Goalie Report: Risers and Fallers

In this week's column, we'll take a look at goalie performances over the past week. A number of these goalies hold the key to playoff qualification for their respective teams as the regular season is winding down. Some teams are in the hunt while others are fading.

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Igor Shesterkin, Rangers (1.78 GAA, .935 SV%)

With the Rangers playoff hopes hanging in the balance, their longtime starting goalie has been challenged to elevate his game to his previous All-Star level, which he's rarely found this season. Fortunately for them, he's playing his best right now.  Shesterkin is used to a heavy workload, particularly at this time of year, so it will come as no surprise that he's started eight of the Rangers last nine games. The difference this season is that the Blueshirts are not assured of a playoff berth, currently sitting outside of a wildcard spot.

Darcy Kuemper, Kings (0.67 GAA, .970 SV%)

Kuemper is the only repeater in this half of the report this week and he continues to raise that bar with two shutouts in his last three starts. His recent efforts have propelled the Kings into the third best goals against average in the league this season. When you couple his excellent work in goal with the teamwide commitment to a very strong defensive structure, you have to anticipate that this squad will be ready for the post season, when the space on the ice shrinks due to the high stakes in play.   

Jake Allen, Devils (1.50 GAA, .962 SV%)

We've implied it before, but perhaps there's been no other backup goalie who has salvaged a season for his team as Allen has done for the Devils. Starter Jacob Markstrom missed five weeks early in 2025 but Allen delivered the goods in his absence and they didn't miss a beat. Markstrom returned to action in early March, but instead of taking on his customary heavy workload, he's been eased back into the crease in a very manageable goalie share with Allen. The Devils playoff position is fairly secure, as they anticipate a top three finish in the Metro Division.  Allen's recent play is a big reason for that level of comfort.

Ilya Sorokin, Islanders (1.96 GAA, .926 SV%)

The Islanders are currently three points out of a wildcard spot, thanks in large part to Sorokin's superior level of play on recent weeks. He's delivered eight quality starts in a stretch of nine appearances over the Isles' last 10 games. Fortunately, he's one of a handful of goalies who is used to a heavy workload. That's a good thing because the Islanders are another team that has very little wiggle room. One thing in Sorokin's favor is that there are only six road games left among the 15 that remain on the schedule, so he should find ample time to rest between starts the rest of the way.  

Petr Mrazek, Red Wings (2.51 GAA, .901 SV%)

In his second tour of duty with the Red Wings, since being reacquired at the recent trade deadline, Mrazek has drawn four straight starts in goal. That is a little surprising until you consider that four goalies have volleyed the role back and forth all season long. It had previously been a win-and-you-stay-in rotation for much if the season, but Mrazek has been given more rope, despite winning only two of those four starts. Part of the reason for this commitment to Mrazek stems from the fact that Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon have both struggled to deliver quality starts in their most recent appearances. The Wings net now belongs to Mrazek until he stumbles.   

Tristan Jarry, Penguins (2.98 GAA, .909 SV%)

Jarry's club is a little further out of the playoff hunt than all other hot goalies profiled here this week, as the Pens trail the final wildcard spot by seven points. Notwithstanding that fact, Jarry earns his flowers on the strength of five straight quality starts that have led to four wins in that span. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, we should expect him to continue to appear every night. Fantasy hockey managers who are looking for consistent goalie starts should be considering Jarry as a solid option at the moment as he's on his best roll of the season.

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Spencer Knight, Chicago (4.57 GAA, .833 SV%)

When Knight was dealt from the defending champs to the team sitting 31st in the overall standings, you had to expect that there would be some challenging times ahead. Things were pretty rosy when he won his first two starts, but he's followed that up with a string of three defeats in which he surrendered a total of 11 goals. In the short term, there are going to be more painful nights, but the Hawks believe they have their goalie of the future and a centerpiece of their ongoing rebuild in place

Jeremy Swayman, Bruins (6.15 GAA, .849 SV%)

Swayman has appeared in the lower half of this report way more often than expected and that's come as a big surprise, but it's now looking more and more likely that the Bruins will miss post-season play for the first time in the last nine years. This downturn in fortunes is not an indictment of Swayman's play, but he clearly hasn't been as solid as in prior years, when he shared the goalie role here. Injuries and less quality and depth in front of him have been the more critical factors this season. Still, this has been a learning experience for him and the hope is that he'll bounce back next season.    

Samuel Ersson, Flyers (3.84 GAA, .840 SV%)

For much of the season, Ersson has held the top goalie role in Philadelphia, with a pretty consistent level of play that kept him well in front of the two other goalies on the Flyers depth chart. In recent weeks, the Flyers have never really been in contention for a playoff spot and they were sellers at the trade deadline, clearly of the belief that this wasn't going to be a great year for them. Their recent 2-7-1 mark over the last 10 games has effectively sealed their fate this season. Ersson's ledger has slipped accordingly as he's  delivered only two quality starts in his last six appearances.