NHL goalie tandem rankings update 1.0: Jets take off, Flames go cold

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Ranking the NHL’s goalie tandems is tricky. It’s about the overall strength of the tandem, sizing up that team’s opportunity to win every night – no matter who is in the crease those 20 or 30 other nights per season while the No.1 rests.

We’ve taken into account athlete history, expected playing time, strength of the team in front of them, travel considerations and more. Of course, it’s all debatable and that’s the fun of it.

This is a living, breathing list. Your favorite team’s tandem may rise or fall as the season progresses.

Away we go, ranking the NHL’s netminding tandems from top to bottom:

1. New York Islanders: Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov (+2)

Simply put: the Islanders have as much confidence in their goaltending as any NHL club. And it’s been that way the entire 2022-23 season. Sorokin is a frontrunner for the Vezina trophy, and Varlamov is worthy of logging No.1 minutes with another NHL team. But GM Lou Lamoriello knows the strength of having two quality netminders. And the Islanders are reaping the benefits.

2. Winnipeg Jets: Connor Hellebuyck & David Rittich (+16)

Want to distill it down for Winnipeg? Here’s the deal. Hellebuyck has been on an absolute tear. His exemplary play has the Jets leading the NHL’s Central Division. And even though Rittich’s .893 save percentage might raise some eyebrows, he’s won four of six starts. Hellebuyck is second in MoneyPuck’s goals saved above expected rankings and has authored 14 wins in 21 appearances. A second Vezina trophy for the Michigan-born goaltender appears well within reach.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs: Matt Murray & Ilya Samsonov (+20)

Stunning is the best word I can find to describe the current goaltending status in Toronto. Murray has been lights out phenomenal since returning from injury. And Samsonov was rock solid through the early going. I didn’t have much trust in either goaltender to start the season, but GM Kyle Dubas is looking like a genius. For now. Can Murray and Samsonov sustain such a high level of performance? And maybe the biggest question: can they stay healthy? They’ve been outstanding.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning: Andrei Vasilevskiy & Brian Elliott (-3)

It’s easy to look at Vasilevskiy’s .911 save percentage and think he’s been off. And I think at the start of the year, there was something to that belief. But he’s been excellent since mid-November. Vasilevskiy has allowed only 11 goals in his past six outings. And Brian Elliott has won six games in a row. Tampa Bay is trending up and goaltending has been a catalyst.

5. Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger & Scott Wedgewood (+7)

Even though Oettinger has hit a rough patch recently since coming back from injury, he’s still been able to win games. And I have Dallas ranked this high because Wedgewood has given quality minutes as well. Both goaltenders are in the top-23 of MoneyPuck’s goals saved above expected rankings. And Oettinger started the year on fire. The only downfall for the duo is that they need to be better in overtime. The Stars have lost five games during the extra frame.

6. Boston Bruins: Linus Ullmark & Jeremy Swayman (+3)

It was hard for me to place Boston this low in the list, but unlike the 2021-22 season, there’s a pretty big performance delta between Ullmark and Swayman. That’s not to say Swayman hasn’t done his job: a 5-3-1 record isn’t bad. But it’s nothing like the dominance Ullmark has shown. The Swedish netminder is 16-1 with a sterling .941 save percentage. I expected Swayman to take over the crease, but Ullmark has nullified that sentiment. The Bruins have nothing to worry about in goal.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins: Tristan Jarry & Casey DeSmith (-1)

There was a time this season when I expected the Penguins to rank in the bottom third of this list. But Casey DeSmith held the fort while Jarry played through an undisclosed injury. And now Jarry is red hot. He’s gone 8-0-2 in the past month of action and given the Penguins a much needed boost. Jarry’s .919 save percentage is a credit to his recent work on par with his performance during the 2021-22 campaign. Going forward, it’s about sustainability in Pittsburgh’s crease.

8. Vegas Golden Knights: Logan Thompson & Adin Hill (+19)

Going into this season, goaltending was a big question mark for the Golden Knights. And in my eyes, it wasn’t as much about ability. It was about experience and how Thompson would handle the spotlight. So far, the rookie netminder has passed with flying colors. Thompson has a .917 save percentage along with 13 wins in 20 starts. And Adin Hill has surpassed expectations in the No. 2 role with a .914 save percentage. Vegas has allowed just 2.67 goals against per game – good enough for fifth-best in the NHL. But that figure has been trending in the wrong direction recently. And the advanced metrics aren’t as strong as the traditional numbers for either goalie. Thompson is 25th and Hill 47th in goals saved above expected.

9. Colorado Avalanche: Alexandar Georgiev & Pavel Francouz (+10)

The Avalanche traded for Georgiev expecting him to play No. 1 minutes, and that’s exactly what’s happened in the Mile High City. Colorado has experienced a plethora of injuries, which has added stress to the team’s goaltending. But Georgiev, in particular, has responded. There are still things stylistically about both netminders that make me nervous, but I can’t argue the results. Georgiev has posted a .920 save percentage and Francouz isn’t far behind. My only concern is that Francouz has only won three times in eight starts. And I want to see if Georgiev can maintain his high level of play into the 2023 calendar year.

10. New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin & Jaroslav Halak (-8)

Shesterkin may not be Superman this season but he’s been better than people realize. I think the Russian netminder hasn’t received enough credit. Shesterkin is 13-4-4 this year while playing the second-most (21) games in the NHL. The Rangers have ridden Shesterkin hard and haven’t been great defensively in front of him. But the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner has come on strong lately with wins against Vegas and Colorado. The hard part for New York is that Halak, with a record of 1-6-1, has been a disappointment. At this point, the Rangers have to play Shesterkin.

11. Washington Capitals: Darcy Kuemper & Charlie Lindgren (+3)

With the Capitals currently out of the Stanley Cup playoff picture, I think it’s easy to overlook how solid Kuemper and Lindgren have been. Neither has been a world-beater. But Kuemper has fared well so far in Washington and the gamble on Lindgren looks smart. Traditional and advanced metrics have Kuemper in the top-20 league-wide. His .916 save percentage should have earned more wins by now: Kuemper has only eight victories in 20 starts. Lindgren has been a value in the No. 2 role. He’s gotten points for the Caps in eight of 10 starts and boasts a .910 save percentage. On Sunday, Kuemper was placed on injured reserve. He hasn’t played since Dec.3, though he has been skating.

12. New Jersey Devils: Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, & Mackenzie Blackwood (+12)

Of all 32 NHL teams, I found the Devils hardest to rank. Because it’s largely been Vanecek who has carried the mail, and he’s earned a 12-2-1 record along with a .916 save percentage. Schmid has played well for New Jersey while Blackwood recovers from yet another injury. But the advanced metrics say Vanecek has just been average. His goals saved above expected is 0.3, 43rd-best in the NHL. But really that’s all the Devils have needed in goal: competency. Blackwood wasn’t very good in his seven games. So keep an eye on him if and when he gets back in the New Jersey lineup.

13. Detroit Red Wings: Ville Husso & Alex Nedeljkovic (+2)

Husso has been outstanding in 19 appearances for the Red Wings. It’s his first season playing No.1 minutes, and the Finnish goaltender looks at home in the Motor City. Ten times this season Husso has kept the opposing team to two or fewer goals. He’s stolen a few wins and put Detroit in the mix for a Stanley Cup playoff spot. Nedeljkovic has played against some tough opponents but hasn’t fared as well as Husso. He’s allowed four or more goals in six of eight games started.

14. Ottawa Senators: Cam Talbot & Anton Forsberg (-6)

Talbot is a weird case: he’s never had favorable advanced stats. But he wins games. And that is exactly how things have played out so far in Canada’s capital. Forsberg and Talbot have started 14 and 12 games, respectively. Each has five wins and seven losses in regulation. So on paper they look pretty similar. Yet Forsberg’s 7.5 goals saved above expected rating ranks 11th league-wide, while Talbot’s 2.9 comes in 22nd. The Senators have been incredibly leaky defensively, but the team’s goaltending tandem has been solid.

15. Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros & Kevin Lankinen (-5)

I think Saros is the NHL’s best case of how traditional numbers can be misleading. He has a 3.05 goals against average and a save percentage just over .900. But Saros is 26th in goals saved above expected with a 2.6 rating. That means Nashville has been brutal defensively. Saros, despite having allowed the eighth-most goals in the NHL, is keeping the Predators in the fight. Lankinen has been a very pleasant surprise: he’s only won half of his six starts, but the Finnish netminder owns an impressive .934 save percentage.

16. Arizona Coyotes: Karel Vejmelka & Connor Ingram (+16)

Vejmelka is the best NHL goalie no one’s heard of. The sophomore Czech netminder is crushing it out in the desert and very few would ever know because the Coyotes are such a bad team. Vejmelka has stepped up and become a No. 1 goaltender. And what impresses me is that he’s still learning the North American game. Hopefully the team around him improves, because the underlying numbers show that Vejmelka has vast potential. His 15.8 goals saved above expected leads the entire NHL. Ingram has eight starts with only one win to his credit, while Vejmelka is 8-7-3 on the season.

17. Florida Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky & Spencer Knight (-10)

Knight has a .919 save percentage and an 8-4-3 record. He’s 19th in goals saved above expected. Bobrovsky has gone 5-8-1 with an .885 save percentage. He’s 66th in goals saved above expected. This is one situation where the numbers tell the whole truth. Knight is becoming a star goaltender while Bobrovsky has regressed. And Florida is in a tight spot because next season the Panthers will have 14.5 million of salary cap space eaten up by netminders unless they can move ‘Bob.’ But what team is going to take on a $10 million cap hit for a backup-caliber goalie? Based on performance, the Panthers crease should belong to Knight.

18. Philadelphia Flyers: Carter Hart & Felix Sandstrom (+13)

In the early going this season, Hart might have been the best goaltender in the NHL. But with a shoddy Flyers team in front of him, reality finally set in. That’s not to say Hart has been bad recently – far from it. But his .909 save percentage is about what can be expected given the surroundings in Philadelphia. Even with the regression in traditional statistics, Hart still has the fifth-best goals saved above expected in the NHL. And he’s played the most minutes of any goaltender. Sandstrom has primarily been used during the second games of back-to-back sets. And his 1-5-1 record reflects the difficulty of those starts.

19. Calgary Flames: Jacob Markstrom & Dan Vladar (-15)

Is there a changing of the guard happening in Calgary? Or is Markstrom just going through a funk? It’s hard to say, but Vladar has started – and won – four of the last five games for the Flames. Despite the victories, Vladar’s advanced numbers have been tumbling. His -2.5 goals saved above expected has dropped to 59th. What’s been frustrating about Markstrom is that he has consistently allowed one marginal goal a game that has prevented Calgary from winning. His .891 save percentage isn’t good enough. Yet Markstrom has a 1.1 goals saved above expected ranking that places him 35th in the NHL. I think Calgary has a good chance of rising in these rankings.

20. Carolina Hurricanes: Pyotr Kochetkov, Antti Raanta, & Frederik Andersen (-15)

The Hurricanes were among the toughest to pin down. Andersen has been hurt and wasn’t great when he was healthy. Raanta has been okay at best. And rookie Kochetkov looks like the real deal. So where do the Hurricanes go with this three-headed monster when Andersen returns from injury? That’s tough to answer. Because it’s going to be very hard to send Kochetkov, with a 6-1-4 record and .918 save percentage, down to the AHL. The 23-year old puck stopper has the NHL’s 10th best goals saved above expected rating.

21. Seattle Kraken: Martin Jones & Philipp Grubauer (+7)

Full credit to Jones, who has given the Kraken the ingredient that was missing last season: stable goaltending. He’s won six of his last seven starts for Seattle and has earned 13 in total. But Jones has been slipping statistically. He ranks 49th in goals saved above expected, just four positions ahead of goalie partner Grubauer. For me, it’s all about wins for Jones and Grubauer. Seattle is loose defensively, but Jones has managed to make some big saves and propel his team into a Stanley Cup playoff spot in the Pacific division. Grubauer, who’s been limited by injury to eight games, should see more regular minutes as the season wears on.

22. Montreal Canadiens: Jake Allen & Samuel Montembeault (-2)

Montreal is an exciting team full of youthful exuberance. But playing goaltender behind such an inexperienced club isn’t easy. Both Allen and Montembeault have won games single-handedly this season. They’ve also both been torched for five or more goals six times. Such is the life of a goaltender in Montreal while the Canadiens are rebuilding. Allen and Montembeault rank 21st and 28th respectively in goals saved above expected. But keep an eye on Montembeault. He has a .908 save percentage to go with a 5-2-2 record.

23. Minnesota Wild: Marc-Andre Fleury & Filip Gustavsson (-10)

Fleury has played No.1 minutes for the Wild, but for me one of the biggest surprises of the season is the play of Filip Gustavsson. The Swedish netminder posted his first NHL shutout Saturday night, and his .920 save percentage in 10 games can’t be ignored. With Fleury allowing three or more goals in his last five starts, does Gustavsson receive more playing time? One thing I know: never count out Fleury. The three-time Stanley Cup Champion is 9-7-1 on the season despite ranking 67th overall in goals saved above expected. That tells me he’s still making key saves. And Fleury is the heartbeat of every team he’s ever played for.

24. Edmonton Oilers: Jack Campbell & Stuart Skinner (-8)

This ranking is unfair to Stuart Skinner. He’s done a fantastic job in 16 games for the Oilers, earning nine wins. But despite a glistening .919 save percentage, the advanced statistics put Skinner mid-pack in goals saved above expected. And even though he hasn’t played since Dec.1, Jack Campbell will have to man the Edmonton crease again before long. And that’s the problem. Campbell has had a disastrous beginning as an Oiler. He’s 73rd out of 78 NHL netminders in goals saved above expected and has an .872 save percentage. With his five-year, $5 million contract, Campbell has to work in Edmonton. But right now it’s all Skinner, and if he continues to play No.1 minutes, I expect the Oilers to rise in these rankings.

25. St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington & Thomas Greiss (-8)

A hot start followed by a weird second act is probably the best way to describe Binnington’s season so far. The Blues have been arguably the streakiest team in the NHL, and they’ve gone missing for several extended periods. Binnington has had some incredible games, but there’s also been several forgettable ones. And he hasn’t managed his emotions very well. I don’t think Binnington has been as bad as his -8.2 goals saved above expected rating might suggest. But he has more to give. Greiss has allowed four or more goals in six of the seven games he’s started for St. Louis.

26. Buffalo Sabres: Craig Anderson, Eric Comrie, & Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (+3)

At 41-years old, Anderson is a timeless wonder. And he’s been the only consistent performer in the Sabres net. The problem is that Anderson, who’s 5-4-1 on the season with a .912 save percentage, hasn’t played enough. Comrie and Luukkonen have started 18 of 28 matchups for Buffalo despite ranking 64th and 58th respectively in goals saved above average. There’s a reason for pushing Comrie: he’s on a two-year contract and the expectation was that he would eat up No.1 minutes. But after a hot start, Comrie’s game has fallen off dramatically. And Luukkonen has allowed at least three goals in six of seven appearances.

27. Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko & Spencer Martin (-16)

Demko has endured a miserable season so far in Vancouver. The Canucks have been terrible defensively and his own play has lagged significantly. In 15 appearances, Demko has allowed four or more goals nine times. His goals saved above expected is -11.2, which ranks a lowly 76th league-wide. Demko’s sluggish start has allowed Martin to earn extra playing time. Despite an .891 save percentage, Martin owns an 8-3-1 record. And for whatever reason, the Canucks have played better in front of him than Demko. Prior to the 2022-23 season, Martin only had nine games of NHL experience: his play has been a pleasant surprise. They need more of that with Demko out until well into the new year with a lower-body injury.

28. Chicago Blackhawks: Arvid Soderblom, Petr Mrazek, & Alex Stalock (+2)

Mrazek has spent a large portion of the season injured, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. And he’s struggled when healthy. Stalock was an early season revelation for the Blackhawks but hasn’t played since Nov. 1. Arvid Soderblom is now the de facto No.1 goalie for the Blackhawks. He’s played 13 games and won twice. But Soderblom’s .906 save percentage is pretty impressive considering the depleted squad he’s manning the crease for. I can’t help but wonder if Soderblom would be better to continue developing the AHL. But he’s kept his head above water in Chicago and there’s no question the 23-year old has a ton of upside.

29. San Jose Sharks: James Reimer & Kaapo Kahkonen (-4)

Reimer keeps outplaying goalies that he’s not expected to be better than. Credit to Reimer: he’s a diligent worker that has provided consistency over the course of his career. But Reimer is rarely a game-stealer. He’s currently 50th in goals saved above expected. The hard part for the Sharks is that Kahkonen has not lived up to expectations thus far in San Jose. He ranks 77th – second to last – in goals saved above expected and his .877 save percentage is alarming. Maybe he can turn it around, but I think Kahkonen needs a technical makeover first. He chases the play as much as any goalie in the NHL.

30. Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson & Anthony Stolarz (-8)

Gibson has been pulled six times in 21 appearances. That’s an astonishing total. Make no mistake, the Ducks are bad. But Gibson’s game hasn’t evolved and pucks are funneling behind him into the Anaheim net. I feel for Stolarz because he’s only gotten seven starts between all the mop-up duty. But he’s allowed five goals in four of those games, so it’s hard to say he deserves more playing time. Stolarz is 61st in goals saved above expected while Gibson is 68th.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlikins & Joonas Korpisalo (-10)

No goaltender has struggled more this season than Merzlikins. He’s currently dead last in goals saved above expected with a -17.8 rating. The next closest is Kahkonen at -11.8. Merzlikins has looked completely out of sorts, playing at an extremely aggressive depth and failing to track the puck with any consistency. Simply put: I think he’s trying too hard. Daniil Tarasov played pretty well in seven games. And now Korpisalo is back in the fold. The Finnish netminder has played 12 games and posted a .903 save percentage. Korpisalo has a tendency to give up maddening goals, but he should help stabilize the crease in Columbus.

32. Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick, Cal Petersen, & Pheonix Copley (-6)

Going strictly on goals saved above expected, the Kings tandem has allowed 20 more goals than they should have. Quick ranks 75th and Petersen 72nd. And I think the statistics are spot on with this tandem. Both goaltenders spend too much time playing outside of their posts. And opponents have figured out how to exploit their technical weaknesses. Petersen’s play was so worrisome that, despite a 5-3-2 record, he was put on waivers and sent to the AHL after clearing. Quick has an .882 save percentage in 21 games. But amazingly, despite a -6 goal differential, the Kings are third in the Pacific Division. With even average goaltending, L.A. might be in first. Maybe Copley – with his controlled technique – is the answer.