NHL goalies: Who are the 10 best goalies in the NHL at the moment?

The National Hockey League goaltenders play crucial roles in their teams. Over the years, the league has produced exceptional goalies who have pulled incredible stats. NHL goalies in the 2022-23 season have earned an excellent reputation for their performance, proving that the league's future is in good hands.

Ice hockey goaltending department requires diverse skills like good positioning, speed, quick decision-making, and a strong mentality. Who are the best goalies in the NHL right now, and what have they achieved? Sports Brief ranks the top 10 goalies in the league in 2023.

Who are the best goalies in the NHL in 2023?

NHL has over 64 goalies in a season since each team should have 2-3 goaltenders on their roster. However, a team can only field one goalkeeper on the ice during the game. Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Jake Oettinger are among the leading, with the best NHL goalies' stats.

Who are the best goalies in the NHL this year?

Igor Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender in the 2021-22 season. He is undoubtedly the best in the position. The key stats often used to rank goalkeepers are save percentage (SP), Goals Against Average (GAA), and Wins-Losses-Overtime losses(W-L-OTL).

Here is a breakdown of the best NHL goalies ranked from the 10th best to the most outstanding based on their stats and achievements this season.

10. Thatcher Demko - Vancouver Canucks

Demko is an American ice hockey netminder with cast experience. He has proved his talent despite suffering injury setbacks in the season. Demko has been Vancouver's first choice for the past two seasons.

9. Ilya Samsonov - Toronto Maple Leafs

Samsonov has been a reliable starter for the Maple Leafs when called upon. The Russian hockey goaltender has some of the best stats, making him rank among the most outstanding netminders in the NHL.

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8. Connor Hellebuyck - Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck is among the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy following an impressive season with the Jets in the 2022-23 NHL season. It is the first time he has received a nomination for the trophy since he won it during the 2019-20 season. The American finished the season with four shoutouts.

7. Stuart Skinner - Edmonton Oilers

Skinner took over as the No. 1 goalie of the Edmonton Oilers in December when the team struggled in the goaltending department. Since then, he has put together an All-Star season, one of the best by a rookie. He is the youngest netminder on our list.

6. Linus Ullmark - Boston Bruins

Linus is a Swedish ice hockey netminder who plays for the Boston Bruins. He has had one of the best seasons by a goalie in the NHL. Ullmark has the best save percentage this season, making him one of the top candidates for the Vezina Trophy.

5. Ilya Sorokin - New York Islanders

The Russian netminder is one of the best goalies in the league. Sorokin helped the Islanders reach the playoffs thanks to his brilliant saves. He was also ranked in the top five in every best goalie category this season.

4. Alexandar Georgiev - Colorado Avalanche

The Bulgarian-born Russian netminder began the season without real experience as a starter. Georgiev has proved his doubters wrong, with his stats improving as the season progressed. He has now among the best four goalies in the NHL.

3. Jake Oettinger - Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger deserves his spot as the third-best netminder in the 2022-23 NHL season. He is among the best young goaltenders in the league at 24 (as of June 2023). Jake has played a crucial role in the Dallas Stars' season, making him one of the best players in the team.

2. Andrei Vasilevskiy - Tampa Bay Lightning

The two-time Stanley Cup winner has had one of his worse regular seasons since the 2015-16 season, but his reputation and experience make him one of the best. Vasilevskiy's minor injuries largely contributed to his low performance, especially in the second half of the season.

Who is the leading goalie in the NHL?

New York Rangers' netminder Igor Shesterkin is arguably the best goalie in 2023. Shesterkin won the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy and got named in the All-Star for the first time in his career in January 2023. He is the seventh goalie in Rangers history to get selected in the All-Star Game.

1. Igor Shesterkin - New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin is a Russian ice hockey goalkeeper and among the best in the NHL this season. Igor is the Rangers' most important player. He ranks third in the number of wins (18) among NHL goalies with at least 25 starts and seventh in save percentage and goals-against average.

Who are the best NHL goalies of all time

Dominik Hasek, Jacques Plante, and Patrick Roy are among the best NHL netminders of all time, but who is the best goalie in the NHL of all time?

Many ice hockey experts consider Hasek the best in history because of his achievements in the 1900s with the Buffalo Sabres. The legendary Czech Republic goalie also played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. He bagged numerous awards, including six Vezina Trophies.

Who is the best goalie to never win a cup?

Every NHL goaltender dreams of winning the Stanley Cup because it is the most prestigious accolade that elevates their status. However, many outstanding netminders surprisingly failed to win the cup during their illustrious careers.

Curtis Joseph tops the list with 454 career wins (fourth all-time) but without a cup. He faced the third most shots of any NHL goaltender and is third in career saves and fifth in games played. Curtis spent 19 years in the NHL, playing for six teams, including St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Others are Ron Hextall, Roberto Luongo, and Henrik Lundqvist.

Who is the only goalie to score a goal?

Ron Hextall is the only netminder to score two goals in NHL history. He first netted against Bruins on 8 December 1987, then against the Capitals on 11 April 1989. The latest goalkeeper to score is Linus Ullmark of the Bruins. Ullmark scored against the Canucks on 25 February 2022. Other goal-scoring netminders are Chris Osgood, Martin Brodeur, Jose Theodore, Evgeni Nabokov, Mike Smith, and Pekka Rinne.

NHL goalies continue to contribute a lot to their teams' success. They are the last on the line to prevent the opposition from scoring. Almost every team has a coach for their goaltenders. They train and guide the keepers on various aspects of the game.

Sports Brief also featured the history of cornhole sport, one of the fastest-growing games in North America. Cornhole is a lawn game played by throwing fabric bean bags at a raised angle board with a hole in its far end. Many see it as one of the best activities for passing the time.

Some sources credit its origin to be in Germany around the 14th century, while others say it was invented 15 years ago in modern-day Ohio and Cincinnati in the United States. Follow the above link to understand more about cornhole and why you should consider playing it.