2024 NHL Goalie Musical Chairs: Eastern Conference

Credit: Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark

It’s tough being a goaltender in the modern NHL. Performance at the position year to year is so fickle that few teams entrust their No. 1s with big long-term contracts anymore. The likes of Juuse Saros are exceptions now. Of the 21 goaltenders to secure new contracts as UFAs since July 1, 13, or 61.9 percent, signed for one year, 20 of 21 signed for two years or fewer and no UFA goalie signed for more than three years.

Now you know what inspired the term Goalie Musical Chairs. Long-term security is rare for puck-stoppers in today’s NHL. It can be tough to remember who has gone where, so let’s break down all the changes in goal, crease by crease. We started with the Western Conference and we continue with the Eastern Conference, where the turnover is much more significant this month. Some big names have new teams.

STATUS QUO

Carolina Hurricanes (Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov)
Columbus Blue Jackets (Elvis Merzlikins, Daniil Tarasov)
Montreal Canadiens (Sam Montembeault, Cayden Primeau)
New York Islanders (Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov)
New York Rangers (Igor Shesterkin, Jonathan Quick)
Pittsburgh Penguins (Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic)
Tampa Bay Lightning (Andrei Vasilevskiy, Jonas Johansson)

Boston Bruins (Stock down)

Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo (acquired from OTT)

(Out: Linus Ullmark)

After using Swayman and Ullmark as the league’s best, most hug-tastic goaltending duo the past few years, the Bruins finally eschewed the 50/50 timeshare and committed to Swayman as their true No. 1 during the 2023-24 postseason. He dominated, particularly in Round 1, and ended up leading the Stanley Cup playoffs with a .933 save percentage. Given he’s also five years younger than Ullmark, it made sense to go with Swayman in the long-term and trade Ullmark, who had a year left on his contract. Swayman, a restricted free agent, and the Bruins opted not to go to arbitration this year after a miserable experience in 2023 that had him publicly sharing his hatred for the process. That leaves them vulnerable to an offer sheet, but he and the Bruins seem pretty confident they’ll get a deal done and that Boston will match any offer for him. His new backup, Korpisalo, struggled badly in Ottawa during the first season of his five-year, $20 million deal. But Korpisalo excelled late in 2022-23 with the L.A. Kings, reminding us of what he’s capable of with an above-average defensive club playing in front of him. The Bruins aren’t as stingy as they were during the Patrice Bergeron era but still represent a nice upgrade for Korpisalo. It would be oh-so Bruins to turn him into an elite stopper.

Buffalo Sabres (Stock unchanged)

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer (1 x $1M)
Devon Levi

(Out: Eric Comrie)

The Sabres seem determined to learn from last season’s mistakes with Levi. He was pre-anointed as the Next Big Thing despite having very little pro experience, and he struggled. This time, by signing Reimer on a one-way deal to back up Luukkonen, they take the heat off Levi and give him runway to accumulate starter experience in the AHL should they choose to send him back there. He was fantastic in Rochester after his demotion last year and still should end up seeing NHL action at some point this season, whether Buffalo carries three goalies at the outset or starts him in the minors. At the same time, Buffalo doesn’t have to rush Levi at all given UPL’s breakout last season. It’s easy to forget he was one of the sport’s highest-regarded prospects in his own right a few years ago. Going 27-22-2 with a .910 SV% wasn’t a fluke. He’s only 25.

Detroit Red Wings (Stock up)

Cam Talbot (2 x $2.5M)
Ville Husso
Alex Lyon

(Out: James Reimer)

A .902 combined SV% between Husso, Lyon and Reimer simply wasn’t good enough in 2023-24, despite the fact Lyon had a couple great months. Husso was supposed to be starter-quality over the course of his three-year contract, but he’s been a $4.75 million annual headache instead. Even though Talbot faltered in the New Year and again in the playoffs for L.A., he was good enough to be in the Vezina Trophy conversation for much of last season and is an upgrade over Reimer. It feels like an open competition in Hockeytown, but the smart money is on Talbot to begin 2024-25 as the starter. If Yzerman was satisfied with Husso and Lyon, he wouldn’t have signed Talbot.

Florida Panthers (Stock down)

Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
Chris Driedger (1 x $795K)

(Out: Anthony Stolarz)

The Panthers’ goaltending certainly isn’t in bad shape. They still have their Stanley Cup winning starter between the pipes in Bobrovsky. But Stolarz, statistically, was the best goaltender in the entire NHL on a per-60 basis last year, so they’re downgrading at backup goalie no matter who takes over the job. Ideally, former top prospect Knight seizes it after coming out the other side of the player assistance program and getting his career back on track in the AHL last season. Driedger is insurance for if that doesn’t happen. He returns to the franchise with whom he launched his career as an NHL backup. He essentially swapped places with Joey Daccord in Seattle last season; it was Driedger this time who backstopped AHL Coachella Valley to a Calder Cup Final appearance after Daccord did it the year prior.

New Jersey Devils (Stock up)

Jacob Markstrom (Acquired from CGY)
Jake Allen

(Out: Kaapo Kahkonen, Akira Schmid)

Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said he was going to do a thing, and he followed through. The ‘big game hunt,’ which began with the failed attempt to acquire Markstrom at the Trade Deadline, reached a resolution in June. Markstrom and March trade acquisition Allen represent a massive upgrade over the awful puck-stopping performance of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid. The Devils had horrible injury luck, but it was the goaltending, more than anything else, that dragged them out of the playoffs last season. They’re an excellent bet to correct course and resume their Stanley Cup chase this coming year. Markstrom has alternated good and bad seasons as he reaches his mid-30s, but with an experienced 1B supporting him in Allen, there’s less pressure to be a world beater. He’ll also be playing away from a Canadian market for the first time since his days as a Panthers up-and-comer 10 years ago.

Ottawa Senators (Stock up)

Linus Ullmark (Acquired from BOS)
Anton Forsberg

(Out: Joonas Korpisalo)

Are the Senators finally ready to be a serious franchise and push for a playoff spot after seemingly being handed one by prognosticators for the past several summers? Ullmark should help their chances. Over the past three seasons combined, he grades out as the NHL’s best goaltender, leading the circuit in 5-on-5 goals saved above average per 60. But during that same time period, only two starting goalies had easier workloads in expected goals against per 60. How will Ullmark handle inferior defensive play in front of him? For what it’s worth, he kept his head above water in his time with the Sabres, and Boston wasn’t as strong defensively in his final season with them. He’s a clear upgrade over Korpisalo, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Ullmark’s numbers take a hit.

Philadelphia Flyers (Stock unchanged)

Ivan Fedotov
Samuel Ersson

(Out: Carter Hart, Felix Sandstrom)

Technically, the Flyers have the same goalie duo they had to end last season. But it’s worth singling them out here to establish that there’s nothing temporary about the Fedotov/Ersson tandem now. Money talks, and Fedotov’s two-year contract extension carries a $3.275 million AAV, indicating the Flyers envision him as the starter over Ersson ($1.45 million AAV). They’re betting big him on carrying his KHL success to the NHL. Carter Hart, awaiting trial on a sexual assault charge along with four other 2018 Canadian World Junior teammates, was not given a qualifying offer and is now a free agent. Sandstrom headed to the Sabres as minor-league depth.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Stock up)

Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz (2 x $2.5M)

Woll has shown in spurts that he could be an All-Star in the NHL someday. He willed the Leafs back from a 3-1 series deficit against Boston in April only to miss Game 7. Therein lies the problem; Woll can’t stay healthy. He’s not dealing with one recurring problem, either. A high-ankle sprain took him out for several months during the regular season, and it was a back injury that halted him in the playoffs. By signing him to a three-year extension at $3.67 million per, Toronto is paying him like a 1A, but Stolarz will play an important role as the 1B. If Woll falters or gets hurt again, Stolarz will get the best opportunity of his career to become the No. 1 on a playoff contender. Matt Murray returns as tertiary support behind a relatively unproven tandem.

Washington Capitals (Stock up)

Charlie Lindgren
Logan Thompson (acquired from VGK)

(Out: Darcy Kuemper)

Don’t sleep on this duo. Lindgren was a world beater for much of last season. No Capital was more responsible for their surprising playoff berth than he was. He led the NHL in shutouts with six. He’s earned the right to be Washington’s opening night starter, but iron will sharpen iron with the Thompson acquisition. He was good enough last year to displace Adin Hill as the Vegas Golden Knights’ No. 1 to open the playoffs. He’s at least as good as Lindgren, if not better. In this case, a healthy competition and 50/50 split could put Washington’s crease in great shape. One could argue Thompson will be playing in front of a weaker team than he was used to in Vegas, but Washington also fortified its blueline this summer with Matt Roy and Jakob Chychrun, so Thompson isn’t landing in a terrible situation.

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