At both the beginning of the 2023-24 season, The Hockey Writers put lists together on the top 10 players for each position, as well as coaches. It goes without saying that it is a very tough list to do given how subjective it is, but nevertheless, we are going to take another shot at it.
As you will see, there are names on this list that have changed due to some goaltenders exceeding expectations through the midway point of the season. With that said, here are the top 10 goaltenders in the NHL through the first half of the 2023-24 season.
10. Sergei Bobrovsky
Outside of a miraculous stretch of play which led to a Stanley Cup Final appearance, Sergei Bobrovsky’s time with the Florida Panthers hasn’t gone as planned. With a cap hit of $10 million, he has failed for the majority of his time with the organization to give them the elite goaltending they had expected. That said, he is having himself a very solid 2023-24 season.
Through 36 appearances, Bobrovsky owns a 2.51 goals against average (GAA) along with a .910 save percentage (SV%) and a sparking 23-10-2 record. Playing in front of a very talented Panthers team helps, but it appears that his performance in last year’s playoffs helped build some confidence that he had clearly been lacking.
9. Joey Daccord
After an ugly start to the season, the Seattle Kraken have turned things around with eight straight wins, and Joey Daccord is a big reason why. The 27-year-old was able to crack the Kraken’s roster out of training camp as the backup to Philipp Grubauer, but few imagined he would become their number one in short time.
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Grubauer had been struggling this season, which opened the door plenty for Daccord. Now that the former is out with a lower-body injury, Daccord has really taken over, and has done a brilliant job. Through 34 appearances, he owns a 2.32 GAA along with a .921 SV%.
8. Jacob Markstrom
After a horrendous 2022-23 season, Jacob Markstrom is quickly proving that he is still a very good number one NHL netminder. Despite missing time with an injury in December, he has managed to appear in 29 games this season, during which time he has a solid 2.60 GAA along with a .912 SV%.
Other THW Positional Rankings:
Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but they don’t tell the full story. A deeper dive shows just how good Markstrom has been behind a rather week Calgary Flames team. His 7.2 goals saved above expected (GSAx) is 12th amongst all NHL goaltenders who have made 10 or more appearances. If he had a better team in front of him, he would be in plenty of Vezina Trophy conversations.
7. Connor Ingram
Connor Ingram has been one of the great surprises through the first half of the season. Entering the year, he had just 30 NHL appearances under his belt. This season, he already sits at 32, as he has taken over the number one role for the Arizona Coyotes.
In 25 appearances, Ingram has a 2.61 GAA along with a .916 SV%. He has played a huge part as to why the Coyotes have been in a playoff spot for a long part of this season, and is undoubtedly their MVP as of now. Whether he can keep it going over the second half remains to be seen, but he deserves his flowers at this time.
6. Jeremy Swayman/Linus Ullmark
The Boston Bruins have an elite goaltending duo. The issue is that it is hard to rank either of them given that they split the net nearly 50/50, giving them a slightly easier path to success than some of their counterparts. That said, one can’t deny how good both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have been yet again this season.
Swayman is fourth in the NHL for GSAA at 16.3, while his SV% of .924 is near the top of the league as well. Ullmark sits eighth in GSAA at 7.4, while owning a 2.78 GAA and a .913 SV%. Many thought both benefitted from playing behind a stacked Bruins team a season ago, but they are both quickly proving they had as big a role in the team’s success as anyone.
5. Charlie Lindgren
The Washington Capitals have no business being anywhere near a playoff spot with how poorly they have performed as a team this season, but they are seven points out with three games in hand, thanks largely to the outstanding play of Charlie Lindgren.
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Lindgren entered the season as a rather underwhelming backup option, as he posted a 3.05 GAA along with a .899 SV% through 31 games a season ago. This year, he has taken over starting duties and doesn’t appear to be giving them up anytime soon thanks to his 2.59 GAA and .916 SV% through 15 appearances.
4. Adin Hill
Had it not been for an injury suffered in late November, Adin Hill may be fighting for the top spot on this list. The Vegas Golden Knights goaltender has only made 17 appearances this season, but has been absolutely fantastic during that stretch with a 1.94 GAA and a .936 SV% to go with a sparkling 12-2-2 record.
Hill’s come up has been an unexpected one, as he was struggling to stick in the NHL before joining the Golden Knights last season. He really burst on the scene late in the 2022-23 campaign, and went on to lead his team to a Stanley Cup championship. Based on his play to start 2023-24, that was no fluke.
3. Cam Talbot
The LA Kings have the signing of the 2023 offseason in Cam Talbot. After the veteran netminder struggled last season with the Ottawa Senators, he was forced to settle on a one-year, $1 million contract with the Kings. He is quickly proving that many teams that looked elsewhere for goaltending help in the summer made a huge mistake.
Talbot has been outstanding all season long, posting a 2.59 GAA and a .911 SV% through 32 appearances. If the season were to end today, he would have a great chance at being named a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time in his career.
2. Thatcher Demko
The Vancouver Canucks are one of the NHL’s best teams this season, and Thatcher Demko is arguably the biggest reason why. The organization was looking for him to bounce back in 2023-24, and he has done so accordingly, posting a 2.44 GAA and a .920 SV% through 35 games.
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While Demko’s stats above may not indicate that he is deserving of second on this list, his GSAA of 17.3 does. That ranks second among all goalies across the league, and is why at this point he is one of the front runners for the Vezina Trophy.
1. Connor Hellebuyck
In a season where many of the usual elite goalies are struggling, Connor Hellebuyck has continued to remain at the top of his game. It was assumed that he and the Winnipeg Jets were going to be parting ways in the near future, until he signed a seven-year extension this past October. Safe to say, the Jets aren’t regretting that decision.
Through 35 appearances, Hellebuyck owns an NHL-best 21 GSAA. He has helped turn the Jets into a powerhouse in the Western Conference, as he is 23-9-3 on the season. There is still plenty of way to go, but he appears well on track to win the second Vezina Trophy of his career.