5 goaltending prospects for Red Wings fans to know about for the 2024 NHL Draft

Dawson Cowan, Spokane

Dawson Cowan has a much earlier birthday than Nick Kempf, so he carries a greater sample size than the future University of Notre Dame product. Cowan has seen action in the WHL at some capacity for three seasons now, but his previous two with the Spokane Chiefs and Winnipeg Ice have been when he’s earned most of his playing time. 

Like Kempf, his numbers don’t give much of a reason to be ecstatic, as his 28 appearances in 2022-23 with Spokane ended with a 4.04 GAA, one shutout, and a meager 0.883 save percentage. But it’s also worth noting the Chiefs were the second-worst team in the WHL that year with 40 points, so it’s not as easy to judge Cowan’s performance thanks to the so-so product around him. 

Spokane also struggled again this past season, but with 66 points, they were good enough to snag the final seed for the playoffs in the Western Conference, and Cowan improved with the rest of the team. While his playoff performance was forgettable, Cowan improved to a 3.59 GAA, an 0.899 save percentage, and 18 wins. 

If he makes a similar improvement next season, Cowan could have a decent road ahead of him, but he’s also someone Steve Yzerman doesn’t need to reach for. If he’s there in the fourth or fifth round, he could be worth taking if he’s the highest prospect on the board.