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

With two days 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, starting in the Western Conference.

CENTRAL DIVISION

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Alexandar Georgiev & Pavel Francouz

Reason to be happy: Francouz became a Stanley Cup Champion after he won all six games that he played in during the 2021-22 postseason.

Reason to be hopeful: During his time with the New York Rangers, Georgiev showed flashes where he looked capable of being a No. 1 goaltender. Colorado is betting he can fulfill that potential in the Mile High City.

Reason to be nervous: Neither goaltender has played more than 34 games in an NHL season, let alone been able to grab the crease and be a true No. 1. Georgiev’s numbers have declined three straight seasons, while Francouz has missed considerable time with injuries.

MINNESOTA WILD: Marc-Andre Fleury & Filip Gustavsson

Reason to be happy: Fleury brings star power and a Hall of Fame resume to the Wild crease. He’s a proven Stanley Cup champion.

Reason to be hopeful: Jesper Wallstedt – the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft – has signed an entry-level contract and will begin his first year of hockey in North America.

Reason to be nervous: Gustavsson is an intriguing prospect but he struggled with the Ottawa Senators last season. He’s 24 years old and on his third NHL organization despite being a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

ST. LOUIS BLUES: Jordan Binnington & Thomas Greiss

Reason to be happy: Binnington returned to form in the 2021-22 Stanley Cup playoffs. And the Blues were able to replace Ville Husso with a quality netminder in Greiss – at an affordable cap hit.

Reason to be hopeful: Binnington and Greiss are both proven goaltenders with extensive NHL regular season and playoff experience. And they both have a track record of quality play while working in a tandem.

Reason to be nervous: Binnington started off the 2021-22 season on fire but struggled through the middle stint of the year. And Greiss is coming off a down season with the Detroit Red Wings. Both need strong starts.

DALLAS STARS: Jake Oettinger & Scott Wedgewood

Reason to be happy: Oettinger was lights out in the 2021-22 Stanley Cup playoffs, and his upward trajectory over the course of two NHL seasons has been impressive. The American netminder is on the verge of stardom.

Reason to be hopeful: Wedgewood has clawed his way back to the NHL and posted some quality performances for the Stars down the stretch last season. He should provide solid support in the No. 2 role.

Reason to be nervous: Franchise goaltenders don’t come along often. Oettinger is a restricted free agent. He’s due a massive contract extension from Dallas. And the threat of an offer sheet from another NHL team is real.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS: Juuse Saros & Kevin Lankinen

Reason to be happy: Saros is a perennial Vezina Trophy candidate in the prime of his career.

Reason to be hopeful: Saros has been a workhorse, but he needs a goalie partner to relieve some pressure. Maybe Lankinen is the answer.

Reason to be nervous: Playing 67 games is not ideal in today’s NHL, and the workload wore on Saros as the year progressed. Lankinen struggled mightily with the Blackhawks last season – his game needs to be rebooted and simplified.

WINNIPEG JETS: Connor Hellebuyck & David Rittich

Reason to be happy: Hellebuyck is only two seasons removed from winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top netminder. He’s consistent and durable.

Reason to be hopeful: Although Hellebuyck’s numbers have been down the past two seasons, he is still capable of logging heavy minutes.

Reason to be nervous: Rittich wasn’t able to earn the trust of the Predators last season and hasn’t been able to find any rhythm as a No. 2 goalie in the NHL. Hellebuyck has to stay healthy.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Petr Mrazek & Alex Stalock (?)

Reason to be happy: Mrazek is entertaining.

Reason to be hopeful: The Blackhawks are high on prospect Arvid Soderblom. He showed well with Chicago’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, last season, posting a .919 save percentage. There’s a chance he makes the Blackhawks out of camp.

Reason to be nervous: Mrazek was a mess in the Toronto Maple Leafs net last season – when he wasn’t injured. Which, like a lot of his career, was often. And in a total head-scratcher, Stalock was signed to an NHL one-way contract despite an abysmal 2021-22 AHL season in which he posted an .869 save percentage in 17 games.

ARIZONA COYOTES: Karel Vejmelka & ?

Reason to be happy: Vejmelka came out of nowhere last season and performed admirably for the Coyotes. Coming in with zero experience playing North American hockey, his transition was impressive.

Reason to be hopeful: There’s room for growth in Vejmelka’s game and he’s signed to a reasonable contract for the next three NHL seasons.

Reason to be nervous: The Coyotes have a stable of goaltenders on two-way contracts vying for a job in Arizona. But none of them is proven at the NHL level. Goaltending appears to be an afterthought in the desert.

PACIFIC DIVISION

CALGARY FLAMES: Jacob Markstrom & Daniel Vladar

Reason to be happy: Markstrom became a leader in the Flames locker room and had the best regular season of his NHL career. Vladar established himself by posting a 13-6-2 record in the No. 2 role.

Reason to be hopeful: There’s no reason to believe the performance of the Flames tandem will suffer under head coach Darryl Sutter. And prospect Dustin Wolf won the Aldege ‘Baz’ Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding goalie.

Reason to be nervous: Markstrom’s performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs left something to be desired.

EDMONTON OILERS: Jack Campbell & Stuart Skinner

Reason to be happy: Goaltending has plagued the Oilers franchise for years. With Campbell signing a five-year pact, Edmonton finally has a young(ish) goaltender with No. 1 credentials locked up for the long term.

Reason to be hopeful: Skinner played well for the Oilers last year in a limited role and was dominant in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors. He’s ready for NHL duty and comes with an affordable cap hit.

Reason to be nervous: Despite an incredible start to the 2021-22 NHL season, Campbell’s game fell to pieces during the middle stanza of the year. When he’s on, Campbell can be one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. But over the course of his career, the peaks have been high and the valleys have been low. Consistency will be key for Campbell.

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Jonathan Quick & Cal Petersen

Reason to be happy: Quick and Petersen combined for 43 wins last season.

Reason to be hopeful: As a team, the Kings continue to improve. And if Petersen can find the next level to his game, Los Angeles should be set in goal for quite some time.

Reason to be nervous: Petersen took a noticeable step back last season. His $5 million cap hit over the next three years will quickly become an albatross if the American goaltender cannot improve upon an .895 save percentage. Quick can still steal games, but he has glaring technical deficiencies that lead to inconsistency.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: Robin Lehner & Laurent Brossoit

Reason to be happy: When Lehner is healthy – which is questionable to start the 2022-23 NHL season – he’s a top-tier goaltender.

Reason to be hopeful: Logan Thompson starred in goal for Vegas down the stretch last year and is knocking on the door for more NHL playing time.

Reason to be nervous: Golden Knights fans turned on Lehner last season despite the big Swede playing through a litany of injuries. Brossoit wasn’t able to grab hold of the crease before ending up on LTIR. And there’s a chance neither is ready for the start of the upcoming season.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Thatcher Demko & Spencer Martin

Reason to be happy: Thatcher Demko is one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL, and he has four years remaining on his contract at a reasonable $5 million cap hit.

Reason to be hopeful: The Canucks were a different team after Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach: Demko didn’t have to carry Vancouver like he previously had.

Reason to be nervous: If Demko gets hurt, there isn’t much certainty behind him. Martin has just nine NHL games. Collin Delia has experience with the Chicago Blackhawks. One of them will need to step up.

SAN JOSE SHARKS: James Reimer, Adin Hill & Kaapo Kahkonen

Reason to be happy: Reimer was solid last season for the Sharks despite trying circumstances. And San Jose has trade chips should it choose to move one of its three goaltenders.

Reason to be hopeful: Hill and Kahkonen have upside beyond what they’ve shown so far in their NHL careers.

Reason to be nervous: Hill and Kahkonen have yet to live up to their potential. And it’s been a long time since the Sharks developed a goaltender in-house.

ANAHEIM DUCKS: John Gibson & Anthony Stolarz

Reason to be happy: Anthony Stolarz was a bright spot for the Ducks last season. He posted a 12-8-3 record despite playing behind a poor team in Anaheim. He’s making $950,000 this year – an absolute steal.

Reason to be hopeful: Gibson is 29. Stolarz is 28. Both are in the prime age range for NHL goalkeepers.

Reason to be nervous: Gibson’s play has deteriorated over the past three seasons, and without any technical updates to his game, that trend is likely to continue. He has five years left on his contract at a $6.4 million AAV.

SEATTLE KRAKEN: Philipp Grubauer, Martin Jones, & Chris Driedger

Reason to be happy: It’s a new season. Last year was miserable for the Kraken’s goaltending unit, who ranked near the bottom of the NHL in most statistical categories. A fresh start was needed for Grubauer and Driedger.

Reason to be hopeful: Jones is coming off a decent season with the Philadelphia Flyers, and at 32 years of age, still has time to rejuvenate his game.

Reason to be nervous: Last season started poorly for Grubauer and never got better. As for Driedger, he’s likely out with an injury until 2023. Seattle has $11.4 million tied up in goaltending for the 2021-22 season – a huge sum considering the lack of performance on the ice.

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

CENTRAL DIVISION

PACIFIC DIVISION

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