Save for a couple anomalies — we see you, Dallas and Anaheim — there is a direct correlation between the NHL’s overall standings on and how capable (or inept) each team’s goalies have been at standing on their heads.
Sergei Bobrovsky can’t block a beach ball, and Columbus gets off to its worst start ever. Henrik Lundqvist plays as fantastic as his skin looks, and the Rangers look like a Stanley Cup contender again. James Reimer makes 43 saves, and the Maple Leafs win a hockey game.
Scraping all 30 creases, we unmask some interesting performances: Mike Condon is making Marc Bergevin look like genius for waiving Dustin Tokarski in Montreal; Frederik Andersen — the biggest bargain in an NHL net — is perhaps the only guy we can’t blame for the Ducks’ dismal October; and J(h)onases Enroth and Gustavsson have been literally perfect fits on their new franchises.
It’s the NHL Power Rankings: Grading All Goalies Edition, folks.
Note that teams are ranked according to overall strength. The blurbs and letter grades zero in on the performances of their goaltenders.
| Rank | Team | Previous | |
| 1 |  |
NHL.com’s goaltending statistical leaders page has been just a bunch of headshots of Habs. Though apparently not invincible, Carey Price is still some sort of deity. And rookie backup Mike Condon (league-best 1.60 GAA) is holding down the fort just fine in the MVP’s absence, thank you very much. |
1 |
| 2 |  |
Granted the tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen is expensive, but it’s working well enough to push the Stars atop the NHL’s toughest division. |
2 |
| 3 |  |
Los Angeles’s seven-game win streak was finally snapped Monday, but Jonathan Quick has regained form after a so-so start. We’d like to see the under-rated Jhonas Enroth (2-0-0, .984 save percentage) get more than one or two starts a month, though. |
6 |
| 4 |  |
The NHL’s highest-paid, heart-throbbingest goalie has been typically stellar: Henrik Lundqvist’s .943 save percentage is better than any other starter’s. New backup Antti Raanta has been damn near perfect in his two starts: 0.50 GAA. Fun to play behind this defence, eh? |
10 |
| 5 |  |
Pretty not bad showing for Jake Allen. The Second Star of the Week went 3-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average, .963 save percentage and one shutout, helping the injury-plagued Blues to three consecutive victories. That Brian Elliott got banged up Wednesday is concerning, but here is where goaltending depth is key. |
5 |
| 6 |  |
Marc-Andre Fleury ranks in the top three in every major goaltending statistical category and appears comfortable and happy while criticism shifts to other aspects of the franchise. Backup Jeff Zatkoff has played just once, but hey, he won. |
13 |
| 7 |  |
The Capitals’ 8-2-0 record in October only signifies the best start in franchise history. And while starter Braden Holtby looks stellar again this season, backup Philipp Grubauer has been perfect (2-0-0) in his starts, taking a little pressure off the workhorse. |
7 |
| 8 |  |
Yes, Pekka Rinne has the luxury of playing behind arguably the best blue line in the league, but there’s no reason he can’t take another run at a Vezina nomination. Dude has as many assists as losses (one). |
3 |
| 9 |  |
Remember when some Canucks fans were bummed Vancouver traded Eddie Lack instead of Ryan Miller? Well, that was before the veteran earned points in nine of his first 12 starts. “People don’t realize how good he is because he doesn’t give up the rebounds,” coach Willie Desjardins told Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “He’s taking everything so clean.” |
12 |
| 10 |  |
Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak have essentially split the workload in the early going here. Both have winning records and are performing above the league standard. |
4 |
| 11 |  |
Devan Dubnyk is proving he’s no one-hit wonder. The Wild’s main man is tied with Carey Price for the lead in wins, with seven. |
8 |
| 12 |  |
Deja vu in Winnipeg, as Ondrej Pavelec — solid again — is getting a good run for his job by the outstanding play of sophomore backup Michael Hutchinson, who has started five games and put up better numbers. |
11 |
| 13 |  |
Roberto Luongo is doing God’s work, making sure Jaromir Jagr grows back his mullet, and his 3-4-2 record belies a shiny .934 save percentage. |
9 |
| 14 |  |
There may not be an established No. 1 who gets less respect than Corey Crawford. Despite blowing a 5-2 lead Wednesday, the league’s 10th-highest-paid netminder has two shutouts and a .924 save percentage. |
16 |
| 15 |  |
Starter Tuukka Rask has been just OK, but Jonas Gustavsson has been a nice surprise in a support role. The Monster earned the job on a tryout and has now won all three games he started. |
14 |
| 16 |  |
The NHL’s murkiest goalie time-share situation. Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek are still battling for the crease, posting comparable (and decent!) numbers in six starts apiece. |
21 |
| 17 |  |
Underrated starter Craig Anderson and backup Andrew Hammond represent a top-10 tandem. Each knows his role. Each is performing up to expectations. |
19 |
| 18 |  |
Ben Bishop, the only goalie of consequence here, has no doubt played well but hasn’t outright stolen many games early. He’s lost more games (seven) than he’s won (five). |
17 |
| 19 |  |
Not sure anyone is getting more bang for their buck in net than San Jose. Despite getting yanked Tuesday, no goalie started hotter than Martin Jones, and the total cap hit for the Sharks’ crease is $4.6 million. Jonas Hiller makes $4.5 million. Discuss. |
15 |
| 20 |  |
Despite a willingness to start every game, Cory Schneider has been given a couple nights off. Problem is, New Jersey needs its stud goalie in to win. In his brief looks, Keith Kinkaid has yet to prove worthy of “capable backup” status. |
22 |
| 21 |  |
We wouldn’t wish Mike Smith’s 2014-15 on anybody. Now the No. 1 has a winning record and is a significant reason for Arizona’s sunny start. Bonus: Backup Anders Lindback has a .935 save percentage in three appearances. Keep it up and he could be the next Dubnyk. |
18 |
| 22 |  |
Stability in net is something we can write with regards to the Oilers, who have been getting decent (though not spectacular) work from new No. 1 Cam Talbot and new No. 2 Anders Nilsson. The Oil are still surrendering more than three goals a game, but the blue line and team defence are projects in progress. |
20 |
| 23 |  |
Though he plays behind one of the NHL’s weaker defence corps, Semyon Varlamov’s .890 save percentage doesn’t cut it. A mediocre team like Colorado needs superior goaltending if it’s going to steal wins. |
24 |
| 24 |  |
With both goalies in contract years, Frederik Andersen has performed admirably while the team crumbles around him. The great Dane’s 2-5-0 record belies his .934 save percentage and ability to fend off new guy Anton Khudobin for the crease. |
30 |
| 25 |  |
An immediate injury to Robin Lehner has been soothed somewhat by fellow Swede Linus Ullmark’s surprising turn. The 22-year-old sixth-rounder has two wins and is outperforming Chad Johnson. |
26 |
| 26 |  |
When Vancouver was seeking trade partners for Eddie Lack, the word was everyone viewed him as a backup. And so far, Cam Ward — contract year alert! — has reinforced that theory, outplaying the new guy through Month One. |
23 |
| 27 |  |
Sergei “I Have Zero Confidence” Bobrovsky is slowing gaining some back, with a pair of wins and a few highlight-reel robbies to go along with those eight losses. |
28 |
| 28 |  |
Mike Babcock and the Maple Leafs are intent on giving Jonathan Bernier (who does hold a better save percentage) the reins, but backup James Reimer has won twice in five starts. Bernier, who got banged up on Saturday, is 0 for 7. |
27 |
| 29 |  |
The tandem of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth has been OK, but their run support has been abysmal. Philly has the least productive offence in the East so far, mustering fewer than two goals a game. |
25 |
| 30 |  |
All three ‘tenders have seen at least four games of action, yet not a one has a save percentage above .869. Anyone want this job? |
29 |
