Who Is The Best Goalie In The NHL 2021?
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We’re ranking the best goalies in the NHL for the 2021 season. See who made our list of the top netminders in the league.
The NHL’s best goalies
We’re only a few weeks into the NHL season, but there have been some great performances from goaltenders around the league. Let’s take a look at some of the best goalies in the NHL so far.
Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Rask is one of the top goalies in the NHL and has been for several years. Rask was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and has been with the team ever since. Rask has helped the Bruins to two Stanley Cup Finals appearances, winning one of them in 2011.
Rask is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, given to the NHL’s best goalie each season. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2014, which is awarded to the goalie(s) who have played at least 25 games for the team with the fewest goals against. In addition to his individual awards, Rask has been named to the NHL’s All-Star team four times.
There is no doubt that Tuukka Rask is one of the best goalies in the NHL and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Connor Hellebuyck
Connor Hellebuyck is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fifth round, 130th overall, by the Jets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. In 2016–17, he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and won both the Jennings Trophy (for fewest team goals against) and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (as leading goal-scorer). Hellebuyck again was a finalist for all three awards in 2019–20, this time winning the Vezina and finishing as runner-up for the Jennings.
Carey Price
Carey Price is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who serves as the captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). A first-round selection of the Canadiens in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, he is a five-time Vezina Trophy recipient as the NHL’s best goaltender and was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award as the most valuable player and outstanding player in the league, respectively, in 2015. He also won Olympic gold with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympicsprice has been named to seven NHL All-Star teams and four times to the First All-Star team
Why these goalies are the best
The NHL is full of great goaltenders, but a few have truly set themselves apart this season.
Their stats
What separates the best goalies from the rest of the pack? It’s a combination of things, but most importantly it’s their ability to make the big save when their team needs it most.
The following goalies have been the best in the NHL this season, based on a combination of their save percentage, goals against average, and shutouts.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets – Hellebuyck has been aworkhorse for the Jets this season, appearing in 40 games and posting a 26-11-3 record. His .922 save percentage is second in the NHL, while his 2.28 goals against average is sixth. He also has four shutouts.
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins – Rask has appeared in 37 games for the Bruins this season and has a 25-8-4 record. His .929 save percentage is tied for first in the NHL with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, while his 2.12 goals against average is third. He also has three shutouts.
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues – Binnington has been excellent since taking over as the Blues’ starter last season, leading them to a Stanley Cup victory. This season he has appeared in 39 games and has a 27-10-7 record. His .927 save percentage is fourth in the NHL while his 2.27 goals against average is seventh. He doesn’t have any shutouts this season but recorded five last season.
Their impact on the team
The NHL has been blessed with some all-time great goalies. From legends like Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, to modern-day stars like Carey Price and Braden Holtby, there have been many netminders who have left their mark on the league.
But who is the best goalie in the NHL right now? That is a tough question to answer, as there are many great goalies playing at a high level.
To try to answer that question, we took a look at some of the top goalies in the league and their impact on their respective teams. Here are four goalies who we think are the best in the NHL right now.
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Price is one of the best goalies in the world, and he proved it again this season. The 32-year-old had a .935 save percentage and a 2.45 GAA in 42 games for the Canadiens. He was also named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, which is given to the league’s top goaltender.
Price has been a key piece of the Canadiens’ success over the past few years, and he is a big reason why they are one of the best teams in the NHL. He is one of the best puck-handlers in the league, which allows him to make plays that other goalies can’t make. He also has great vision and anticipation, which allows him to make saves that other goalies wouldn’t even think about making.
Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
Holtby is another goalie who had a very strong season for his team. The 29-year-old had a .922 save percentage and a 2.56 GAA in 49 games for the Capitals this season. He was also nominated for the Vezina Trophy this season (he won it in 2015).
Holtby has been one of the best goalies in the NHL for several years now, and he has been a big reason why the Capitals have been one of the best teams in recent years. He is very good at reading plays and anticipating where shots will be coming from. He is also very good at controlling his rebounds, which often leads to scoring chances for his team.
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
Rask had another strong season for the Bruins this year, posting a .929 save percentage and 2.48 GAA in 47 games played. The 32-year-old was also nominated for the Vezina Trophy this season (he won it in 2014). Rask has been one of – if notthe – best goalie in hockey overthe past several yearsand he has beena bigreasonthe Bruinshavebeenoneof thenation’s top teamsfor muchof that timeperiod.. muchof that timeperiod
Their save percentage
In a sport where one mistake can mean the difference between winning and losing, having a reliable goalie is crucial. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the NHL’s best goaltenders so far in the 2021 season, based on their save percentages.
At the top of the list is Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, who has been a brick wall for his team all season long. His .935 save percentage is the best in the league, and he’s been especially clutch in games where the Predators have needed him most.
Hot on Rinne’s heels is Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has posted a .934 save percentage so far this season. He’s been especially impressive in high-pressure situations, such as when he helped his team win Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last year.
Rounding out the top three is Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who has been nothing short of outstanding for his team this season. His .929 save percentage is third-best in the NHL, and he’s been a key reason why the Bruins have been one of the best teams in the league so far.
These are just a few of the NHL’s best goaltenders so far this season. With so many great options to choose from, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.
What to expect from these goalies in the future
Binnington, Quick, and Vasilevskiy have all been Vezina finalists in recent years. Markstrom won the award this past season. So, who is the best goalie in the NHL? We break down the stats and give our opinion.
Their upcoming games
In the next few weeks, these goalies will be playing against some of the best teams in the NHL. This will give us a good idea of where they stand in terms of their skills and abilities. Here are some games to watch out for:
-April 2nd: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers
-April 4th: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals
-April 7th: Nashville Predators vs Carolina Hurricanes
These goalies will be facing some tough competition, but they have the potential to rise to the occasion and put on a great show. Be sure to tune in and see how they perform!
Their performance in the playoffs
In the playoffs, things are a little different for goalies. They have more time to get into a rhythm, and they usually face more shots. As a result, their save percentage is often higher in the playoffs than it is in the regular season.
As far as individual goalies are concerned, there are a few who have been particularly good in the playoffs over the last few years. Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins has a career save percentage of .943 in the playoffs, which is the best of any goalie who has played at least 20 playoff games since 2011. He also has two Stanley Cup finals appearances and one championship to his credit.
Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens has also been excellent in the playoffs, with a .933 save percentage since 2011. He has one Stanley Cup championship to his credit, which he won in 2014.
Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals has been very good as well, with a .922 save percentage since 2011. He led the Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship in 2018, and he was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP that year.
These are three goalies who have been consistently excellent in the playoffs over the last few years, and they will be worth watching in future years as well.
Their contract situation
The NHL is a unique league when it comes to goaltenders. Unlike other professional leagues, teams are not afraid to invest heavily in their netminders, and as a result, we often see some of the highest-paid players in the league being goalies. This season is no different, as the top 10 highest-paid goalies in the NHL all have salaries over $10 million.
While it is certainly inspiring to see so many goalies being rewarded handsomely for their talents, it does create some challenges for teams when it comes to managing their finances. In particular, it can be difficult to find enough money to sign other quality players when you have such a large chunk of your salary cap devoted to your goalie(s).
This issue is only magnified by the fact that most teams only have two goaltenders on their roster. As a result, if one of your goalies goes down with an injury or strugglesperformance-wise, you are suddenly in a very difficult position.
With all that said, let’s take a look at the contract situation for each of the NHL’s starting goaltenders. We will also touch on some potential moves that could be made during the offseason and/or next season.