We’ve spoken before about how the New Jersey Devils prospects in total had a terrible season in 2025-26. Every single prospect lost value from one year to the next. Seamus Casey suffered multiple injuries in what became a lost season. 2025 second-round picks Conrad Fondrk and Ben Kevan both had really tough freshman seasons at new universities. Anton Silayev saw his ice time cut almost in half during his final KHL season before signing with the Devils.
The one prospect who might have seen his value drop the most is goaltender Mikhail Yegorov. It’s not his fault. Boston University lost a ton of talent. Yegorov probably had flashbacks to his time in the USHL. We just have to look at the facts of the situation.
Yegorov went from a .927 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average in his freshman year to a .904 save percentage and a 2.73 GAA. He brought the Terriers to their first Beanpot win in years in 2025, and even brought them all the way to the National Championship Game in the Frozen Four. Yegorov became one of the best prospects in hockey with how well he was playing.
Last season, he lost more games than he won. Some nights, it was clear that his teammates were failing him. The forward group was missing that defensive snarl, and the defense was nothing to write home about. Yegorov was also not his best, as there were way too many soft goals allowed in certain big moments.
Still, the skill is clearly there, and he is still one of the best goalie prospects in the NHL. However, it seems some are pumping the brakes on Yegorov’s ceiling. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic had him ranked ninth in his summer goalie prospect rankings. While most aren’t putting Yegorov near the top with Jacob Fowler, Sebastian Cossa, and Trey Augustine, Yegorov seems like he is a better fit than some of the players ahead of him.
Utah prospect Michael Hrabel seems to have some serious mechanics issues he needs to work out. Sergei Murashov lacks size and has many questioning if he can be a starter at the next level.
Mikhail Yegorov deserved better in the latest goalie rankings
Yet, Yegorov got high praise. This is part of what Wheeler says about Yegorov:
"(Mikhail) Yegorov is a freak athlete who has high-end attributes. He’s a 6-foot-5 goaltender with raw, natural athleticism that presents itself in his ability to go post-to-post or low-to-high. He also has good hands, and he reads and anticipates the play smartly.Yegorov is a freak athlete who has high-end attributes. He’s a 6-foot-5 goaltender with raw, natural athleticism that presents itself in his ability to go post-to-post or low-to-high. He also has good hands, and he reads and anticipates the play smartly."Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Yet, despite the glowing review, Yegorov was ranked at the end of tier two. Wheeler says he has starter upside, but there clearly is something holding back his ranking.
We are huge fans of Wheeler's rankings and analysis. He's one of the people we think has his finger on the pulse for the prospects in the NHL and the draft, but we don't agree with him here.
Even after drafting Alexander Command, we still have Yegorov ranked as the Devils' top prospect.
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