The St. Louis Blues’ goaltending picture has taken a real turn.
What used to feel thin now looks stocked with legitimate options, and the organization suddenly has four under-25 netminders at different points in their development. With Jordan Binnington moving out of the starter’s role and Joel Hofer set to take over as the Blues’ next starter, the deeper question is which prospect eventually pushes his way into the conversation behind him.
Will Cranley is the oldest and most experienced of the group. The 24-year-old Ontario native, a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, spent time moving between the ECHL and AHL before showing last season that he could handle a full-time AHL workload.
After a short run in his second ECHL season with the Florida Everblades, he went 14-3-1 with a 2.71 GAA and a .915 save percentage in 18 games. That earned him 10 appearances for Springfield, where he finished 6-4-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .892 SV%.
The Blues liked what they saw enough to hand him a one-year, two-way contract extension. Cranley still has a path toward becoming an NHL backup someday, but the more realistic outcome is that he settles in as dependable organizational depth and an emergency NHL option.
Marcus Gidlof brings a different kind of intrigue. Acquired in the Brayden Schenn trade at the March 2026 trade deadline, the 6-foot-7 Swede was promoted full-time for the 2025-26 season with Leksands in the SHL.
In 26 games, the 20-year-old put up a 2.96 GAA, a .892 SV%, and four shutouts. That blend of size and experience against pro competition at such a young age gives him a strong foothold in the system.
If he keeps progressing in the SHL, he has a path to eventually compete for meaningful NHL playing time.
Then there’s Love Harenstam, another Swedish prospect who may have the loudest breakout on his résumé. Drafted 179th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the 19-year-old put together a big 2025-26 season in HockeyAllsvenskan, the SHL’s second-tier league.
In 32 games, he posted a 1.81 GAA, a .920 SV%, and five shutouts, and he was recognized with both Goalie of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. He also carried Team Sweden to gold at the U20 World Juniors, going undefeated with a .911 SV% and earning Best Goaltender honors.
Harenstam is staying in Sweden for at least one more season, but he looks like a possible draft steal and already has the makings of a future tandem or starter at the NHL level.
The wild card is Vladimir Proskurin, who looks like the pure upside swing in the group. A fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, he posted a .921 SV% in 41 MHL games and averaged a little more than 30 saves per night.
That profile points to a high-risk, high-reward projection. Proskurin has officially transferred from Russia and will play for the Victoria Royals in 2026-27, a move that should help clarify where his long-term outlook really sits.
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