The goalkeeper in hockey has the greatest influence on the game. Finding a great goaltender is harder said than done, yet they may steal a victory or lead a club on a lengthy postseason run. On the other hand, teams may perform incredibly well, only to have shoddy goaltending steal victory from their grasp.
There is no better feeling than knowing you can depend on a goaltender for more than 50 starts per season given the position’s extreme volatility and unpredictability. The 10 goaltenders on this list give their teams a lot more than that.
10. Tristan Jarry
For me, Jarry and Marc-Andre Fleury were the two goalies who eventually competed for the No. 10 position. Despite struggling for the most of last season behind a terrible squad, Fleury won the Vezina Trophy in 2021. With the Penguins, Jarry thrived, recording a total of 21.10 goals saved above average in 2021–22, good for seventh place in the NHL. Jarry was able to recover from a rocky first season as Pittsburgh’s full-time starter and establish that he was more than deserving of that position. The Penguins might have advanced to the second round if Jarry had remained healthy for the entire series against the New York Rangers in the playoffs.
9. Frederik Andersen
Between 2019 and 2021, Andersen’s final two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs were atrocious, and it was reasonable to ask if he still had anything left in the tank. Because of this, it was unexpected when the Hurricanes elected to pursue him in the summer. In the end, it turned out to be another cunning manoeuvre by that company. When playing for the Hurricanes, Andersen had a breakout season.
8. Thatcher Demko
The Canucks were at ease letting Jacob Markstrom leave in free agency after Demko’s breakthrough performance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That seems like a wise choice so far. Demko has played well the past two seasons, and his 23.09 above-average goals saved ranks seventh during that time. Demko’s traditional numbers may not dazzle anyone because the rest of the Vancouver roster doesn’t exactly help, but he consistently gives the team a chance to be competitive.
7. Darcy Kuemper
As difficult as it may be to imagine, Kuemper has really just twice in his career started the whole season as the starting goalkeeper. He excelled for the Avalanche playing behind the greatest roster in the NHL during the previous year. His 0.852 high-danger save percentage was one of the best in the league, and his 25.19 goals saved above average placed him fourth in the league. Although Kuemper had a lacklustre performance in the playoffs, the Avs still won the Cup, and there is more than enough evidence to suggest that Kuemper will be a huge improvement for the Capitals this season.
6. Jacob Markstrom
One of the league’s most reliable goaltenders, Markstrom has started for the Vancouver Canucks since 2017. The only exception would be his debut season with the Calgary Flames in 2020–21. Still, Markstrom showed he was still one of the best players at his position last season with 26.10 goals saved above average and a high-danger save percentage of 0.849. Markstrom should continue to excel in Darryl Sutter’s superb system while playing behind a talented Calgary Flames roster.
5. Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck had a chance to move up a spot or two on our ranking, but his 2021–22 season—at least by his standards—fell short. Even so, Hellebuyck is among the NHL’s top goalies. Hellebuyck has endured a shooting gallery from the Jets blue line for the majority of his career. Hellebuyck has dominated the league in both shots faced and saves over the previous four seasons. He has been the NHL leader in goals allowed in three of those four seasons.
4. Ilya Sorokin
Sorokin was Semyon Varlamov’s backup in just 22 games in 2020–21, but he played well enough last season to take over the crease. He thrived in his more prominent position and was unquestionably the Islanders’ lone bright spot throughout a catastrophic 2021–22 season. With 29.78 goals saved above average and a save percentage of 0.925, Sorokin was ranked second in the NHL.
3. Juuse Saros
Saros was criticised for being too small to fit the mould of a current NHL goaltender when he first entered the league. Saros makes up for his lack of stature, though, with agility and skill. Saros ranks third in the NHL over the past three seasons with 50.32 goals saved above average, and he also has a commendable high-danger save percentage of 0.830. When Saros missed the Predators’ playoff matchup with the Colorado Avalanche last season, it was clear how important he was to the team.
2. Igor Shesterkin
The Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals, where he faced off against Andrei Vasilevskiy, was made possible in large part by the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner, who was in a league of his own during the regular season. Shesterkin made incredible 44.83 goals-above-average saves in 53 games played. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders was the next closest goaltender, with a GSAA of 29.78. Shesterkin’s genius persisted in the postseason, where he once again led the league in GSAA with 11.91.
1. Andrei Vasilevskiy
Despite Shesterkin’s recent wild season, Vasilevskiy tops this list because to his longevity. Since taking over the starting position in Tampa for the 2016–17 season, Vasilevskiy has been performing at a completely new level. He has made 97.15 more goals saved than usual throughout that period. Then there are his outstanding postseason statistics. Vasilevskiy won the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy while Vasilevskiy led the Lightning to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances with a combined goals against average of 2.11, save percentage of 0.928, and 26.85 goals saved above average. Whatever way you cut it, Vasilevskiy is currently in charge of the crease.