This article is part of our The Goalie Report series.
In this week's column, we'll take a look at goalie performances over the past week – where we see some goalies elevating their game, while others have floundered. A couple of former studs have been duds much of this season, while others are trying to lift mid-range teams with their solid efforts.
Trending Up
Cam Talbot, Detroit (1.33 GAA, .951 SV%)
A few weeks ago, it looked like Talbot had been relegated to a backup role, but an injury to Alex Lyon gave him a clear path to gaining a larger role in the goalie mix. He's taken full advantage, reeling off seven quality starts in his last eight appearances, which has helped the Wings draw to within two points of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. He now has the top goalie role. Couple that with his experience and he figures to be in line for most of the starting assignments unless he falters horribly.
Ilya Sorokin, NY Islanders (1.48, GAA, .952 SV%)
Not only did Sorokin win both of his starts last week, but he even 'vultured' a third win, with a late relief appearance, when an injury forced Marcus Hogberg from a game. That's added up to a personal four-game winning streak for the Islanders' No. 1 goalie. He faces a daunting challenge to keep that pace because of injuries to three of the team's top six defensemen. For a team built on a defense-first approach, this is a cruel blow, particularly
In this week's column, we'll take a look at goalie performances over the past week – where we see some goalies elevating their game, while others have floundered. A couple of former studs have been duds much of this season, while others are trying to lift mid-range teams with their solid efforts.
Trending Up
Cam Talbot, Detroit (1.33 GAA, .951 SV%)
A few weeks ago, it looked like Talbot had been relegated to a backup role, but an injury to Alex Lyon gave him a clear path to gaining a larger role in the goalie mix. He's taken full advantage, reeling off seven quality starts in his last eight appearances, which has helped the Wings draw to within two points of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. He now has the top goalie role. Couple that with his experience and he figures to be in line for most of the starting assignments unless he falters horribly.
Ilya Sorokin, NY Islanders (1.48, GAA, .952 SV%)
Not only did Sorokin win both of his starts last week, but he even 'vultured' a third win, with a late relief appearance, when an injury forced Marcus Hogberg from a game. That's added up to a personal four-game winning streak for the Islanders' No. 1 goalie. He faces a daunting challenge to keep that pace because of injuries to three of the team's top six defensemen. For a team built on a defense-first approach, this is a cruel blow, particularly as Mike Reilly and Noah Dobson will miss considerable playing time. That does not bode well for Sorokin to be able to sustain his current level of success
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg (1.67 GAA, .930 SV%)
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
It's getting to the point that Hellebuyck has lapped the entire field of NHL goalies with his performance this season. The surest hockey bet this year is that he'll win the Vezina Trophy, as the league's top goalie once again. You can add another three wins last week to his 2024-25 ledger. He's also reached the 300-win plateau for his career, becoming the fastest U.S.-born netminder in NHL history to reach that total. All that's missing from an otherwise Hall of Fame-worthy resume is a Stanley Cup triumph. That's the biggest motivator for him to keep doing what he's doing.
Joey Daccord, Seattle (2.02 GAA, .933 SV%)
Daccord makes this list for a second straight week as he is doing all he can to keep the Kraken within range of the Western Conference Wild Card race, though they trail the last spot by eight points and have to pass five other teams to get there. Sadly, the Kraken's offense is not holding up their end of the bargain, as they tallied only three goals in losing twice over the three games. Since he and Philipp Grubauer are both on the books for more than $5 million over each of the next three seasons, the upcoming trade deadline may be a good opportunity to move one of them to shore up the rest of the roster, as the playoff chase is only a remote possibility now.
Editor's Note: Grubauer was placed on waivers Wednesday and was re-assigned to the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus (1.46 GAA, .951 SV%)
Merzlikins continues to contribute his chapter in the unexpected story that chronicles the Blue Jackets' unexpected playoff pursuit. Having to overcome the preseason Johnny Gaudreau tragedy and a crowded injury list, Columbus is currently in a virtual tie (Tampa has one game in hand) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Merzlikins is on pace to be one of the busiest goalies this season and has a sub-3.00 GAA for the first time over his last four seasons. He's the team MVP and will be counted on to keep his team in contention the rest of the way.
Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver (1.50 GAA, .949 SV%)
The early returns from the Canucks' expected top goalie, Thatcher Demko, have not been good enough in his 12 appearances since returning from a long injury absence. That's paved the wave for Lankinen to restate his claim to a larger share of starts. He responded with a pair of wins in consecutive starts last week to remind everyone he remains a viable option. The fact this performance comes against the backdrop of an unusual locker room rift between other teammates makes his effort look more remarkable.
Jake Allen, New Jersey (2.29 GAA, .918 SV%)
The Jacob Markstrom injury reported last week will keep him sidelined until early March. That means Jake Allen is expected to take on a much larger role in the interim. The early returns are positive as he's backstopped the Devils to two wins in three appearances. He can look back at his career and point to several times where he's been a primary option, so he and his mates can feel confident in his abilities. When the club started this season he was viewed as an insurance policy tucked in behind Markstrom. It's time for him to pay off. So far, so good.
Trending Down
Jeremy Swayman, Boston (4.12 GAA, .875 SV%)
The challenge of being a busy No. 1 goalie is something Swayman was tasked with at the start of this season. More than halfway through this campaign, the sample size is significant enough to draw some conclusions. In 37 appearances, his GAA is at least 50 points higher than any of his first four seasons in the league, where he shared the role more equally. Is it all his fault? Probably not completely because he can point to the fact he's been operating without two of his best defensemen in front of him (Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm) for the last several weeks. But he bears some responsibility for falling short as well. Boston is in a real battle to qualify for the playoffs.
Igor Shesterkin, NY Rangers (3.33 GAA, .878 SV%)
Shesterkin makes another appearance at the bottom of this report, which is very unusual given his career-long track record of excellence. This uncharacteristic turn is more reflective of a less competitive roster than the one that earned the Presidents' Trophy last season. However, just like Swayman, Shesterkin has not been at the top of his game, posting the highest GAA of his career (2.83 over 28 appearances). These Rangers are not nearly as dominant as they've been in recent seasons.
Mackenzie Blackwood, Colorado (3.77 GAA, .876 SV%)
As Blackwood is on the wrong side of this ledger for a second straight week, there must be a few raised eyebrows from those in and around his new team. He'll need to buckle down to prove this is a blip on the radar and that his earlier performance was more indicative of what to expect from him. Let's let the dust settle from the recent big trade that has shaken up the roster before we draw any conclusions.
