2024-25 NHL Goalie Tiers: Anonymous panel of coaches and goalies rates all 32 starters

Goaltending is an enigma.

Performance in the crease plays a larger role in the outcome of a hockey game than any other position on the ice.

Games are won and lost between the pipes.

Championships are won on the shoulders of a hot goalie, and Stanley Cup aspirations are regularly dashed by a cold one.

Advertisement Yet, there are no active goalies in the top 15 highest-paid players in the NHL at least not until Igor Shesterkins mega-extension kicks in next season.

Even still, goaltenders account for only three of the top 47 salaries, and six of the top 129.

Where is the disconnect? The margins for success or failure at the position are razor-thin.

For example: Connor Hellebuyck is in the midst of a historically great season because his save percentage is .03 above the league average.

That means three extra saves for every 100 shots faced is the difference between league average and an all-time great season.

Goalie stats also fluctuate year to year far more than those of skaters because the current statistical measures for goaltending are more at the mercy of the teams overall play in front of them.

Its much easier for a talented forward to produce goals while playing on a bad team than it is for a goalie to post a high save percentage behind a bottom-feeder, even if hes personally executing at a high level.

All of this leads to less certainty for decision-makers when it comes to handing out long-term contracts.

Accurately assessing a goalies talent and execution level requires going beyond the numbers, and watching them play with a trained set of eyes.

The position is so different from every other aspect of hockey, its essentially a different sport.

Thats why goalie coaches and former goalies view the position from a unique lens, and their opinions can be illuminating.

With that, welcome to 2024-25 Goalie Tiers.

We polled a panel of experts over the past few months, asking them to rate every starting goalie in the NHL on a scale of 1 to 5, with one being best and five being worst.

They were asked to look beyond the stats and grade the goalies based on execution.

Play reading, puck tracking, staying on angles, controlling rebounds, inspiring the team in front of them, and everything else that comes with the position.

Advertisement The ratings were then averaged, and the goalies were sorted into tiers.

We grant anonymity to encourage honesty and participation.

This year, the 10-person panel was made up of six NHL coaches (current and former head coaches and goalie coaches), and four retired NHL goalies.

Lets dive in: Overall ranking: 1 Average tier ranking: 1.00 The Rangers made Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in NHL history last month, signing him to an eight-year, $92 million extension, and the panelists believe its well-deserved.

Shesterkin was the only goalie who swept the panel with a perfect Tier 1 rating across the board.

Hes the best in the league, no doubt, one goalie coach said.

You could put him on any team and hell make them better, more so than any other goalie.

Hes the best thats out there.

Former goalies marvel at Shesterkins lightning-quick recoveries, explosive lateral slides and edgework.

Coaches love how he elevates his game in the biggest moments.

Over the last three postseasons, Shesterkin leads all goalies with 48.6 goals saved above expected.

Only one other goalie has more than 17 during that span (Sergei Bobrovsky with 31.49).

The bright lights of New York dont bother him, one retired goalie said.

He plays well in big games.

When hes on he makes it look effortless.

Overall ranking: 2 Average tier ranking: 1.10 No one makes goaltending look easier than Hellebuyck.

He processes information at an incredible rate, and understands the geometry of the rink in a way that allows him to take away shooting angles with small, controlled adjustments.

He plays with surgical precision, one retired goalie said.

He places himself in all the right spots.

A single Tier 2 grade separated Shesterkin and Hellebuyck for the top spot.

Hes so big and calm, another former goalie commented.

He plays deep in his net, but in a good way.

He conserves energy and makes saves look simple.

I think thats why hes able to play so many games.

The panel members lauded Hellebuycks durability and consistency.

In an era when teams are trending toward goalie tandems, he is one of the few who can still shoulder a heavy workload and maintain elite play.

Since his first full season in 2016-17, Hellebuyck has played in 496 games.

That doesnt just lead the league, its 42 games clear of the next-closest goalie.

Several former goalies believe Hellebuycks economical style is one of the biggest reasons for his durability.

The only real knock on his resume is his lack of playoff success.

He hasnt played well in the playoffs, but hes going to be a Hall of Famer if he stays healthy and on track, a retired goalie said.

Overall ranking: 3 Average tier ranking: 1.20 Vasilevskiy is the most accomplished goalie of this generation.

He has two Stanley Cup championships, a Vezina Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy, and he recently broke Jacques Plantes record for the fastest to 300 NHL wins.

Experts still love the Big Cat.

Several said hes still the best in the world for their money, but last years down season, coming off back surgery, did raise concerns for some.

Hes a good goalie, but I think hes on the back side of it right now and I dont think Tampa is going to play well enough to allow him to win the Vezina, one goalie coach said.

No doubt hes a top-tier starter in the league, but I just dont think hell be a Vezina candidate at the end of the year.

Others shrugged last year off as a blip on the radar.

The guy has been nails for five or six years before that, so Im not going to let a year coming off back surgery weigh in my mind, a retired goalie said.

Hes a freak athlete.

Hes a maniac in a good way.

Hes played in, and won, more big games than anyone.

Vasilevskiy is only 30, although it seems like hes older because hes been at the top of the mountain for so long.

Hes still one of the most athletic goalies in the world, nearly impossible to beat from in close.

You cant get around him because hes so strong, he can push his whole body in the way, one retired goalie said.

He stays so close and gets so wide.

Another goalie remarked, He moves like a 5-foot-11 guy at 6-foot-4.

Overall ranking: 4 Average tier ranking: 1.30 Coming in at No.

4 in the rankings, its the hero to every goalie in the world whos under 6 feet.

As the shortest goalie in the NHL, Saros uses quickness and elite skating to more than make up for his lack of height.

He doesnt play small, a retired goalie said of the 5-foot-11 Saros.

Hes able to protect the upper half of the net no problem.

The details of Saros game are impeccable.

Hes a phenomenal athlete, one goalie coach said.

That kid is a stud, and hes one that a lot of goalies should emulate.

He can skate, he can do a lot of things and he keeps the team competitive.

Saros has received Vezina Trophy votes in four consecutive seasons, but has yet to play in the second round of the playoffs.

He hasnt played poorly in his limited postseason opportunities, but Nashville has typically been sizable underdogs in those matchups.

He just signed a new eight-year, $61.92 million contract that will keep him in Nashville through the 2032-33 season.

One former goalie voiced some concern for how Saros game will age as he gets into his 30s.

You have to work harder when youre smaller, he said.

You have more ground to cover.

You have to use your reactions and quickness more, so is all of that going to age well? Overall ranking: 5 Average tier ranking: 1.40 When asked about Bobrovsky, one goalie immediately flashed back to his playing days.

I used to have to stretch beside him and watch him do his skating drills, about to play, he recalled.

Im sitting there like, What the f---? I have to play against this guy? Few modern goalies wow the crowd like Bobrovsky, who uses a blend of athleticism and creativity to make showstopping saves on a nightly basis.

Freak athlete, one goalie said.

The way he moves around the net doesnt even make sense.

His power and flexibility is ridiculous.

Experts agree that Bobrovsky, at age 36, is still one of the best in the world.

After backstopping Florida in back-to-back trips to the Cup Final, its hard to disagree.

Hes one of the few goalies who can transcend the team in front of him, a goalie coach said.

If the team is having a bad night he can go and steal you a win.

Overall ranking: 6 Average tier ranking: 1.50 Considering his injury history, and the fact that he was injured during most of the polling, Demko wasnt the easiest goalie for the panel to grade.

The consensus is that hes a high-end starting goalie with Vezina potential when healthy, but that hasnt happened nearly often enough through five full seasons in the NHL.

When hes healthy hes a (Tier) 1, but he has had injury problems over the years so Ill put him as a (Tier) 2, one goalie coach said, and that was a common sentiment.

Demko is coming off a career season, in which he posted 25.83 goals saved above expected and finished as the runner-up to Hellebuyck in the Vezina voting.

When hes at the top of his game, Demko stops high-danger chances at an impressive rate.

Several goalie coaches complimented his ability to rise to the occasion in the biggest moments of games.

He has the same kind of tools as Vasilevskiy: 6-foot-5, powerful, flexible, a retired goalie commented.

Half of the panel rated Demko as a Tier 1 goalie while the other half put him into Tier 2.

There was plenty of concern voiced for what he will look like on the other side of the injury that held him out of the beginning of the season, but hes still considered among the elite.

Overall ranking: 7 Average tier ranking: 1.60 Goalies typically develop slower than skaters, and thats on display in these rankings.

Oettinger is the only goalie under 26 years old to make the top 15.

Hes already shown a lot in his five NHL seasons, helping the Stars to several deep playoff runs.

Coaches love how well-rounded Oettingers game is, and his attention to detail.

He makes everything look easy, a retired goalie said.

There will be a great scoring chance and he just kind of makes it look like nothing.

He works hard on his game.

Several panelists complimented Oettingers play reading and puck tracking, which lead to him making fewer acrobatic-looking saves than other top goalies.

It also doesnt hurt that he plays behind a stout Dallas defense.

Hes got a team in front of him thats going to allow him to be a Vezina-caliber goalie, one goalie coach said.

Hes going to put up numbers that can win a Vezina.

One thing that was abundantly clear in hours of conversations with goalies and goalie coaches is they place heavy emphasis on sample size.

In Oettingers case, even with more than 200 regular-season games and nearly 50 more in the playoffs, some still want to see more before elevating him to Tier 1 status.

Hes got all of the tools, one goalie said.

Hes young.

I think he still has room to grow, but theres something about him that is just keeping him out of the top tier for me.

Overall ranking: T-8 Average tier ranking: 1.80 The Boston Bruins paid Swayman like a franchise goalie this summer, signing him to an eight-year, $66 million contract.

The panel is high on Swaymans talent, but remains skeptical about his ability to handle the workload and pressures of a clear-cut starter.

His numbers have been great and theres definitely talent there, but hes never been a starting goalie, one goalie coach said.

Great goalie with a lot of talent, another goalie coach remarked.

Obviously, the team isnt as good as they have been and his numbers are a little shaky.

Id like to see a little more track record with him to really believe hes a Vezina-caliber goalie just yet.

Swayman received Tier 1 or 2 grades from every panelist but one, who graded him as a Tier 3 and said, Theres too much unknown for me.

Overall ranking: T-8 Average tier ranking: 1.80 It may surprise some to see a goalie ranked this high after losing his starting job in the playoffs last season, but goalie experts are still very much in on Sorokins future.

Three voters still had him in their top tier.

Obviously, he fell out of favor with (Islanders coach Patrick) Roy a little bit at the end of the year, but I just think he has been ridden so hard over the last couple of years that he was breaking down a little bit, and obviously he had back surgery, one goalie coach said.

When he is on, hes a Tier 1 in my book.

Hes a high-end goalie.

One goalie coach placed Sorokin into Tier 3, saying There are more soft goals going in than people realize.

The overall sentiment, though, was that hes among the most talented goalies in the league.

Hes about as quick and active in his lower half as Ive ever seen, one retired goalie said of Sorokin.

Him, Vasilevskiy and maybe a handful of other guys.

When hes down, hes never out of it because he can explode and get to pucks that most guys cant.

Overall ranking: 10 Average tier ranking: 2.20 Markstrom joins Bobrovsky as the only goalies older than 31 in the top 10.

More than 500 games into his NHL career, Markstrom is still searching for a deep playoff run.

The early returns in New Jersey have been good, and most experts believe hes good enough to help the Devils go deep this spring if he can get hot.

The reality is, he should be a generational talent, one goalie coach said.

Hes super-skilled.

Hes not a robot.

He can make a save with one knee up.

He can roll around a little bit.

Hes just so good.

Markstroms old-school, rhythm-based style leads to spectacular performances, but it also hurts his consistency.

He has the ability to steal games for teams, but hes just inconsistent with it, a goalie coach said.

Hell have his crappy nights and hell have some great nights.

Former goalies gushed about Markstroms compete level, praising his athleticism and improvisation at 6-foot-6, 207 pounds.

The word gamer was used frequently.

Overall ranking: 11 Average tier ranking: 2.30 Opinions on the 2023 Vezina Trophy winner were wide-ranging, largely because of his limited track record as a true No.

1 goalie.

Many voiced confidence in Ullmarks talent, but also concern about his statistics, playing behind a Senators team that has yet to prove it can win consistently.

One goalie coach said, He wont put up the numbers to win a Vezina in Ottawa, but hes a damn good goalie.

Others questioned Ullmarks ability to shoulder a true starters workload, pointing out that even in his Vezina campaign he only started 48 games, and that was the only season in his career with more than 37 starts.

Can someone prove to me that Linus Ullmark is a starting goalie? one goalie coach asked.

Because hes great in a tandem, but has played one season where he was just a marginal starter.

Early returns are great for Ullmark in Ottawa.

If he can maintain that level for the remainder of the season, it will answer any questions about his upside as a high-end starter.

Overall ranking: 12 Average tier ranking: 2.40 Prior to last season, it appeared Binningtons best days might be behind him.

He was four years removed from his miraculous Cup run, and hadnt matched anything close to that level since.

Then he put together the best season of his career, saving 29.74 goals above expected (second in the league behind only Hellebuyck) behind a poor defense.

He arguably couldve won a Vezina last year, said one goalie coach who graded Binnington in Tier 2.

Binnington strays from technique, relying more on athleticism and reactions than some panelists would like.

There are certain elements of his goaltending structurally, technically and tactically but also emotionally, that work against him, one coach said.

Others love Binningtons fire.

Hes a guy that I would trust in the playoffs, one retired goalie said.

Hes got that attitude in his game.

Hes a competitor.

Overall ranking: 13 Average tier ranking: 2.80 Theres a narrative around Skinner that many believe he was carried to the Stanley Cup Final last year by a high-flying Oilers offense, but some experts pushed back on that notion.

He took his team to within one goal of a Stanley Cup last year, one coach said.

If one goal goes the other way, thats a different team hoisting the Cup, with a 25-year-old goalie.

Some voiced concerns about his blocking style.

Skinner uses every bit of his 6-foot-4 frame to his advantage, but multiple panelists mentioned theyd like to see him react a bit more with his hands to make saves outside of his structure.

Something that really stood out talking with retired goalies in particular was their admiration for Skinners reaction to adversity.

They know what it feels like to be benched, especially in the midst of a playoff run, and love how Skinner elevated his play after being replaced by Calvin Pickard midway through the second-round series against Vancouver.

Ive been impressed by his resilience, one goalie said.

I think theres an X-factor there that you cant quite quantify.

To that point, Skinner has made a habit of getting better the deeper a playoff series goes.

In Games 4 through 7, he has gone 13-3 with a .914 save percentage.

Overall ranking: 14 Average tier ranking: 2.90 Even at 35 years old, 12 years into his NHL career, Andersen still plays at an incredibly high level when hes on the ice and healthy, but that has become increasingly rare.

He is an elite-level execution goalie, one goalie coach said.

The problem is that its been a few years since hes been able to play a true starters amount of games.

After starting 60-plus games for three consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2019, Anderson has averaged just 31 starts over the last four.

Hes already been sidelined this season with a lower-body injury that has held him out since late October.

Several panelists ranked Andersen in Tier 2 based on talent, but others bumped him all the way down to Tier 4 because of unreliability.

Hes just hurt so much; thats my only downside, a goalie coach said.

You just cant count on him at the end of the day to be there when you need him, because he might be hurt.

Overall ranking: 15 Average tier ranking: 3.10 No goalie received a wider range of grades than Hill, who was ranked as high as Tier 2 by two panelists, and was given a Tier 5 grade by another.

I dont love his game, but hes talented, that panelist said.

Hes not a starting goalie.

Hill has yet to start more than 35 games in a season, which is the biggest reason for hesitancy among the experts.

Most agreed that Hill has the talent if he can put it all together.

He could be the class of the upcoming summers unrestricted free agent market in net, so he has a lot to gain with a strong finish to this season.

Theres still not enough sample size, so I have a hard time putting him above guys who have been doing it for a while, one retired goalie said.

I still think he has the ceiling.

He has a big frame and tracks pucks well.

Others point to his sensational run to winning the Cup in 2023, when Hill posted an 11-4 record, .932 save percentage and 13.13 GSAx.

He won the Stanley Cup, and was awesome, a former goalie said.

He didnt necessarily win it for them, but he made huge saves at big times.

I think hes got the tools.

I definitely think hes a top-tier guy.

Overall ranking: T-16 Average tier ranking: 3.20 Gustavsson is one of the better examples of a goalie who is appreciated more inside the goaltending world than by the general public.

The 26-year-old Swede has had hot and cold results over the last few years, but goalie coaches absolutely love his tape.

Hes technically flawless, one goalie coach said.

The way he plays, and his body language and composure, is the same no matter the situation.

Gustavsson put himself on the radar with a great finish to the 2022-23 season, but followed it up with a disappointing 2023-24.

Hes been much better early this season, which is exactly what many goalie coaches expected.

I like how he plays the game, one coach said.

He is a good technician.

He moves well.

He does a lot of things you want to teach kids.

Good positioning, good framework." Multiple panelists put Gustavsson in Tier 2 as a high-level starter, with their biggest question being his future as the starter in Minnesota.

After this season, hell have one more year left on his deal, and one of the top goaltending prospects in the world Jesper Wallstedt knocking on the door.

Overall ranking: T-16 Average tier ranking: 3.20 Now in his third full season in the NHL, Luukkonen has drawn notice from goalie coaches around the league because of the steps he is quietly taking behind a struggling Sabres team.

I like him a lot, but he doesnt have the resume, one head coach said.

I think with a good team in front of him, hes going to be a good goalie.

Last season, Luukkonen managed to post impressive numbers (.910 save percentage and 22.46 GSAx) playing behind a team that ranked in the bottom 10 in expected goals and high-danger chances allowed.

Hes a cerebral goalie who relies on his strong play-reading skills and athleticism.

He looks the part, one retired goalie said.

Big kid, moves well.

I dont know exactly what his ceiling is.

Hes a fine guy for now, but I dont know if hes the guy for Buffalo.

Only one panelist put Luukkonen in Tier 2, but several others said they believe hell eventually reach that level in time.

Overall ranking: T-18 Average tier ranking: 3.40 The Kraken struggled to find good goaltending for the first few years of their existence until Daccord a late-blooming seventh-round pick stepped into the starting role last year and never looked back.

Daccord brings solid, quick-twitch netminding and the attitude to spark and rally the team in front of him.

He plays with a little swagger and flair, one retired goalie said.

Guys believe in him because of the way he works and competes.

Goalie coaches and former goalies rave about Daccords puckhandling.

Unlike most, Daccord didnt play in goal until bantam hockey, and skated out all the way up to high school.

Hes probably the best puckhandling goalie in the league, one goalie coach said.

He can fire the puck around.

He can help out a defense.

Hes unbelievable at handling the puck, a retired goalie added.

Like, one of the best Ive ever seen.

Overall ranking: T-18 Average tier ranking: 3.40 Lindgren bounced around as a second- or third-string goalie for years until his major breakout season last year, when he won 25 games for the Capitals and received Vezina Trophy votes.

Its rare for a 30-year-old to have that kind of breakout, but many of the panelists believe Lindgrens rise is legitimate.

Hes trending up quickly for me, said one goalie coach who put Lindgren in Tier 3.

If you would've asked me last year, I wouldve said a (Tier) 5, but he had a hell of a season.

He just keeps winning.

One reason it may have taken Lindgren longer to establish himself in the NHL is hes not the most technically sound goalie, but he finds ways to get it done.

I love guys who just play goalie, one retired netminder said.

Every save is going to look different, for the most part.

It looks a little goofy because hes goofy-handed, but I love watching guys who will break out of the box and stop the puck.

Hes a puck-stopper.

Lindgren has a sterling reputation in the goalie coach community.

I know how freaking hard this guy works.

I know how much he wants it, one coach said.

I know how much of a student this guy is.

He has the mental and emotional qualities to be a starting goalie.

Several panelists mentioned they wouldve graded Logan Thompson who has played exceptionally in a tandem similarly to Lindgren.

Overall ranking: T-18 Average tier ranking: 3.40 Once considered among the elite, Gibson hasnt produced positive GSAx or a save percentage above the league average in five years while playing behind a rebuilding Ducks squad.

Panelists admitted Gibson is one of the toughest goalies to grade because of the situation hes in, but none graded him above Tier 3.

Several said, I think hes a good goalie, but I just dont know anymore.

Gibsons name has swirled in trade conversations for months.

When asked if he could help a contender, one goalie coach said, I dont think hes the caliber of starter who can win the Stanley Cup on an average team.

It would have to be a way above average team to win a Cup.

Several panelists believe Gibson is no longer the best goalie in Anaheim.

Youngster Lukas Dostal, who has played tremendously to begin the season, has caught the eyes of many across the NHL.

I would have Dostal in Tier 2, one goalie coach said.

He is the real deal.

The kid competes behind a team that is obviously a little poorer, and hes rising above it.

There are very few goalies in my opinion that can rise above the team in front of them.

Overall ranking: T-21 Average tier ranking: 3.50 Its difficult to find a strong opinion on Jarry.

The veteran has had several excellent seasons in the NHL, but his game has trended downward and the panelists were hesitant to plant their flag.

I cant really figure him out, to be honest, one retired goalie said.

Another said, Sometimes I love the way he plays.

Sometimes I cant stand the way he plays.

Between 2019 and 2022, Jarry represented Pittsburgh in the All-Star Game twice, and received votes for the Vezina Trophy in both seasons.

He flashed that level at times as recently as last season, but with little consistency.

The talent is there, one goalie coach said.

The zero-beats-per-minute heart rate is still there.

The guy doesnt get rattled, but that could be part of the issue.

Like, show something." Jarry struggled early in this season, with career worsts in nearly every metric, and still has three more seasons left on his current deal with a cap hit of $5.375 million.

Jarrys better days are behind him, one goalie coach said.

The team in front of him isnt doing great.

It has put him in a tough spot and you can see his game eroding a little bit.

Overall ranking: T-21 Average tier ranking: 3.50 Ingram surprised everyone last season, leading the NHL with six shutouts despite playing behind a struggling Coyotes team.

He has crashed back to earth this year in Utah, but experts still like what theyre seeing.

Hes definitely earned his starting role, one retired goalie said.

I think he was awesome last year.

The winner of last years Masterton Trophy, Ingram has persevered to get to this point.

Even those who arent as high on his game admit theyre rooting for him.

Hes a gamer, one coach said.

Hes talented.

He doesnt exactly have the most sophisticated game in the world.

I put him in Tier 5 but I really want to be wrong on that one.

Overall ranking: T-23 Average tier ranking: 3.70 We chose Woll as Torontos designated starter in this project, but the Maple Leafs have a true tandem in net, with both he and Anthony Stolarz playing incredibly well early in the season.

Despite Wolls small sample size, experts love his calm, patient goaltending style and are optimistic about his future.

Hes very smart, and has an incredibly good work ethic, one goalie coach said.

His big thing is his durability.

Can he stay healthy? Thats a question.

The only real knock on Woll has been his durability.

Hes already dealt with a myriad of injuries in his short time in the NHL.

Since hes turned pro, hes had nothing but injury issues, a goalie coach said.

Only because of that, Im going to put him as a (Tier) 5.

If he was healthy for an entire season, hes a (Tier) 3.

We didnt collect a full panel of responses for Stolarz, but several goalie coaches had him as a Tier 2 or 3 goalie.

I think hes similar to Adin Hill, one coach said.

Big, lanky goalie.

With a team that plays a good defensive structure in front of him, hes good enough to win a Cup.

Overall ranking: T-23 Average tier ranking: 3.70 Full disclosure, these grades were given prior to the trade that sent Georgiev to San Jose and Mackenzie Blackwood to Colorado, and they likely wouldve been different given the landing spots.

The panelists agreed that the Avalanche needed to upgrade at goalie, with two experts giving Georgiev a Tier 5 grade.

Only two goalies Hellebuyck and Oettinger have won more games than Georgiev since 2022, but the majority of panelists credit that to the team in front of him.

If he is your backup goalie, you probably think you have one of the better backups in the league, one goalie coach said, but hes just not a true starter.

Georgiev struggled mightily to begin this season for Colorado.

Hes not at the level of the top guys, thats all, one coach said.

Georgiev did receive a handful of Tier 3 votes and a single Tier 2 vote from a retired goalie who believes he doesnt get enough credit for the workload hes handled.

Guys who can show up, play a lot of games and win are a valuable commodity in the league, one goalie said.

Theres something to be said for winning games in the NHL, and hes proven he can do that.

His current deal expires this summer, so the remainder of the season is an audition for San Jose and teams around the league.

Overall ranking: 25 Average tier ranking: 3.80 You wont find a goalie with a bigger discrepancy between perceived talent and results on the ice than Blackwood.

He was a second-round draft pick by New Jersey in 2015, but panelists believe hes one of the most physically gifted goalies in the world.

He looks like a freaking linebacker, the way his lower body and forearms are built, but he moves like a goalie, one retired goalie raved.

Like, this is insane.

Youre looking at (Jacob) Markstrom with another 40 pounds on him.

He has so much power available to him, you could make the net twice as big.

After the trade to Colorado, former Devils goalie Cory Schneider who was teammates with Blackwood said, If God built a goalie in a lab, it would look like him.

Freakishly athletic.

For all of the tools at Blackwoods disposal, hes yet to put it all together in the NHL.

Coaches believe his game lacks the level of sophistication that you see from the leagues elite.

Hockey IQ and play reading have been a weak point and are the biggest reason he ranks 25th here.

Still, many are tantalized by the potential.

I think the kids got a lot of talent, one coach said.

If he was able to put it together, and have the right team in front of him for a season, he could win a Vezina.

Blackwood now finds himself in a great situation, behind a strong Avalanche team with high expectations.

Overall ranking: T-26 Average tier ranking: 3.90 Montembeault has put up solid numbers over the last three years despite playing behind one of the worst defenses in hockey.

He steals games, a retired goalie said.

He wins games because he can stand on his head.

Hes got good upside.

The kid is intense, one goalie coach said.

You can see it in his eyes before the game.

I worry that hell burn out over the course of the year, being that locked in.

Montembeault is in the first season of a three-year extension he signed with the Canadiens last December.

Montreal seems committed to him as a bridge goalie before the eventual transition to star prospect Jacob Fowler, but if the Canadiens were interested in trading him, one goalie coach said he would love to see a goalie-needy contender make a move for Montembeault.

Not everyone was as positive.

Montembeault ranks in the bottom quartile of NHL starters, mostly because of a lack of track record especially in meaningful games.

I just dont know if hes a starter, a goalie coach said.

Typically, if you are not an established starting goalie by the time youre 27, then youre not going to be one.

Because of that, and the fact that hes only played 144 games by 27, I just dont see it.

Overall ranking: T-26 Average tier ranking: 3.90 Kuemper has had a long, successful NHL career that includes dominant seasons behind a mediocre Arizona team and a Stanley Cup championship in Colorado, but at this point, most view him as a low-end starter.

Hes a good, solid goalie, but I dont know if hes a difference-maker at this point in his career, one retired goalie said.

Another said, He won a Stanley Cup, so I give him a lot of credit for that.

Hes a solid veteran guy who has persevered and adjusted to a lot of different systems and teams.

With a cap hit of $5.25 million, Kuemper is the 13th-highest-paid goalie in the league, with two years left on his deal after this season.

Inconsistencies in play and health were the two biggest concerns of the nine panelists who put Kuemper in Tier 4.

Overall ranking: 28 Average tier ranking: 4.10 Talbot beat the odds just to make it to the NHL in the first place, going undrafted in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection as a teen, and then again in the NHL Draft before eventually signing with New York as a free agent.

Hes gone on to carve out quite the career for himself, playing 12 seasons for eight different teams and climbing to 65th on the all-time wins list with more than 250.

That type of journey has earned him plenty of admiration from the former goalies, with one saying, Hes had a great career.

I love his perseverance and the fact that hes still playing with the odds against him early on.

Talbots game has aged well.

He was good last year in Los Angeles and has been Detroits most consistent goalie this season, but still received more Tier 5 votes (four) than Tier 3 (three).

At the end of the day, you always want a little bit more out of him, one goalie coach said.

At the same time, hes a consistent starter.

Hes an average, everyday NHL starter.

I dont think hell win you too many games, but he wont lose you a lot.

Overall ranking: 29 Average tier ranking: 4.20 People have to earn it for me.

That was one goalie coachs first reaction when asked about Wolf, and it explains his ranking perfectly.

Experts in the goaltending world love what theyve seen from the 23-year-old in junior hockey and in the minor leagues, but they are hesitant to rank him above Tier 4 without seeing it consistently in the NHL.

He can fly, one coach said.

Hes just so athletic on his feet.

To be able to play and compete at this level at that size, they have to be off the charts with skating.

I think he could, in time, be a Tier 2 type of goalie.

Wolf is undersized at 6 feet and 166 pounds, but makes up for it with some of the most impressive edgework youll see in the blue paint.

I give him credit, hes done everything he possibly can at every level, a retired goalie said.

I think he deserves an opportunity, so well find out.

I like his tools.

I like the way he skates.

I like a lot of things about him.

Overall ranking: T-30 Average tier ranking: 4.40 Mrazek turns 33 in February, but hes still putting up solid numbers with his aggressive, athletic style of goaltending.

He steals games for bad teams, one retired goalie said.

Sometimes thats easier when theres no pressure and nothing to lose, but hes competing hard.

Mrazek is a rhythm-based goalie who plays with aggressive depth.

He ventures to the top of his crease (and beyond) regularly to limit shooting angles.

That leads to some spectacular performances, but its also less consistent, which was the biggest concern for most panelists.

Hes done really well for Chicago, one coach said.

Hes working his butt off and keeping them alive, but hes really best suited as a backup goalie.

Overall ranking: T-30 Average tier ranking: 4.40 Like his namesake, Elvis Merzlikins burned bright and fast when he entered the NHL, earning Vezina Trophy votes as a rookie in 2020.

It didnt last long.

Merzlikins has a sub-.900 save percentage and 32.2 goals saved below expected since signing a five-year, $27 million contract extension with Columbus in September 2021.

He has talent, but hes just wildly inconsistent with that talent, one goalie coach said.

I think he just doesnt have enough of a game plan to how he wants to play.

He ad-libs a lot, and because of that hell have the wild game where he has a 50-save game, looks unbelievable and makes all these 10-bell saves, but at the same time, on a consistent basis, it just wont be there.

Merzlikins received a Tier 5 grade from four of the 10 panelists.

Hes got a bit of bravado and swagger, which I dont mind, but youre going to have it, youre going to have to back it up, a retired goalie said.

Overall ranking: 32 Average tier ranking: 4.50 The towering Russian has barely made double-digit starts in the NHL and had made even fewer when many of the panelists were polled so there werent many strong convictions about Fedotovs game.

If there was a consensus opinion, its that he hasnt looked comfortable in his limited action.

Theres no energy behind his game, one retired goalie said.

Ive only seen him play a couple of games, but he didnt look comfortable.

Fedotov strung together several impressive seasons in Russias KHL prior to joining the Flyers at the end of last season.

He moves well for a 6-foot-7 goalie, but is still adapting to the league.

Hes athletic and long, but I dont think he reads the play very well at all, and puts himself in really bad spots, a goalie coach said.

He looks like hes playing a guessing game.

Looking back, we shouldve polled more experts on Samuel Ersson, who has proven to be Philadelphias best goalie.

We didnt collect a full panel of grades for the 25-year-old, but several coaches said they prefer him as the starter, even before the season began.

Ersson, I do think, is pretty good, a goalie coach said.

Hes a structured goalie who gives you consistency.

I dont think hell ever be a goalie who is going to transcend, but hes a Tier 4 starter." (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic .

Photos of Connor Hellebuyck, Igor Shesterkin, Juuse Saros: Jonathan Kozub, Matthew Pearce, Derek Cain / Getty Images).

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