Eric Comrie

Comrie will compete with Kaapo Kahkonen to back up the NHL's most reliable, elite netminder. Connor Hellebuyck is a 60-start Vezina winner, so his backup will wear a ball cap most of the season. Comrie has a real chance to earn the gig. He's an original Jet (59th overall in 2013) who delivered a 10-5-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .920 save percentage in this exact role in 2019-20. Kahkonen is coming off one of the worst netminding performances in 2024-25 and might be league-average in the role. Comrie could be more. Still, the Jets' backup is a spot starter and nothing more.

After getting brief stints in the NHL over his previous campaigns, Comrie got an opportunity with Winnipeg in 2021-22 and took advantage of it, posting a 10-5-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .920 save percentage in 19 contests. That led to him signing a two-year, $3.6 million deal with Buffalo, but he was unable to build on his solid 2021-22 showing, instead finishing 2022-23 with a 9-9-1 record, 3.67 GAA and .886 save percentage in 19 starts. Comrie will go into training camp fighting for one of two goaltending spots with youngsters Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. It wouldn't be surprising to see Comrie ultimately lose that fight and start the season in the minors, but because none of the Sabres' options are particularly established, the 28-year-old Comrie might still be called up occasionally and finish the season with 5-10 starts, even if Buffalo doesn't run into significant injury troubles in net.

Comrie has played just 28 games with three different teams over the course of his six years in the NHL. He made 19 of those appearances a season ago with Winnipeg, when Comrie posted a respectable 10-5-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .920 save percentage. In search of a bigger role, Comrie inked a two-year, $3.6 million deal with Buffalo. His primary competition for playing time will be 41-year-old Craig Anderson, who was rumored to be leaning towards retirement before deciding to return for one more season. It's a battle Comrie should win, making him a sneaky late-round fantasy option on what should be an improved Sabres team.

Comrie began last season with the Devils before being reacquired by the Jets on waivers in February. He made just one appearance for New Jersey, stopping 30 of 33 shots in a 5-3 win over Buffalo on January 31. Comrie turned pro in 2015-16 but he's seen just nine games worth of NHL action over the course of his career. He signed a new one-year, $750,000 deal with Winnipeg this past summer and is currently scheduled to serve as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck barring any last-minute additions by the Jets. Comrie figures to play fewer than 15 games even if he keeps the backup gig all season. There's no fantasy upside here.

Comrie had three unspectacular appearances for the Red Wings in 2019-20, but mostly played with AHL Manitoba after the Jets claimed him on waivers. In the minors, Comrie had a 6-9-0 record with a 2.51 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 16 contests. The 25-year-old goalie is likely headed to the Jets' taxi squad after training camp as the No. 3 goalie on the depth chart behind Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck and backup Laurent Brossoit. Barring injury to those two, Comrie will not see enough ice time to make a fantasy impact in 2020-21.

Comrie was tendered a qualifying offer from the Jets in order to retain his rights, but he isn't going to be filling the backup role behind Connor Hellebuyck, as the club opted to bring in Laurent Brossoit in the offseason. Barring a move overseas, the 23-year-old figures to split time between the pipes in AHL Manitoba with Mikhail Berdin -- although Comrie would likely be the one promoted to Winnipeg if the event an extra goalie was required due to injury.

Comrie spent the majority of last season with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL where he went 26-25-9 in 60 appearances. He finished the season with a 2.57 GAA and a save percentage of .925, and is projected to open the upcoming season as the backup netminder for AHL St. John’s. He played two games with St. John’s at the end of last season, but didn’t perform well at all, giving up 12 goals on a mere 70 shots. At just 20, Comrie clearly has room for improvement and expectations should remain high for the former second-round pick. It will be a few years before he makes a significant impact in the NHL, so for now he’s just a guy for fantasy owners to keep in the back of their mind for the future. It is worth noting, however, that the Jets do have a pair of perhaps even more intriguing young goalies in Michael Hutchinson and Connor Hellebuyck, which may ultimately slow Comrie’s arrival to the next level.

With a lack of depth at goalie, Winnipeg picked up a quality goaltender with a lot of upside in Comrie. It will be fun to watch him develop but he is years away. Comrie gets a strong recommendation for keeper leagues.