By Louis Friedl 
It’s hard to win in the NHL, and it’s even harder if a team does not possess an outstanding goalie. Many believe the NFL quarterback is the most important position in sports, but the NHL goalie is a close second. Teams that lack a bona fide goalie rarely make the playoffs, and it is almost as important to have a sound backup goalie. Below is a breakdown of the top ten NHL goalies entering the 2025-2026 season.
1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck has back-to-back seasons with top four finishes in wins and goals against per game. Last season, Hellebuyck led the NHL with 47 wins, 2.01 GAA, and eight shutouts. He’s blossomed into one of the league’s top goaltenders and enters his 11th season in 2025.
2. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Vasilevskiy is one of the league’s most reliable goalies. Since the 2017-2018 season, he’s averaged 56 games played and 36 wins. Last season’s 2.18 GAA was the best goal against average of his career. The Lightning goalie enters the 2025-2026 season positioned for another big year.
3. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Oettinger’s 36 wins gave him four-straight seasons with 30+ victories. His durability has been on display as he’s averaged 55 games over the past four seasons. The one knock on Oettinger is his goals against per game. Last season, out of the 10 goalies that reached 30+ wins, Oettinger had the third-highest GAA at 2.59
4. Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings
The 2024-2025 season was a career-best for the 35-year-old. He posted the second-most wins (31) of his career while ending with the best GAA (2.02) in his 13 seasons. He finished second behind Connor Hellebuyck in the GAA lead by 0.01. Kuemper will lead Los Angeles between the pipes in the upcoming season.
5. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion has two consecutive seasons with 30+ wins while averaging a 2.40 GAA. Among NHL goalies, Bobrovsky finished last season fourth in wins (33) and fifth in GAA (2.44). Aging like fine wine, he has averaged 50+ games played over the past four seasons.
6. Adin Hill, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Hill took over the starting job last season and never looked back. On his way to a career year, the Vegas goalie posted highs in games played (50), wins (32), GAA (2.47), and shutouts (4). He will have the edge over Ilya Samsonov to start the upcoming season.
7. Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
Thompson found success in his first season with Washington, registering career highs in wins (31) and GAA (2.49). His career year saw him finish tied for sixth in wins, seventh in GAA, and tied for eighth in save percentage. He’s set up for another successful campaign in the upcoming season.
8. Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
Gustavsson flourished in his first season as the starting goalie for Minnesota. He set career highs in games played (58), wins (31), and shutouts (5). His GAA (2.56) and save percentage (91.4%) were the second-best in his career. The 27-year-old can take another leap in his second season as Minnesota’s starting netminder.
9. Mackenzie Blackwood, Colorado Avalanche
Blackwood finished last season with 28 wins, 2.55 GAA, and four shutouts. However, his numbers improved after being traded to Colorado. In those 37 games, he totaled 22 wins and three shutouts while averaging a 2.33 GAA and 91.3 save percentage. Blackwood is due for more success during the 2025-2026 season.
10. Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils
Markstrom was stout during the 2024-2025 season. He posted the 11th-most wins (26), 8th-best GAA (2.50), and 4th-most shutouts (4). Markstrom can play a big role in New Jersey’s quest for another playoff appearance in the upcoming season.
Angel Atienza-Romero