Springfield Will Need Cranley's Stability in 2026-27
From ECHL workhorse to Springfield backup, why Will Cranley is ready for the AHL crease.
In the AHL, the secondary, or backup goaltender, has evolved far from a glorified benchwarmer waiting for an emergency “call-up.” Given the grind of a condensed weekend schedule with sets of brutal three-in-threes and grueling travel, an AHL team’s backup goaltender is heavily relied upon to deliver quality starts, usually on the back half of back-to-back matchups.
As the Springfield Thunderbirds prepare for the upcoming campaign, 24-year-old Will Cranley will step into the primary backup role. After patiently climbing the ranks, Cranley’s steady progression has more than shown that he is fully equipped to provide the crease stability the Thunderbirds need behind their starting netminder, Georgi Romanov.
Earning the Step Through the ECHL
To get to the full-time AHL role, Cranley took a familiar path for most professional goaltenders and started his rise through the ECHL. Drafted in the sixth round by St. Louis in 2020, the 6’4” netminder spent the bulk of his first two professional seasons carrying the heavy workload in the ECHL. That continued patience paid off during his breakout 2025-26 campaign with the Florida Everblades, where he posted a 14-3-1 record, a 2.17 GAA, and a .915 SV% over 18 games, with two shutouts.
When he was elevated to Springfield, Cranley proved his ECHL success was no fluke, holding his own with a 6-4 record and consistently showing poise and control under pressure showed the organization that he had outgrown the ECHL and earned him a contract extension and promotion in the meantime.
Under the Hood Analytics
Cranley’s advanced stats have all trended in the right direction and have been pointing to him as the ideal backup. In the ECHL during the 2025-26 season, his expected goals allowed (xG) hovered at 33 while surrendering 39 actual goals against, while his xG per shot saved consistently sat at an impressive 2.4.
Cranley is a goaltender capable and accustomed to handling the high-danger sequences necessary to find success and even help bail out his team with a timely save or two. He has shown on multiple occassions his ability to do so, and even help start a play for his team completing an impressive 82 percent success rate on 234 passing attempts out of his crease. He is active and plays the game safely but knows how and when to help his defense execute quick breakouts and neutralize forechecks before high-danger cycles can form.
As Springfield aims to contend again for the postseason in a demanding division, managing a successful goalie workload will ultimately dictate their level of success. Cranely is not a goaltender who needs to steal the spotlight every night, but needs to deliever a composed performance when called upon. With his underlying numbers, he can give the Thunderbirds dependable goaltending performances capable of winning on any given night.