After doing the Top NHL Centers in the game, I figured I would do the same for goalies (although Evan may have more sway when it comes to speaking about netminders and goaltending). That being said I found that it can be a bit easier to measure goalies, given that there are fewer of them in the game than players (5 skaters to 1 goalie), and even with every team which has 2 goalies (starter and backup) there often can be a situation like in Vegas this postseason, Adin Hill who stepped in and helped them win a cup, when he wasn’t even their 3rd goalie (as they picked up Jonathan Quick as a backup around the trade deadline). But there is also the debate, that goalies can be voodoo (often debated on the podcast) as their play can change year to year, plus defense systems and players change, health and equipment, make an impact on how they perform. Therefore below is a list for me, of the top 10 goalies going into the 2023/2024 and if you disagree feel free to leave a comment below:
- Igor Shesterkin (#31, New York Rangers) – Bold choice I know, but hear me out. There is reason to believe that Igor, who won the Vezina Trophy last season (2022) and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy is currently the best goalie in the NHL (beyond Vasilevsky) as he went 37-13-8 in 58 starts (an increase from 53 from the previous year) and had a save percentage 0.916 SV%, a drop for his 0.935 SV% from the previous year, but still had 3 shutouts and had 2.48 goals against him. This was a slight drop but still better than most other goalies this past year. But the 27 year old can still make an impact this season and keep the New York Rangers competitive, as they try to go all in this season and make a big splash in the postseason, after a poor performance versus the New Jersey Devils. But just remember that he is dominant and he has great athletic agility and can be elite again and win another Vezina in the coming year or two.
- Ilya Sorokin (#30, New York Islanders) – Sorokin, who just signed that big 8 year, $66,000,000 contract extension, shows that the organization believes in him after his incredible Vezina nominated season (ultimately losing to Linus Ullmark, who was deserving). Sorokin, 28, who at first doesn’t look like he had a good season (31-22-7) actually helped propel the Islander to make the playoffs in a wildcard spot, by playing 62 games and had a 0.924 SV% and 2.34 GAA. He also added 6 shutouts, and really made an impact on a team not known for their scoring, so they have to be very defensively sound. Sorokin came over from the KHL but has shown he can play elite at the NHL level and it shows that the Islanders are set, and could again make a push for the playoffs in the upcoming season.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (#88, Tampa Bay Lightning) – I cannot justify any type of Top 10 list without having Andrei Vasikevskiy at least in the top 3, given what he has done thus far in his career. Certainly last year wasn’t his best season and there was a dip after he played 64 games going 34-22-4 with a 0.915 SV% and 2.65 GAA, which may seem absurd as a drop, but after back to back Stanley Cup wins and an extensive long amount of post-season appearances (he will forever hold the record of playing 19 games due to the play in round during Covid-19), it seems that the amount of games has finally hit Vasilevskiy and the extra break this off-season can help him return in prime form this coming season to help the Tampa Bay Lightning go on another cup run. Also next to Carey Price, I think most people would still pick Andrei Vasilevskiy in a must win game, with me being one of them. I mean he did win the Conn Smythe as well.
- Juuse Saros (#74, Nashville Predators) – Now people will wonder why I place Saros so high, but if you want any Nashville games you will realize how talented Jusse really is. He can stop the puck as well as anybody and he came off a great 64 game season where he went 33-23-7 on a team that traded a lot of key players away and is going through their own retool. Saros had a 0.919 SV% and 2.69 GAA, and still continues to be elite, with 2 shutouts, but all you ever hear commentators say is how short he is (for a goalie that is, 5’11”). But after taking over the starting role once Pekka Rinne retired, it shows that Nashville has depth in the crease and can continue to make an impact this coming season for a possible wildcard spot in the Central if Saros has another big season like he did last year when he was nominated for the Vezina. But again, don’t forget he is only 5’11”.
- Connor Hellebuyck (#37, Winnipeg Jets) – There is something brewing in Winnipeg, and it involves the elite American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. He has noted that he won’t resign in Winnipeg after this upcoming season, as he is getting older (30) and wants a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup, while Winnipeg, like their division rival Nashville, also go through a quick retool. Will he be traded or not, is hard to say and when, but what we do know is that Hellebuyck is very reliable in net playing 64 games and putting up a 0.920SV% and 2.49 GAA this past season for a 37-25-2 record. Winnipeg is losing a Vezina caliber goalie (winning in 2019/2020) but also being nominated this past season as well, and they may not be able to make the playoffs without Hellebuyck and his beautiful performance. He is sleek and athletic and can move very well, and might still help Winnipeg be competitive unless they trade him. But again, he would be a sought after commodity.
- Jake Oettinger (#29, Dallas Stars) – Although Jake Oettinger is only 24 years of age, fans have seen a good body of work of how great he can be between the pipes. After his elite performance in the postseason vs Calgary last season, he followed up that season this year with a 37-11-11 in 62 games this postseason with a 0.919 SV% and 2.35 GAA. He has emerged as the true #1 goalie for Dallas and continues to be a key piece of the core for Dallas to keep them competitive and could potentially help them win the division. Oettinger is the future of what goaltending looks like and what we can expect young prospects to model their game after, but we also see a Vezina nomination for him in the not too distant future.
- Linus Ullmark (#35, Boston Bruins) – This is another pick people may say is too low, given that he just won the Vezina Trophy this past season, after a historical season record. Ullmark did finish the season with a 40-6-1 season finishing with a 0.938 SV% and a 1.89 GAA, making him the best this season, but also dealing with some nagging injuries in the postseason and ending poorly against the feisty Florida Panthers. Now I am not sure he can repeat the season that Ullmark just had, but I can guarantee you that even if his number drops slightly, Boston will continue to be competitive in the Atlantic and can make noise again in the playoffs (although their center depth also took a hit). But again between him and Jeremy Swayman, Boston is okay between the pipes and we here at Two Guys enjoy watching him make some big saves. Also as a bonus, it was fun watching him become the 14th NHL goalie to score a goal, when they played the Vancouver Canucks.
- Alexander Georgiev (#40, Colorado Avalanche) – Now when Georgiev came over from the New York Rangers in a trade, the Avalanche were coming off their Stanley Cup win and were riding on a big high. They didn’t want to re-sign Darcy Keumper to a big extension (Washington did) and GM Joe Sakic believed Georgiev (who was a backup) can be a full time starter. This paid off as Georgiev went 40-16-6 with a 0.919 SV% and a 2.53 GAA with Colorado being dominant in the regular season. It helps when you have Cale Makar and Devon Teows as defensemen on your team, but he was still solid. He may not ever be a Vezina winner, but Colorado proved you just need solid goaltending in order to win. As I have said in the past, goaltending can be a rollercoaster from season to season and Georgiev is a steady reliable presence that can give the Avalanche a chance to win every night.
- Filip Gustavsson (#32, Minnesota Wild) – I feel like this list is just a list of the goalies in the Central, but I have to admit watching Filip Gustavsson, 25, has come into the NHL and made a big impact on a team that is very cap strapped. Although he was very inexperienced, and the trade was a gamble with the Ottawa Senators, this past season he proved he can play with the best of them. He went 22-9-7 in 39 games and had a 0.931 SV% and 2.10 GAA, all while playing as a backup goalie to the legendary Marc-Andre Fleury. Now some may say this was a fluke season, but I would disagree as Coach Dean Evason coaches a very defensively style game. This is incredible and GM Bill Guerin thought so as well as they re-signed him to a 3-year, $11,250,000 contract.
- Stuart Skinner (#74, Edmonton Oilers) – I want to finish the list with a bold choice and that is Stuar Skinner out in Edmonton. He was drafted by the team and came into the season as a back up to Jack Campbell only to steal the job from him and going 29-14-5 with a 0.914 SV_% and a 2.75 GAA, for a high scoring, low defensive team in Edmonton. Now this was his breakout year and he did manage to get some Calder votes (ultimately losing to Beniers) but it’s been a while since Edmonton had strong goaltending to compete as a cup contender and the postseason showed that they can still learn much. Now Campbell may come back, but Skinner looks like the Oilers’ goalie of the future. Also, as noted for Alexander Georgiev, when you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, you don’t need to be a Vezina (although Skinner may push himself to be the best) but just solid enough to compete and win. We will see how he fares after a full season under his belt and what that will mean for the tandem with Campbell.
I also want to highlight that we may also see a new goalie emerge again, or there may be a trade like Helleybuyck and he may go to the New Jersey Devil as they compete for a Stanley Cup, or a goalie who struggled last season like John Gibson or Jakob Markstrom. But what do you think of this list, and will Evan completely disagree?
Honourable Mentions: Carter Hart, Jack Markstrom, Laurent Brossoit, Thatcher Demko & Frederik Andersen.
Thoughts?
Pawel the ‘Cat’
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