Kristers Gudlevskis, a little-known fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, briefly turned the hockey world upside down in Sochi with an unbelievable 55-save performance that nearly pushed Latvia past Canada in the quarter-finals at the 2014 Olympics.
Goaltending can shake a short tournament like the Olympics or upcoming World Cup of Hockey. A look at the names likely to draw the bulk of starts in Toronto:
Canada
Starter: Carey Price
Almost unbeatable at the 2014 Olympics (three goals against on 106 shots) and the undisputed top goaltender in the world before a knee injury last season, Price is expected to be ready to carry the load for Canada at the World Cup. Just how quickly he regains top form will be a primary question for the pre-tournament exhibition slate, which begins in Columbus on Friday. The 2015 Vezina Trophy winner will have gone nearly 10 months between games by that point. Price doesn’t believe he’ll need much time, but the Canadians are covered regardless. Braden Holtby just won the Vezina Trophy, matching Martin Brodeur’s record of 48 wins last season. Corey Crawford, meanwhile, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago and a consistently excellent option.
United States
Likely Starter: Jonathan Quick
Like Crawford, Quick has captured two Cups and carries a reputation as the league’s coolest option between the pipes. The American starter in Sochi is coming off one of his finer NHL seasons, setting a career-high with 40 wins while landing a Vezina Trophy nomination. This is likely his crease to lose, though American head coach John Tortorella is admittedly struggling with a decision. Team USA boasts perhaps the deepest pool of netminders, underscoring Tortorella’s challenge in picking just one. Ben Bishop was probably the best American goaltender in the NHL last season, second in save percentage (.926), first in goals against average (2.06), and superb in the playoffs for Tampa (.939 save percentage) before going down with injury. Beyond Bishop is the underrated Cory Schneider, who might even be the best of this bunch. Schneider is second only to Price in save percentage (.924) since he became a full-time starter with the Devils in 2013. Regardless of direction, goaltending shouldn’t be a problem for the Americans.
Sweden
Starter: Henrik Lundqvist
Lundqvist is Sweden’s unquestioned No. 1 regardless of performance in Toronto. He’s backed up by Jacob Markstrom and Jhonas Enroth, neither of whom is likely to play at the World Cup. Lundqvist has showed no major signs of slippage even as he creeps into his mid-30s. Last season the 34-year-old Rangers star posted his seventh straight season with a save percentage of at least .920, finishing with exactly that mark in 64 starts. His fine performance at the 2014 Olympics helped Sweden to a silver medal (1.50 goals against average) and his presence this fall, with help from arguably the tournament’s deepest defence, makes Sweden a real threat to win it all.
Europe
Likely Starter: Jaroslav Halak
With Frederik Andersen pulling out of the tournament earlier this month due to injury, Team Europe’s crease almost certainly belongs to Jaroslav Halak. The 31-year-old was bothered by injuries last season, but played reasonably well when he managed to take the ice (.919 save percentage). The Slovakia native doesn’t have a great track record though when it comes to international competition, shelled in limited duty at the last Olympics. Andersen, who suffered an upper-body injury during a pre-Olympic qualifier, was his primary competition for Europe’s No. 1 gig. The backup role will now fall to Thomas Greiss, the German goaltender who fills the same role alongside Halak with the Islanders. With an aging defence core that features 39-year-old Zdeno Chara, the Europeans will need an otherworldly performance from Halak, an unlikely proposition at this point.
Russia
Likely Starter: Sergei Bobrovsky
Bobrovsky’s poor start likely cost Todd Richards his head coaching job last season in Columbus. While he briefly rebounded, the 27-year-old had a mostly wobbly fourth season with the Blue Jackets. Still, he’s Russia’s only Vezina Trophy winner and likely its top option at the World Cup. Bobrovsky split the goaltending duties with Semyon Varlamov at the last Olympics and indeed it’s the Colorado Avalanche goalie pushing for top duties again at the World Cup. Varlamov had an up and down season for Colorado last year, though no goaltender in the league had to contend with more shot attempts per game (63 on average) under the since departed Patrick Roy. The Russian roster is stocked with skilled, explosive scorers but is young on defence, meaning either Bobrovsky or Varlamov could be contending with a number of quality chances against. Young Lightning goaltender Sergei Vasilevskiy rounds out the trio.
Finland
Likely Starter: Tuukka Rask
The guts of the Finnish roster is booming with ambitious youth, but the lynchpin of a bronze medal winner from the last Olympics still remains in 29-year-old Tuukka Rask and he should be the nation’s starter in Toronto. The 2015 Vezina finalist is coming off an inconsistent campaign for Boston which saw him post a .915 percentage, his worst since joining the Bruins for good in 2009. He was strong for the Finns in Sochi though (.938 save percentage), the backbone of an aging squad that emerged as an unlikely bronze medal winner. This Finnish squad, led by hotshots like Aleksander Barkov and Patrik Laine, is significantly younger, especially on defence, making Rask an ever-important source of stability. His primary competition for the gig is Pekka Rinne, who also had his stumbles last season in Nashville. The Finns say a decision on their No. 1 hasn’t yet been made. Rask seems the likely choice.
North America
Likely Starter: Matt Murray
Maybe the most intriguing race for starting duties at the World Cup, the race comes down to Pittsburgh’s Murray or John Gibson, the present and future in Anaheim’s crease. A Thunder Bay, Ont., native, Murray emerged as the unlikely starter for the Stanley Cup champion Penguins, overcoming any stumbles with coolness and composure. North America has indicated that he’ll get the first shot. Gibson is the more experienced option, at least in NHL terms. The 23-year-old is coming off a strong second season with the Ducks, one that saw him split starting duties while pitching four shutouts and a .920 save percentage. Gibson also won a gold medal and MVP for the Americans at the 2013 world junior championships. Murray’s playoff performance likely gives him the leg up initially.
Czech Republic
Likely Starter: Petr Mrazek
Detroit’s Mrazek was probably the best goaltender in the NHL in the first half last season (.932 save percentage) before unravelling. The 24-year-old lost his starting job to Jimmy Howard at the end of the season, recovered it in the playoffs and then regained top form once more in a failed first round bid against Tampa. The Czech roster doesn’t boast much firepower, meaning Mrazek will need his at his best. He has moderate competition for the role in Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec and Michal Neuvirth of the Flyers, neither of whom offers the same upside.
