this past season was his career worst and the 3.04 goals allowed per game were his highest when starting at least 10 games.<\/p>\n
Hart had his own struggles last season, not being allowed to play until at least Dec. 1 because of his role in a sexual-assault case. He and four other 2018 Canada world junior players were acquitted.<\/p>\n
He went 5-3-3 with a 3.23 GAA and .874 save percentage before missing nearly three months with an injury. Hart was sensational upon his return, going 6-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .930 percentage to close the regular season and then 12-4 with a 2.22 GAA and a .924 percentage in the first three rounds of the playoffs.<\/p>\n
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Hart struggled in the Stanley Cup Final, becoming the first goalie to allow four goals in each of his first five games, forcing Tortorella to defend keeping him in net when he had a champion goalie on the bench.<\/p>\n
How the starts are divvied will now be up to Craig and goalies coach Sean Burke, who also have Carl Lindbolm goaltending for the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson, Nevada.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he’s on his way to becoming an NHL goaltender, whether that’s immediately or needs a little more time,” McCrimmon said. “When you look around the league with injuries, with things that happen, every team has to have a No. 3..\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida Panthers<\/p>\n
Saying goodbye to Sergei Bobrovsky, who got a three-year deal for $21 million from Toronto, Florida acquired Jacob Markstrom from New Jersey and Schmid from Vegas for its tandem. The way the Panthers play, they just need solid goaltending to win.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe think (Schmid has) got some upside, somebody that we’ve really liked for some time and we’re happy to be able to get him and to fit him into the mix,\u201d Panthers GM Bill Zito said. \u201c(Markstrom is) a veteran guy who has shown excellence and somebody we thought could fit with our team and come in and do his thing. I think the goaltending department is pretty excited and really looking forward to getting to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Jersey Devils<\/p>\n
Moving on from Markstrom, who’s 36, before his new contract starts was what new GM Sunny Mehta thought was right at this time. Jake Allen remains, and it seems like the plan is to give 25-year-old Nico Daws a chance to serve as the 1B netminder with the Devils.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know what Jake can bring \u2014 we\u2019ve seen that \u2014 outstanding guy, outstanding goaltender,\u201d Mehta said. \u201cI\u2019m pretty excited about the opportunity in front of Nico because he really hasn\u2019t been given that sort of runway and that path. And I think he has that now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Philadelphia Flyers<\/p>\n
Dan Vladar is set as the starter, coming off a breakout season backstopping the Flyers to the playoffs and fresh off signing a five-year, $27.5 million extension through 2032. But after Vladar may have been overplayed down the stretch, GM Daniel Briere made a trade last month to get Joseph Woll from Toronto.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure that we are going to have great chemistry,\u201d Vladar said. \u201cWe are going to need two, if not three, goalies over the next couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed.<\/p>\n