Protecting the net is no worse than the second most important role in the NHL. Sure, goal scorers get all the glory. But teams won't win in hockey if they're letting up too many points. The sport is low-scoring by nature, which means every single goal counts. It's only right, then, that we update our ranking of theĀ best NHL goalies right now.
Many hockey bettors might not think this is a super important analysis. They care more about who's going to win the Stanley Cupāabout the performance of teams in general. But identifying theĀ best NHL goalies in 2024/25Ā can mean a great deal when betting onĀ hockey futures.
Sites like BetOnline and Bovada usually offer odds on who will win the NHL's MVP award, which is given out in the form of the Conn Smythe Trophy. Goalies are a part of that conversation. And while not every sportsbook provides lines for the Goalie of the Year hardware, determining who might win the Vezina Trophy is an exercise aided by taking stock of the league's top net-minders.
Ranking Best NHL Goalies In 2024/25
The criteria for our rankings will aim to be all-encompassing. We are looking at recent performances from the 2023-24 season and the current 2024-25 campaign. We're also heavily weighting advanced metrics like save percentage and goals saved above average.Ā And finally, we'll be baking in a few subjective forecasts, as we attempt to predict the value of each goalie moving forward.
As usual, this goalie pyramid will begin in reverse order and works its way up. So strap in, folks. We'll be moving quickly.
Let's ride.
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10. Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators
Ullmark, traded to the Senators from the Bruins, had a solid 2023-24 season with a 2.57 GAA and .915 save percentage. He leads the NHL in save percentage (.924) over the past three seasons among goalies with at least 50 games played.
9. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Saros has consistently won 33+ games in each of the past three seasons for the Predators. He led all goalies in games played last season and has finished in the top six in Vezina voting for four consecutive years.
8. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Oettinger helped lead the Stars to the Western Conference Final, posting 35 wins with a 2.72 GAA. He has accumulated 20 playoff wins in the past two seasons, second only to Sergei Bobrovsky.
7. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
Bobrovsky finished third in Vezina voting after an impressive regular season with the Panthers. He then led Florida to a Stanley Cup championship, winning all 16 playoff games with a 2.32 GAA.
6. Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks
Demko was the Vezina Trophy runner-up, helping the Canucks win the Pacific Division with 35 wins and a .918 save percentage. Despite missing 14 games due to injury, he finished sixth in wins and fifth in GAA among goalies with at least 25 games played.
5. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
Sorokin was crucial in the Islanders' playoff qualification, despite posting career-worst numbers in GAA and save percentage. He leads the NHL with 18 shutouts since entering the league in 2020-21.
4. Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Swayman excelled as part of Boston's goalie tandem, posting a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage in 44 games. Since entering the NHL in 2020-21, he ranks second in GAA (2.34) among goalies with at least 50 games played.
3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Vasilevskiy continued his streak of 30+ win seasons for the Lightning, despite missing the first 20 games due to back surgery. He leads the NHL with 286 wins since 2015-16 and has been instrumental in Tampa Bay's recent Stanley Cup victories.
2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy after an outstanding season with the Jets, posting a 2.39 GAA and .921 save percentage. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy as Winnipeg allowed the fewest goals in the NHL.
1. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Shesterkin claims the top spot with 36 wins, a 2.58 GAA, and .913 save percentage for the Rangers. He leads the NHL with 109 wins over the past three seasons and has been a Vezina Trophy finalist multiple times.
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