Top NHL Goalies Rising & Falling: Wallstedt, Vasilevskiy, Blackwood Stand Out Amid Key Injuries and Backup Struggles

A look over the past two weeks reveals new top performers, some backups who faltered under a heavier workload and key injury circumstances that have arisen.

Find out who is expected to be between the pipes with RotoWire's NHL Starting Goalies page!

Top NHL Goaltenders Surging with Elite Save Percentages and Shutouts

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

Wallstedt has continued his stellar play through the first quarter of the season and has changed the dynamics of his goalie share with Filip Gustavsson. They have split the last 10 starts evenly. Wallstedt has extended his win streak to six games and has the league lead with four shutouts this season. In fact, on the strength of his statistics (1.74 GAA, .944 save percentage), he is building a case to earn an even larger share of goalie starts here. At a time when there are so many murky goalie situations around the league, the Wild may have the best tandem at the moment.     

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Lightning

The Atlantic Division is shaping up as a hotly contested race from top to bottom, but the Lightning have started to separate from the pack, largely on the strength of Vasilevskiy's recent play. He is widely acknowledged as one of the top goalies in hockey over the past decade and seems pointed toward one of the best seasons in his 12 years in the league.  He is currently riding a nice stretch, limiting opponents to a total of seven goals against while facing a total of 130 shots (.949 save percentage).  

Mackenzie Blackwood, Colorado Avalanche

Despite the fact that Scott Wedgewood performed very well while  Blackwood was injured through October, the latter has not missed a beat after resuming a regular workload since his return. Blackwood has won his last six starts, including four during the past two weeks. Earlier this week, Wedgewood suffered a minor back injury injured and that may create a chance for Blackwood to get a few consecutive starts in backstopping the Avs, who currently sit atop league standings. Regardless of the duration of that possibility, the high win probability of playing for this juggernaut team makes both goalies valuable in fantasy league play.    

 Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

With his steady play in recent weeks, Swayman has silenced his critics who wondered if he could handle a heavy workload as a clear number one goalie, after he floundered in his first crack at such a role last season. He had a string of 10 straight quality starts snapped earlier this week and has clearly established himself as a key contributor to a stronger-than-expected start to the Bruins' season (2.80 GAA, .910 save percentage to date).

Joseph Woll Toronto Maple Leafs

Woll has returned to action without missing a beat and has taken on a larger share of the starting assignments because his expected partner, Anthony Stolarz, has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury. He has contributed six quality starts out of his first seven appearances (2.53 GAA, .920 save percentage). He will be tasked with the larger share of goalie starts for the foreseeable future, at a time when the Leafs are trying to close the gap on a playoff spot. His even temperament will go a long way toward helping him manage these responsibilities.

Goalies Struggling Under Increased Workloads and Elevated Goals Against

Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets

Comrie has been pressed into duty because the Jets' workhorse in goal, Connor Hellebuyck, is sidelined with a knee injury. The early returns have not been great as Comrie has only two wins in six starts. He has allowed a total of 18 goals against, while facing 152 shots (.881 save percentage). After being pulled from his most recent assignment, you have to wonder about his confidence level, as well as that of his teammates. Replacing a goalie who is the unquestioned team MVP is a daunting task and has the Jets in uncharted waters right now.    

Jakub Dobes, Montreal Canadiens

Dobes was recently granted an opportunity to grab hold of the crease in Montreal, as he started six of the last eight games for the Canadiens. Unfortunately, he managed only two wins while giving up 24 goals out of 157 shots (.847save percentage). Sadly, neither he (3.22 GAA in 11 games) nor Sam Montembeault (3.61 GAA in 11 games) has provided strong goaltending. If they don't see one of these goalies improve, it threatens to derail what has been a very promising start to the season here. 

Akira Schmid, Vegas Golden Knights

Schmid was given the chance to run with the starting goalie role here following an injury that has sidelined Adin Hill since late October. Things were going well as he earned five wins in his first seven starts. However, those good vibes have given way to three winless appearances, during which he gave up 10 goals out of 73 shots (.863 save percentage). That has opened the door for Cater Hart to make his season debut (a 4-3OT win) and bid for regular duty. Couple that with Hill's return in a week or two, and we'll see a crowded crease that will need to be addressed here.

Injury Impacts and Shifts in Starting Goalie Roles Across NHL Teams

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

As noted above, the league's reigning MVP will be out of action for at least another month. That's awful news for a Jets team that already finds itself nine points out of a guaranteed playoff spot in the Central Division. The Jets and their fans are getting a dose of life without their starting goalie, and they don't like it so far. 

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have been one of the best stories of this season, currently on top of the Pacific Division, and Dostal has been a key contributor as their busiest goalie (2.81 GAA, .904 save percentage) with 18 appearances. He's currently on the IR, though, and is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks with an upper-body injury. Ville Husso will handle most of the starts, in the interim, backed by Vyacheslav Buteyets, who was promoted from San Diego (AHL).

Pyotr Kochetkov Carolina Hurricanes

Kochetkov has been limited to only five appearances this season and is currently out with a lower-body injury. Uneven play by veteran Frederik   Andersen (3.07 GAA, .878 save percentage) has given Brandon Bussi a chance to play a string of games, and he's made the most of it with a 7-1 record (2.11 GAA, .908 save percentage). It will be interesting to see the distribution of starting assignments when Kochetkov is deemed healthy.

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