Ranking Every NHL Goalie Tandem Ahead of the 2025-26 Season
NHL training camps are opening this month, and the season won't be too long after that. With everything that goes into building a roster worthy of winning the Stanley Cup, the most important position is always goaltender.
Unlike past decades, you need more than just one great goalie to get a team to the postseason; and if one guy has to carry all the weight, he should be elite. Still, asking one goalie to do it all is asking a lot and a great tandem can help keep everyone fresher longer.
Most teams have their goalie duos (or trios) squared away for the long haul. We're going to break them down and rank them out and see which clubs have the best (and worst) situations.
32. San Jose Sharks
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Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic
When the Sharks added Yaroslav Askarov from Nashville a year ago, he was the young prospect meant to team up with the rest of their top prospects to be part of the future rise to greatness in San Jose. Although Askarov may have thought he was going to be in the NHL full-time last year, he spent the majority of it in the AHL because Sharks management knew it was going to be a long, tough season.
Now, the Sharks are ready to take steps forward and Askarov's extensive AHL experience should lead to more NHL starts as he'll split the net with Alex Nedeljkovic fresh over from Pittsburgh. How well both goalies do is dependent upon how well the Sharks mature as a team and how far their very young core of stars can take them. It's a delicate balance.
31. Philadelphia Flyers
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Samuel Ersson, Dan Vladar and Ivan Fedotov
Goaltending was a huge issue for the Flyers last season and, unfortunately, it's shaping up to be that way again this year. They've got Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov back and they added Dan Vladar as a free agent from Calgary to the mix.
Ersson has shown flashes of brilliance over the past few seasons, but the lack of consistent play has hurt. Fedotov has the kind of size that should make him tough to beat (6'7" 214), but his performance hasn't kept up with his long limbs. The inconsistency allows Vladar to take the No. 1 job if he can stay steady, but that has been an issue for him in his previous stops in Calgary and Boston.
Although the Flyers have some encouraging developments elsewhere in the lineup, goaltending looms ominously.
30. Pittsburgh Penguins
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Tristan Jarry and Artūrs Šilovs
The Penguins are going to give it another go with Tristan Jarry in goal. It's not that they really had a choice in the matter, but the five-year contract they signed him to in 2023 essentially forced them to. They waived him and sent him to the AHL for part of last season as his inconsistent play added to the team's frustrations.
Pittsburgh tried to address its goaltending by adding Artūrs Šilovs from Vancouver. Šilovs helped Abbotsford win the Calder Cup in the AHL and he was outstanding throughout the playoffs. He'll never have a better opportunity to win a No. 1 job in the NHL, now competing with Jarry and Joel Blomqvist.
Both Jarry and Šilovs can be good in the NHL, but pulling it off consistently is a massive question mark.
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29. Chicago Blackhawks
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Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom
If Chicago's going to take a sizable step forward, having Spencer Knight be the guy to help guide them to it makes sense. Knight's pedigree and what we've seen him do in the AHL, as well as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup in Florida, tell us there's a capable goalie there. His numbers weren't great with Chicago last season, but whose were?
Söderblom is an interesting goalie who's unfortunately had to play behind a rebuilding Chicago lineup for years and he was pressed into the NHL perhaps a bit early. That said, he's the "old man" in goal now at 26 (Knight is 24) and while he showed he can hang in there, if Knight struggles and it falls on Söderblom to hold it down, that's not what they had in mind. That said, he's gradually improved over the years and goalies can be late bloomers.
Still, this is a tandem with more questions than answers.
28. Seattle Kraken
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Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer
Watching Joey Daccord emerge as a steady No. 1 has been a fascinating development for Seattle. After all, Phillipp Grubauer was their first big free agent signing when the franchise came to be and it was expected he'd be the guy to carry them ahead. That hasn't exactly happened and Daccord has taken advantage of that.
Daccord had a .905 save percentage last season with two shutouts and he was eighth in goals saved above expected in all situations (19.1) according to Moneypuck.com. Grubauer, meanwhile, had the third-lowest mark in the NHL with minus-16.3 goals saved above expected.
Even though there were rumors about Seattle finding a way to move Grubauer, they're sticking with him and that puts pressure on Daccord to continue improving.
They'd better hope it works out.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves
Seeing the Blue Jackets push for the postseason last year was exciting and amazing. The "amazing" part of it, however, was that their goaltending was very average.
Elvis Merzlikins played well enough to help them win, and new backup Jet Greaves came up late in the season and continued his great play from his time in the AHL (14.5 goals saved above expected in 11 games via Moneypuck).
With Daniil Tarasov gone to Florida, the tandem of Merzlikins and Greaves could battle each other all season, for starters. Greaves has built success and confidence on his way up, while Merzlikins has battled to hold things down in net. The best-case scenario here is that Greaves's presence pushes Merzlikins to perform better and the goaltending improves all-around.
There's potential here for goaltending to improve, but seeing is believing.
26. Buffalo Sabres
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Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon (Devon Levi, minors)
The Sabres stayed cool in free agency, but after moving on from James Reimer, they brought in Alex Lyon to backup/push incumbent starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. It wasn't a great overall season for Luukkonen, a bit of a letdown after he appeared to break out two seasons ago, but if the on-off pattern continues, he's in line for another good season.
What makes the situation tricky is the presence of Devon Levi, who had another stellar season in the AHL. If/when he gets his NHL starts and if he plays well consistently, this situation gets a lot murkier. Coach Lindy Ruff rides the hot hand hard (case in point, late last season with Reimer), but being hot and earning trust goes a long way. This could be a good group in goal, but there's a lot that's seemingly up in the air yet.
25. Nashville Predators
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Juuse Saros and Justus Annunen
In each of the past three seasons, Juuse Saros' save percentage has dropped dramatically.
Three seasons ago, he posted a .919 and was fourth in voting for the Vezina.
Two years ago, he had a .906 and was fifth in the voting, but last season he posted a .895 save percentage and the Predators were one of the worst teams in the NHL. This has to be concerning to Nashville, no doubt, but it's Saros's net no matter what.
Justus Annunen posted a .888 save percentage last season with the Predators and that was an improvement over what he did with Colorado (.872). Ideally, he is no threat to Saros for the starting job, but if both guys struggle again, the Predators have big issues to contend with.
With Magnus Chrona and Matthew Murray (not the former Penguins goalie) slotted in behind them, it really is all on Saros to find his game again and dominate...or else.
24. Florida Panthers
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Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov
It's wild to think that Sergei Bobrovsky is entering a contract season and he's the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie in the NHL.
Even though his regular-season play may not always "wow" fans, it's impossible not to be fully impressed with his postseason play the past three seasons. He's a gamer and might just be a Hall of Famer. If he has a down season, is anyone going to actually worry?
No shot.
After Vitek Vanecek departed in free agency, Florida added Daniil Tarasov to back up Bobrovsky. Tarasov struggled with injuries and his performance in Columbus last season, and he might get pushed by free agent signing Brandon Bussi, whom the Bruins allowed to walk.
23. Edmonton Oilers
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Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard
The best thing that can happen for the Oilers is to have Stuart Skinner find his game and his confidence again and maintain both of them. His roller coaster-like play last season made it so Edmonton had to consider trying to acquire another netminder.
For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, figuring out what to do in goal takes away from that in a big way and it was more than apparent in the Final against Florida.
Skinner can be very good and while Calvin Pickard was able to step in in a pinch, he's probably not at the front of GM Stan Bowman's mind as the solution to winning the Cup. This duo isn't ranked terribly low, but the confidence the organization has in this group just might be.
22. Utah Mammoth
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Karel Vejmelka, Vitek Vaněček and Connor Ingram
The Mammoth have one of the more intriguing goalie setups in the league. In his time in Arizona and last season with Utah, Karel Vejmelka showed the knack to make a lot of big saves at a time when the defense broke down in front of him.
The team in front of him is better than he's seen in his time with the franchise, which means the playoffs are possible if he can follow up last season's .904 and a shutout with a little more.
Vitek Vaněček joins Utah after he backed up Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida and while he's shown over the years he can play well enough, getting Connor Ingram back after he was cleared to return after completing the NHL player assistance program might be even bigger.
In Ingram's previous two seasons in Arizona, he posted back-to-back seasons with a .907 save percentage. The .882 last season came in a year in which his mother passed away and he went back into the league player assistance program. If he can find his game again, the Mammoth may have an outstanding group in goal.
21. Vancouver Canucks
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Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen
It seems like we talk a lot about guys staying healthy as a part of their success.
Look at what Thatcher Demko's health means to the fortunes of the Canucks. When he's healthy and on his game, he's among the best goalies in the NHL; but when he's fighting it and trying to battle through it, you get last season's .889 save percentage in 23 games.
Fortunately, Kevin Lankinen was there to save the day. His .902 save percentage and four shutouts allowed the Canucks to keep their heads above water and stay involved in the playoff race late into the season. Those are strong numbers for a guy who was meant to be the backup, but he was pressed into duty and started 49 games.
A healthy Demko and the roles being reversed with Lankinen could mean really good things for Vancouver as they look to get back into the playoffs. If health betrays them, Jiří Patera looms as their No. 3 now that Artūrs Šilovs is off to Pittsburgh.
20. Montréal Canadiens
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Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobeš
There were a lot of contributing factors to the Canadiens making the playoffs last season, but the heroic play of Sam Montembeault in goal was a big one. Being able to bring up and then lean on Jakub Dobeš in a pinch was another.
Montembeault excelled at saving the Habs' bacon as he finished fifth in goals saved above expected with 24.6 in 62 games. Montréal leaned on him hard and while that could've been a reason for fatigue to take them down, having Dobeš step into the backup role (he unseated Cayden Primeau to do it) was huge. In 16 games, Dobeš saved nine goals above expected while the Canadiens' exciting brand of hockey kept all their goalies on their toes.
Hopes are high for a repeat performance from both goalies and if nothing else, both have been consistent through their careers with save percentage, Montembeault especially (.901, .903, .902 the past three years).
19. Boston Bruins
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Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo
Jeremy Swayman couldn't have picked a worse time to have the toughest season of his career.
He's reunited with Joonas Korpisalo, but he'll get to have a full training camp this season now that he's got a long-term contract settled. It's easy to dogpile on the Bruins, given how everyone played last season, but something is just there in the back of your head saying the B's aren't dead yet, isn't it?
A bounce-back season from Swayman feels imminent, whether the rest of the team cooperates or not.
18. Detroit Red Wings
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John Gibson and Cam Talbot
Detroit got solid goaltending from Cam Talbot last season, but was let down by the rest of the group that featured Alex Lyon, Ville Husso and Petr Mrázek, as well as injuries. Adding John Gibson from Anaheim to be the No. 1 while Talbot slides into the backup role, on paper, gives the Red Wings much better overall goaltending.
Yes, injuries will need to be kept to a minimum, especially for Gibson, but when he was in the lineup for the Ducks, he was outstanding. Having Gibson, Talbot and Sebastian Cossa in the AHL gives Detroit a lot of depth.
It's just hard to ignore the injury history with Gibson and how overall inconsistent play has been for the Red Wings the past few years. If Gibson can settle everything down, maybe their playoff drought won't hit double figures.
17. Colorado Avalanche
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Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood
Seeing Mackenzie Blackwood tap into what we saw from him early on in his career in New Jersey again in Colorado was like witnessing an awakening. That they got him teamed up with his old Devils teammate Scott Wedgewood again helped give them one of the better tandems in the NHL, even more so with Blackwood finding his game again.
Blackwood's play earned him an instant extension with the Avs and with Wedgewood, who's been an outstanding backup in Dallas and Arizona previously, it means they don't have to ride Blackwood into the ground to keep things calm in net.
The Avalanche are a Stanley Cup contender for a lot of reasons up front, but with this tandem, they can pull it off.
16. Calgary Flames
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Dustin Wolf, Devin Cooley and Ivan Prosvetov
It's funny how Flames fans begged for a couple of seasons to get Dustin Wolf more starts and then it happened last season.
Calgary nearly made the playoffs because of him. He's the No. 1 with a bullet and with Dan Vladar off to Philly, Devin Cooley and Ivan Prosveto will battle for the backup job.
Wolf's relative youth begs for a repeat of success before a full-on crowning, but his athleticism and cool play have the Flames in a good place in net. If Cooley and/or Prosvetov can balance things out, a return to the postseason is there to be had.
15. New York Islanders
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Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich (Semyon Varlamov, injured)
In a way, it makes sense that head coach Patrick Roy would have a loaded stable of goalies. After all, he's a legendary goalie and now an NHL coach and who else knows goalies better than a guy who was one of the best to ever play the position?
That said, having Ilya Sorokin as a No. 1 would make life easier for anyone.
Sorokin will have another veteran to back him up this year in David Rittich. Rittich has been a solid backup just about everywhere he's played. Years ago, in Calgary, he was at his best and two seasons ago with the Los Angeles Kings, he was very good, too.
While he's there and Semyon Varlamov navigates his lower-body injury that required surgery, it'll be on Sorokin to make it all stand up.
14. New York Rangers
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Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick
Part of why the Rangers failed to make the playoffs last season was Igor Shesterkin not being his usual Vezina Trophy-winning great. He had a .905 save percentage and six shutouts, but his save percentage was the lowest he's had in a single season in his career. A bounce-back season is necessary for New York to get back to the playoffs.
Having Jonathan Quick back up Shesterkin was huge early on last season, but his play came back to earth the more he was relied upon. The Rangers are running it back with Quick as the backup again, but they'll need Shesterkin to be closer to his elite norms to get back to the playoffs.
13. Minnesota Wild
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Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt
Marc-André Fleury's retirement cleared the path in Minnesota in a couple of ways. For one, it removed most doubt about Filip Gustavsson being the No. 1 Wild goalie. His play the past few seasons should've made that clear to begin with, but with a gamer like Fleury around, it wasn't like a highwire act without a safety net either.
The road isn't totally clear, however, as it'll be rookie Jesper Wallstedt who will back up Gustavsson full-time now. Wallstedt was the Wild's first-round pick in 2021 and although he struggled a bit in the AHL last season, he was very good there two years ago. At 22 years old, he's quite young yet and with just five NHL games under his belt, it'll be a big step up. If he struggles, Cal Petersen is their No. 3.
Gustavsson is outstanding and Wallstedt has a boatload of potential. It's a great tandem for now and for potential.
12. Anaheim Ducks
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Lukáš Dostál and Petr Mrázek
Last season, Lukáš Dostál took the No. 1 job in Anaheim and ran away with it. He unseated longtime starter John Gibson in the process and had an outstanding season. With Gibson gone to Detroit, Dostál is the unquestioned No. 1 now with Czech countryman Petr Mrázek to provide veteran support. Gibson was great when he was healthy and Mrázek struggled on a bad Chicago team but played a bit better in limited action in Detroit.
It's all about Dostál, though and now with a juicy new contract in hand and a new coach seeking the playoffs, the pressure is real this year.
11. Carolina Hurricanes
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Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov
As critical as we can be about Carolina running it back in goal year after year, seeing what a healthy Frederik Andersen and an untaxed Pyotr Kochetkov can do makes it a lot easier to come to that conclusion.
Andersen's outstanding play in the postseason made his in-season absence hurt a little more because it kept them from keeping up with Washington in the Metropolitan Division. When he's healthy, and that's unfortunately always a massive worry, he's a top-tier goalie in the league and Kochetkov is no slouch in his own right.
This is a great tandem and having Cayden Primeau as a No. 3 gives them strong insurance, which, unfortunately, they've always needed to have.
10. Ottawa Senators
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Linus Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen
Sometimes the obvious move is the one that pays off best and Ottawa adding Linus Ullmark in goal helped them return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Ullmark had a strong season with a .910 save percentage and four shutouts as he carried over his performance from Boston.
The Senators are hoping that changing the backup will help give them more of a lift in goal with Leevi Meriläinen taking over for Anton Forsberg behind Ullmark. In limited action, Meriläinen shone going 8-3-1 with a .925 save percentage and three shutouts in 12 games.
This tandem could turn out to be one of the sneaky better ones in the league if they can replicate what they did a year ago.
9. Vegas Golden Knights
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Adin Hill and Akira Schmid
For a time, Vegas had one of the deepest pools of goaltending to work with in the league, but now that they've culled the herd, it's Adin Hill's team all the way.
In 50 starts, Hill had a .906 save percentage and four shutouts last season and he was backed up by Ilya Samsonov. Now that Samsonov is gone, it's former New Jersey Devils prospect Akira Schmid who slots in as the No. 2. Last season, Schmid had three starts for Vegas and went 2-0-1 with a .944 save percentage. In the AHL, he went 9-18-3 with a .886 save percentage in 30 games and lost the starting job there to Carl Lindbom.
Hill is the man, without question, for Vegas and after leading them to the Stanley Cup three years ago, he's seized the job and run away with it unquestioned. It's a great story, but having a quality backup will allow Vegas to stay fresh and if Schmid can make that small NHL sample size from last year work all season long, it'll make the Golden Knights even more formidable in the West.
8. St. Louis Blues
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Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer
The Blues have one of the sneaky best tandems in hockey with Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. For the past two seasons, they've been steady, consistent and solid, but the team play that was missing two seasons ago was back last season under new coach Jim Montgomery.
Binnington was great down the stretch, especially after his run helping Canada win the Four Nations Face-Off and he nearly helped St. Louis upset Winnipeg in the first round of the playoffs, losing in seven games.
With Hofer as the No. 2, you have a backup with the kind of numbers that could make him a No. 1 at some point (.914 and .904 the past two years). His stellar play gives the Blues a duo that ensures they'll be in every game.
7. New Jersey Devils
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Jacob Markström and Jake Allen
The playoffs gave the Devils a glimpse of what could've been had Jack Hughes been healthy when they saw Jacob Markström give the Carolina Hurricanes all they could handle in the first round. The veteran Swede was outstanding and although his regular season was fine and the Devils had all kinds of injuries to sort through, having another veteran in Jake Allen helped out a lot.
Allen was superb with a .908 save percentage and he tied Markström with four shutouts. Having two outstanding veterans like this in tandem gives the Devils a lot of insurance, yes, but a lot of confidence as well.
6. Washington Capitals
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Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren
All Logan Thompson has done in the NHL is to be a very good goalie and last season, his first with Washington, he seized on the opportunity to be a No. 1 in a big way. He went 31-6-6 with a .910 save percentage and unseated incumbent Charlie Lindgren (20-14-3 .896 save percentage) as the starter.
Truth is, the two of them were vital to the Capitals' success last season as they roared to the best record in the East and the 1A-1B setup allowed them both to stay on top of their games. It's not unlike the setup Thompson had with Vegas, where he also had a lot of personal success, but with the compacted schedule, there's no reason for coach Spencer Carbery to change up his goalie rotation.
Thompson and Lindgren were excellent together and the team needed them to be on top of their games collectively to climb to the top.
5. Los Angeles Kings
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Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper may be one of the all-time underrated goalies.
Yes, he won a Stanley Cup with Colorado, but he's never won an individual award and received votes for the Vezina three times in his career. Last season, he finished third in the voting for Vezina, his best finish to date, and the recognition was well-earned. He's a solid goalie and with how tough the Kings play, it makes him even harder to beat.
Kuemper having Anton Forsberg as his new backup while Erik Portillo hones his game in the AHL gives L.A. a very capable veteran presence to back up. Forsberg can be a No. 1 in a pinch, but having him back up Kuemper will allow the Kings to get the best of him. He did well in a backup role in Ottawa and should do well in L.A.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson
What a difference having a fresh and healthy Andrei Vasilevskiy made for the Lightning.
Year after year of short offseasons with various injuries mixed in, including a back issue, helped make life harder on the big Russian and, in turn, the Lightning. We saw Vasilevskiy return to form last season as he put up a .921 save percentage and six shutouts in 63 games and finished second in voting for the Vezina.
Vasilevskiy's season got the Lightning to second place in the Atlantic Division and an unfortunate first-round battle against the Panthers in the playoffs.
As great as Vasilevskiy was, they got passable backup goaltending from Jonas Johansson (.895 with a shutout), which was enough to spell Vasilevskiy and not have to worry too much. It's a tandem in name, but if they get another season like that out of Vasilevskiy, the Lightning will be dangerous for everyone to deal with.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz
After so many years of wondering how well their goaltending would hold up, the Maple Leafs got the best of both worlds with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll as their tandem just so long as they stayed healthy.
Woll had a .909 save percentage with a shutout in 41 starts, while Stolarz was outstanding with a .926 save percentage and four shutouts in 33 starts. Both goalies dealt with injuries on and off through the season and, unfortunately, in the playoffs as well.
Expecting both goalies to be that good again may be unreasonable, but both Woll and Stolarz have shown they can play consistently well as long as they're on the ice. Toronto will need them to recreate that play to weather the loss of offense from Mitch Marner.
2. Dallas Stars
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Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith
It was really weird Pete DeBoer leaned on Casey DeSmith in the Stars' final game of the playoffs after Jake Oettinger gave up two goals on the first two shots, right?
Oettinger is their No. 1 and their ride-or-die in goal. Yet, DeBoer decided he wasn't in an elimination game anymore. That's probably a big reason why DeBoer is gone and Glen Gulutzan is the Stars coach again.
Having Oettinger automatically gives the Stars one of the best goalie setups in the league, but having a battle-tested backup like DeSmith means they're ready for anything. DeSmith's shown enough in limited action to prove he can hold things down in a pinch, all while Oettinger is an annual Vezina Trophy candidate.
A great No. 1 and a strong No. 2 in goal help give the Stars an advantage all season long and, in the playoffs, just so long as the coach doesn't overthink things.
1. Winnipeg Jets
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Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie
We know we're doing tandems here, but it's kind of amazing that for all the success Connor Hellebuyck had last season in winning not only the Vezina as the best goalie but also the Hart Trophy as MVP, he also singlehandedly won the Jennings Trophy for the second straight season by himself for fewest goals allowed.
Goalies have to play a minimum of 25 games to qualify for the Jennings and Hellebuyck's backup, Eric Comrie, only had 20 starts last season. Fortunately, he had a .914 save percentage in those 20 starts and had two shutouts to boot. All that means is that on nights when Hellebuyck didn't start, Comrie wasn't giving teams a break from great goaltending at all and that's exactly what every team would love to have.
Going from an all-world goalie like Hellebuyck and getting outstanding play from Comrie on his nights off helped make the Jets the Presidents' Trophy winners, and even though they lost Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, they didn't lose anything in net.
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