Goalie Musical Chairs: Breaking down the 2022-23 Eastern Conference tandems

With almost a week of free agency in the books, the NHL’s goaltending landscape is beginning to come into focus for the 2022-23 season. After all the turnover we’ve seen in net, let’s break down every team’s goaltending situation. Next up: the Eastern Conference.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

FLORIDA PANTHERS: Sergei Bobrovsky & Spencer Knight

Reason to be happy: Bobrovsky rebounded in 2021-22, posting a 39-7-3 record to go along with a .913 save percentage. And after a rough first half of the season, including a stint in the AHL, Knight played well down the stretch.

Reason to be hopeful: Toward the end of last year, Knight showed glimpses of his sky-high potential. And Bobrovsky was able to find his groove for the first time as a Panther.

Reason to be nervous: Playoffs. Bobrovsky wasn’t bad in the postseason, but he also didn’t steal any games for Florida in the second round against the Tampa Bay Lightning. And his $10 million contract is a boat anchor.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: Matt Murray & Ilya Samsonov

Reason to be happy: Petr Mrazek, and his $3.8 million contract, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Reason to be hopeful: If Murray can return to the Stanley Cup-winning form he showed early in his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto will reap the benefits. And Ilya Samsonov has the potential to be a No. 1 goaltender – if he’s willing to listen and add a layer of detail to his game.

Reason to be nervous: After nearly three seasons of subpar play, Murray is an expensive reclamation project. And Samsonov was wildly inconsistent during his time with the Washington Capitals. Teams rarely give up on a first-round draft pick like the Caps just did with Samsonov.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: Andrei Vasilevskiy & Brian Elliott

Reason to be happy: Vasilevskiy is the NHL’s premier big-game goaltender and he’s capable of managing a heavy workload during the regular season. Lightning players know they have a chance to win every game with ‘The Big Cat’ in the crease.

Reason to be hopeful: At 27 years of age, Vasilevskiy is in the prime of his career. And he continues to evolve.

Reason to be nervous: If Vasilevskiy gets hurt, the Lightning won’t be the same. Elliott did a nice job in the No. 2 role last season, but there are real concerns if he is forced to play on a regular basis.

BOSTON BRUINS: Linus Ullmark & Jeremy Swayman

Reason to be happy: Ullmark was a consistent performer in his first year as a Bruin, and Swayman proved that his cameo during the 2020-21 season wasn’t a fluke. The tandem has great chemistry.

Reason to be hopeful: Swayman has shown tantalizing ability in his short NHL career. The performance ceiling is high with the former University of Maine standout. Ullmark is dependable as long as he stays healthy.

Reason to be nervous: Last season was a rollercoaster for Swayman, who started out on fire but cooled considerably as the season wore on. And despite piling up 26 wins in a tandem role during the regular season, Ullmark wasn’t great in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

BUFFALO SABRES: Craig Anderson & Eric Comrie

Reason to be happy: Comrie was excellent last season as the Winnipeg Jets No. 2 and is ready to take on an expanded role. Anderson provides much needed leadership and, when healthy, is capable of stealing games.

Reason to be hopeful: Signing Comrie to a reasonable two-year contract might turn out to be a steal for Buffalo. And Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played well in his nine games with the Sabres last season.

Reason to be nervous: Anderson was limited to 31 games last year due to injuries, and Comrie has never played more than 19 games in an NHL season. Buffalo also has Malcolm Subban. He has experience but injuries have hampered his NHL career.

DETROIT RED WINGS: Ville Husso & Alex Nedeljkovic

Reason to be happy: Husso was a breakout star for the St. Louis Blues last season, and Nedeljkovic still has promise despite a challenging first year in Hockeytown. The Red Wings have two talented goaltenders under the age of 27.

Reason to be hopeful: Detroit hired a new coaching staff and signed several key free agents this offseason. The team should be better defensively in 2022-23, which will take pressure off the netminders.

Reason to be nervous: When combined, Husso and Nedeljkovic have played fewer than 200 NHL games. Having $7.75 million in cap space tied to inexperienced goaltending is a risk.

OTTAWA SENATORS: Cam Talbot & Anton Forsberg

Reason to be happy: The Senators instantly solidified their crease by acquiring Talbot from the Minnesota Wild. Aside from one down season in Edmonton, Talbot has been a consistent performer throughout his NHL career. Forsberg had a fantastic 2021-22 season in Canada’s capital and was Ottawa’s best player at times.

Reason to be hopeful: Talbot and Forsberg are a solid tandem that should provide quality goaltending on a regular basis. It’s been quite some time since the Senators have gone into a season without questions in goal.

Reason to be nervous: Ottawa still has room to grow as a team. And while the Senators upgraded their goaltending, Talbot and Forsberg aren’t miracle workers. How they respond to adversity may define next season.

MONTREAL CANADIENS: Jake Allen & ?

Reason to be happy: One of the bright spots for the Canadiens during the 2021-22 season was the play of Allen. A .905 save percentage in 35 games was a minor miracle. He’s set to return and should provide stability in the crease.

Reason to be hopeful: There’s a chance Carey Price will be able to play.

Reason to be nervous: If Price isn’t available, the Habs will need to find another goaltender. As it stands, Montreal doesn’t have much depth. Cayden Primeau, the highly touted prospect entering his fourth professional season, was not ready for NHL duty last season. And Samuel Montembeault remains an unsigned RFA.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

CAROLINA HURRICANES: Frederik Andersen & Antti Raanta

Reason to be happy: Despite a few nervous moments caused by injuries last season, the Hurricanes received exemplary goaltending from Andersen and Raanta. The duo should be able to replicate that performance.

Reason to be hopeful: Pyotr Kochetkov looked perfectly at home in the Carolina crease. He’s on track to be an impact player for the Hurricanes in the not-too-distant future.

Reason to be nervous: Health. Andersen was unavailable for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Antti Raanta missed significant time. Both goaltenders have a history of injuries.

NEW YORK RANGERS: Igor Shesterkin & Jaroslav Halak

Reason to be happy: Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL last year. The Russian netminder put together the most dominant season in recent memory – enough to make him a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

Reason to be hopeful: The Rangers, along with Shesterkin, continue to improve and gain experience. And Halak should be able to provide quality minutes in a limited role.

Reason to be nervous: Shesterkin was so good last year, and expectations are so high, that it will be hard for him to follow it up with a similar performance. And Halak didn’t have a good year in Vancouver. He needs to bounce back.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Tristan Jarry & Casey DeSmith

Reason to be happy: Jarry was a top-10 NHL goaltender last season. He carried the mail early when key players were out for the Penguins, and established himself as a true No. 1.

Reason to be hopeful: It’s a contract year for Jarry; he has plenty of motivation. And he should start the season with a clean bill of health.

Reason to be nervous: Jarry and DeSmith were limited to one game apiece in the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to injury. And both battled through lengthy slumps last season. Health is critical in Pittsburgh.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Darcy Kuemper & Charlie Lindgren

Reason to be happy: The Capitals completely overhauled their goaltending tandem. Kuemper is the reigning Stanley Cup champion and Lindgren was one of the top goaltenders in the AHL.

Reason to be hopeful: Kuemper has been relatively consistent over the course of his NHL career, something Washington was desperately in need of. And he was outstanding last year for the Colorado Avalanche during the regular season.

Reason to be nervous: An eye injury during the first round of the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoffs sidelined Kuemper for a significant amount of time, and when he returned, his play was merely adequate. The Capitals gave Lindgren the second three-year, one-way contract of his career: the first came with the Montreal Canadiens. At 28 years old, and having only played five NHL games last season, ‘Chucky Sideburns’ needs to stick the landing.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS: Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov

Reason to be happy: There are zero doubts in the Islanders crease. Sorokin is on the verge of NHL stardom, and Varlamov is still capable of being a No. 1 goaltender.

Reason to be hopeful: If the Islanders are able to perform better as a whole, Sorokin should be in the conversation for the Vezina trophy. He’s that talented.

Reason to be nervous: Behind Sorokin and Varlamov, there’s not much in the pipeline.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Elvis Merzlikins & Joonas Korpisalo

Reason to be happy: Despite facing a crazy high amount of high-danger chances last season, Merzlikins still managed to post a winning record. His game and demeanor have shown considerable growth over his three seasons in the NHL.

Reason to be hopeful: Continuity in the Blue Jackets is a good thing. After last season, Merzlikins knows how to carry the load as a No. 1. And Korpisalo will finally be healthy. After battling through a hip injury during the 2021-22 campaign, Korpisalo underwent surgery during the offseason.

Reason to be nervous: With or without hip problems, Korpisalo has struggled mightily the past few years. Columbus needs his game to turn around so Merzlikins can have the occasional night off.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Mackenzie Blackwood & Vitek Vanecek

Reason to be happy: The 2021-22 season can’t be any worse than last year, when the Devils deployed seven different netminders. Jonathan Bernier was the leader with a .902 save percentage in 10 games played.

Reason to be hopeful: Blackwood is healthy, and Vanecek previously had spans with the Washington Capitals where he looked ready for No. 1 minutes.

Reason to be nervous: Both goaltenders have had chances to take an NHL crease. Neither has been able to over the long haul. Question marks still remain in the Devils’ net.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: Carter Hart & ?

Reason to be happy: Hart had a resurgent 2021-22 NHL season, even though his numbers didn’t really show it. A .905 save percentage while playing for last season’s Flyers team was quite an accomplishment.

Reason to be hopeful: At just 23 years of age and with four NHL seasons under his belt, Hart still has room for growth.

Reason to be nervous: It’s an open competition to be Hart’s goalie partner in Philadelphia. None of the goaltenders vying for the spot played full-time in the NHL last season. And in a troubling development, prospect Ivan Fedotov was recently sent to a remote Russian military base in what appears to be retaliation for him signing an NHL entry-level contract with the Flyers.

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Goalie Musical Chairs: Breaking down the 2022-23 Eastern Conference tandems

ATLANTIC DIVISION

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

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