From the NHL club in Chicago to the minor-league affiliate in Rockford, and even in college hockey and overseas, the Blackhawks’ organization has several goaltenders playing at a high caliber early this season.
Not only has GM Kyle Davidson stockpiled an absurd amount of high-end forward and defensemen prospects since taking over. He’s also put the Blackhawks in a splendid spot in between the pipes moving forward.
It took a little longer to develop than the other two positions, but the Blackhawks’ goaltending depth has turned into a strong suit this year. Davidson’s most notable addition to this department came via trade at the 2025 deadline, but his draft selections and free-agent signings are panning out nicely, too.
Here’s a breakdown of the six goaltenders in the organization who are off to promising starts to their respective seasons.
Spencer Knight & Arvid Soderblom
The Blackhawks’ tandem of Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom has been essential in the team’s 8-5-3 start to the season. Chicago currently ranks first in the NHL in team save percentage (.922) and second in goals against per game (2.50). Knight and Soderblom have surrendered only 40 goals through 16 games, which is even more impressive considering the Blackhawks have allowed the fifth-most shots on goal (504) in the league.
Davidson’s trade with the Panthers to acquire Knight, along with Florida’s unprotected 2026 first-round pick, keeps looking better and better by the day. Knight has played at a Vezina-caliber level so far this year, as he’s 6-3-2 with a 2.33 GAA, .926 Sv%, and one shutout in 11 games. The 24-year-old netminder leads all NHL goaltenders with 13.3 goals saved above expected and 2.22 wins above replacement, according to MoneyPuck. Knight is also second in the NHL in save percentage among all goaltenders with at least six appearances.
Soderblom has been forced to play second fiddle because of Knight’s stellar start, as he’s only played in five games. But Soderblom has been reliable in the backup role, as he’s given up more than three goals only once this season. The 26-year-old is 2-2-1 with a 2.63 GAA and .913 save percentage, and he’s coming off arguably the best start of his NHL career in Detroit on Sunday. Soderblom stopped a career-high 45 shots to guide the Blackhawks to a 5-1 win over the Red Wings.
Coming into the season, the Blackhawks’ goaltending duo of Knight and Soderblom was a huge mystery. Knight had never been utilized as a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL, and Soderblom looked shaky during his first handful of stints in the big leagues. The 1-2 punch they’ve established in Chicago has been a pleasant surprise, and it’s also been a key factor in the club being so competitive through 16 games.
Drew Commesso & Stanislav Berezhnoy
The Rockford IceHogs are off to a 7-5-1-0 start through 13 games, which has them sitting in second place in the AHL’s Central Division. Similar to what’s developed in the NHL with the Blackhawks, the IceHogs have also been steered by incredible goaltending this season. In Rockford’s seven wins, they’ve surrendered a combined 11 goals.
Drew Commesso, a second-round pick (No. 46 overall) by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Draft, before Davidson stepped in, is playing in his third full season in the AHL with Rockford. Commesso took a nice leap in his development from his first pro campaign to his second, improving both his goals-against average (2.65 to 2.54) and save percentage (.906 to .911). The 23-year-old has done the same so far this year, albeit in a small sample size, with a 2.38 GAA and .922 Sv% in nine outings.
Among all AHL goaltenders who’ve made at least six starts this season, Commesso ranks fifth in save percentage. It’s still early, but Commesso continues to progress precisely how the Blackhawks want him to. However, with Knight locked into the NHL starting role and Soderblom under contract through the 2026-27 season, there isn’t a clear path for Commesso to be recalled from Rockford anytime soon. He’ll likely remain with the IceHogs again throughout the rest of this year, but his ascension could force Davidson into a tough decision sometime down the road.
Not to be forgotten is 22-year-old Stanislav Berezhnoy, who signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in July. Berezhnoy split time between two teams in Russia’s VHL during the 2024-25 campaign, posting a 12-10-2 record with a 2.50 GAA, .928 Sv%, and one shutout in 27 appearances.
The Blackhawks took a chance on the 6-foot-4 netminder, and it’s paid dividends so far. Berezhnoy looked sharp during the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase ahead of the preseason in early September, and he’s snowballed that into a swift start to his AHL career. While he’s played in only three games because of injury, Berezhnoy has impressively gotten off to a 3-0-0 start and has only allowed six goals. He’s compiled a 1.98 GAA and .941 Sv%, stopping 95 of the first 101 shots that he’s faced.
While Berezhnoy isn’t held in the same regard as Commesso, he’s shown that he shouldn’t be forgotten about in his short time with the Blackhawks.
Adam Gajan
The turnaround from 2023 second-round pick (No. 35 overall) Adam Gajan has been nothing short of spectacular early in his sophomore season. After posting a measly 3.33 GAA and .885 Sv% as a freshman with the University of Minnesota Duluth, Gajan has flipped the script and been one of the top goaltenders in college hockey. The UMD Bulldogs are currently the No. 3 team in the country despite being unranked to start the year, and the 21-year-old netminder has been instrumental in their rise in the rankings.
Gajan is tied for the NCAA lead with 10 wins and has a 1.70 GAA, .925 Sv%, and two shutouts through 12 appearances. He’s already claimed the NCHC Goaltender of the Week honors twice, which led him to also being named the conference’s Goaltender of the Month for October.
Because of his age and how long it takes goaltenders to develop, Gajan will likely spend at least one more season in college before turning pro, and there’s even a chance he plays out all four years of his eligibility. There’s no rush whatsoever for the Slovakian goalie to get to the professional scene, but Gajan is definitely worth keeping tabs on for however long it takes until he signs his entry-level contract.
Ilya Kanarsky
Yes, there’s more! The Blackhawks used their lone 2025 seventh-round selection on 20-year-old Ilya Kanarsky, who spent the past few years playing in Russia’s MHL, which is the country’s top junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 campaign, Kanarsky was excellent with a 22-8-1 record, 2.24 GAA, .938 Sv%, and four shutouts in 34 MHL starts. Chicago felt that was worthy of a late-round flier.
Kanarsky is now playing in the VHL for the 2025-26 season, which is equivalent to the AHL in North America. Through 13 games, Kanarsky has put together a 2.48 GAA and .929 Sv%, yet he has a mere 2-6-5 record to show for it. Unfortunately, AKM Tula Region, the club he plays for, is currently the fifth-worst team in the league, with only three regulation wins in 20 games. Despite that, Kanarsky ranks tenth in the VHL in save percentage.
It’s undoubtedly a long shot for Kanarsky to ever be part of the Blackhawks’ future, let alone come over to the United States, but he’s performed well consistently wherever he’s played throughout his young career. That’s worth something. Dating all the way back to 2022-23, when he was only 17 years old, Kanarsky has never had a save percentage worse than .919 in a single season.
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