At each the start and halfway level of the 2023-24 season, The Hockey Writers put lists collectively on the highest 10 gamers for every place, in addition to coaches. It goes with out saying that it’s a very robust checklist to do given how subjective it’s, however however, we’re going to take one other shot at it.
As you will notice, there are names on this checklist which have modified, as this checklist is just not primarily based solely on goaltenders’ play within the 2023-24 season, however the physique of labor they’ve put collectively all through their profession. One other partial issue is how they’re anticipated to fare within the 2024-25 marketing campaign. With that stated, listed below are the highest 10 goaltenders within the NHL coming into the 2024-25 season.
10. Jake Oettinger
The 2023-24 season wasn’t very sort to Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger. In 54 appearances, he had a 2.72 objectives towards common (GAA) and a really mediocre .905 save share (SV%). These numbers paled compared to the season prior, the place he had a 2.35 GAA together with a .919 SV% in 62 appearances.
To his credit score, Oettinger was capable of bounce again on this 12 months’s playoffs with a really robust 2.19 GAA and a .915 SV%. He’s additionally simply 25 years outdated, which, as a goalie, signifies that he nonetheless has loads of untapped potential. He might discover himself a lot larger on subsequent seasons checklist, as he has a really excessive skillset.
9. Juuse Saros
For the final a number of seasons, Juuse Saros has felt like he’s teetering with the road of elite. The 29-year-old has but to win a Vezina Trophy, however was a finalist in 2021-22 and completed fourth place in voting the next season.
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The 2023-24 season was a little bit of a combined bag for Saros, nonetheless. Whereas he performed nice down the stretch to assist the Nashville Predators get into the playoffs, he was common at greatest by means of the primary few months, which resulted in his season totals being lower than followers count on with a 2.86 GAA and a .906 SV%. He too might discover himself a lot larger on this checklist transferring ahead given the greatness he has proven he’s able to.
8. Linus Ullmark
The Boston Bruins made an awesome choice after they selected to signal Linus Ullmark to a four-year, $20 million contract previous to the 2021-22 season. He proved to be a implausible tandem pairing with Jeremy Swayman, and gained the Vezina in 2022-23 because of a ridiculous 1.89 GAA paired with a .938 SV%.
Some will argue Ullmark ought to are available larger on this checklist. That stated, his numbers, whereas nonetheless very strong, did take a success this previous season. Much more so, he will probably be pressured to play in entrance of a a lot weaker Ottawa Senators crew in 2024-25. Whether or not he can proceed his greatness in a harder scenario stays to be seen.
7. Jeremy Swayman
As talked about, Swayman and Ullmark proved to be an awesome tandem for the Bruins the final a number of seasons. Now, Swayman will probably be checked out to hold the load following Ullmark being traded earlier this offseason.
Swayman did appear to take over a bit extra of a beginning position this previous season, notably within the playoffs. The 25-year-old has all of the makings of a future Vezina winner, although will probably be attention-grabbing to see how he handles a heavier workload provided that he’s by no means made 50 appearances in an NHL season so far.
6. Ilya Sorokin
There’s no method round it. The 2023-24 season was a nightmarish one for Ilya Sorokin, who got here in thought of by many to be the very best within the league. After back-to-back seasons of a .925 and .924 SV%, he stumbled to a 2.99 GAA and a .909 SV% in 56 appearances for the New York Islanders.
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Maybe the worst of all of it was that Sorokin was relegated to backup duties come playoffs, with head coach Patrick Roy as a substitute selecting to go to Semyon Varlamov. His first three NHL seasons recommend he’ll bounce again, although it’ll definitely take some psychological energy to take action given how issues have gone just lately.
5. Sergei Bobrovsky
Keep in mind when Sergei Bobrovsky was thought of by many to have the worst contract within the NHL? After seeing his sport fall off out of seemingly nowhere after becoming a member of the Florida Panthers, Bobrovsky has turned again the clock, and was even a Vezina finalist earlier this 12 months.
All of it appeared to show round for Bobrovsky through the 2023 playoffs, the place he helped lead the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Ultimate. He not solely continued his stellar play with an awesome 2023-24 marketing campaign, however was capable of not solely get the Panthers again to the Cup Ultimate, however led them to victory. Whereas he’s a transparent instance that goalies are laborious to foretell, he appears poised to have one other large season arising.
4. Andrei Vasilevskiy
Much like what was stated about Sorokin, it could actually’t be denied that the 2023-24 season was an unsightly one for Andrei Vasilevskiy. The goaltender most have thought of to be the very best within the NHL for years was removed from, posting a 2.90 GAA and a .900 SV% in 52 common season video games. He was even worse within the playoffs, with a 3.22 GAA and a .897 SV% in 5 appearances.
As ugly because the season was, Vasilevskiy will get the advantage of the doubt given his in depth monitor report. He not solely has a Vezina Trophy to his identify, however helped lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021. That second championship even noticed him named because the Conn Smythe winner, additional proving simply how elite he might be when at his greatest. Don’t be shocked to see him get again to that stage this coming season.
3. Thatcher Demko
Many have been discussing Thatcher Demko’s greatness for various years, however he by no means appeared to fairly get the popularity he deserved as a result of Vancouver Canucks not having a ton of crew success. That each one modified in 2023-24, the place the Canucks had been capable of win the Pacific Division title, whereas Demko was named a Vezina finalist.
Had Demko not been injured, there’s a superb likelihood that the Canucks would have eradicated the Edmonton Oilers within the second spherical of the playoffs and superior to the Western Convention Ultimate. Understanding that ought to solely assist gas him and permit for him to have a fair higher 2024-25 season.
2. Igor Shesterkin
The 2023-24 season was in no way unhealthy for Igor Shesterkin, however he wasn’t precisely his traditional elite self, both. The 28-year-old put collectively a 2.56 GAA together with a .913 SV%, numbers beneath what he’s confirmed to be able to previously, notably throughout his Vezina profitable 2021-22 season.
As soon as the playoffs started, nonetheless, Shesterkin began taking part in just like the actually elite goaltender he’s. In 16 outings, he had an exceptional 2.28 GAA and a .927 SV%. With any crew help, the New York Rangers probably would have knocked off the Florida Panthers within the Jap Convention Ultimate. His efficiency within the playoffs ought to assist restore any potential misplaced confidence and factors to him having an enormous season forward.
1. Connor Hellebuyck
Sure, it’s truthful to criticize Connor Hellebuyck for his efficiency on this 12 months’s playoff. He was flat-out horrendous within the Winnipeg Jets’ five-game loss to the Colorado Avalanche, compiling a ghastly 5.01 GAA and a .870 SV%. That stated, it’s unfair to guage him on such a quick pattern measurement in comparison with his total physique of labor all through his profession.
If something, Hellebuyck’s struggles helped show simply how a lot the Jets depend on him. They merely weren’t capable of compete with the Avalanche with out him at his greatest, regardless of ending second within the Central Division with 107 factors. Hellebuyck was the only real motive for that, as he picked up his second Vezina Trophy because of a spectacular 2.39 GAA and a .921 SV%. It’s scary to assume simply how a lot better these numbers might be taking part in behind a deeper roster.
