Our first (and only) goaltender to appear on the list is Hugo Alnefelt. The Swedish netminder hasn’t had the smoothest developmental path in a career that sees him heading back to European hockey for the immediate future.
| Name | Hugo Alnefelt |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Age (as of October 1) | 23 |
| Height/Weight | 6’3″, 201 lbs. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | HV71 (SHL) |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2019, Third Round (#71) |
| Previous Rankings | #3 (2023), #10 (2022), #10 (2021), #14 (2020) |
| Writer’s Ranking | 15 |
| Reader’s Ranking | 19 |
| Final Rank | 15 |
Stats
Our Thoughts
At this point last year, Hugo Alnefelt’s progression through the Lightning organization seemed to be back on track. He would split time with free agent signee Matt Tomkins early in the season and then gradually take over as the undisputed number one in the AHL. The next season would be spent as the Crunch’s number one with the possible call-up from time to time if Andrei Vasilevskiy or Jonas Johansson was injured or sick. Then, in 2025-26 he would likely be Vasy’s back-up, and then he would build his NHL experience before taking over the number one spot in 2028-29. It was all so simple.
Now, it seems life and hockey have chosen a different path for the Swedish netminder. This summer, the restricted free agent signed a three-year contract with HV71, the club he played for prior to coming over to North America in 2021. The Lightning did retain his rights by sending him an offer sheet, so if he does come back to the AHL or NHL, they have a shot to re-sign him. If he plays out the full contract, he would be 26-years-old and still in line for a productive NHL career.
Will that happen? Who knows? Moving back to Sweden to play in the SHL isn’t that big of a drop-off in competition compared to the AHL. He’ll still be playing against solid talent, with the benefit of being back in his home country. Vasilevskiy will still be the Lightning’s number-one goaltender after the next three seasons, so it’s not like Alnefelt is losing out on a NHL gig. Plus he’s probably pocketing a few more dollars on his SHL contract than he would on a two-way NHL/AHL deal.
The fact that a 23-year-old goaltender who peaced out from the Lightning’s AHL team is still considered a top-15 prospect in the organization says a lot more about the state of the farm system than it does Alnefelt. Spoiler alert – he’s still the top-ranked goaltender prospect in the system as well. Right now, aside from Alnefelt, the Lightning’s depth chart is:
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson
Matt Tomkins
Brandon Halverson (AHL deal)
Ryan Fanti (AHL deal)
Harrison Meneghin (WHL)
Things get really thin after JJ, don’t they?
How did the development plan veer off for Alnefelt and why isn’t he still in Syracuse? Consistency. That’s really been the issue with him over the three seasons he’s been with the Crunch. In 86 games in Syracuse he’s posted a 41-27-10 record with a 2.87 GAA and .895 SV%. Of those 41 wins, 5 have come via shutout. When he’s on, he’s really, really good in net. Unfortunately, when he’s off, he’s really, really off.
Last season, it was more of the same. He went 5-0 in January with a 1.95 GA and a .931 SV%. That’s the really, really good part. Then he ended the season with a 0-2 record in his last 5 appearances with a .770 SV% and a 9.12 GAA. That’s the really, really bad. There are nights when he looks like an impenetrable wall, and then there are nights where it looks like he couldn’t stop a bowling ball rolled from the other end of the ice. That type of inconsistency leads to a lack of trust from the coaching staff and it’s a big reason why Alnefelt was passed over on the depth chart by Halverson during the playoffs for the Crunch.
There is a lot to like about the way Alnefelt plays in net. He’s a fairly big an lanky goaltender who uses that size to cover post-to-post. He is aggressive, especially on one-on-ones and odd-man rushes. He had quick reflexes and is very athletic. So when he is dialed in, he can make saves that seem impossible.
However, that aggression can get the better of him. It can lead to him being out of position, especially on rebounds or redirections. Relying on reflexes instead of sound positioning can carry a goaltender far, but good shooters can take advantage of that. His puckhandling skills can also be a bit adventurous at times.
The fact that the Lightning extended an offer sheet to him in order to retain his rights indicates that they are still interested in how he develops. They’ve let other European RFAs walk without holding onto their rights, so there is a universe where Alnefelt finds his way back to the organization. Playing full-time in the SHL could go a long way to helping him develop that consistency. If it does, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him come back as a NHL back-up to Vasilevskiy.
If not, he joins Riku Helinius, Brian Eklund, and David Littman as goaltenders who have appeared in just one game in a Lightning uniform in their careers.
