Tim Hortons That's Hockey
, TSN
By Jamie McLennan, TSN Hockey Analyst
It was a season of first things first for Tuukka Rask in 2013-14. He was first on ballots for the Vezina Trophy and first in NHL All-Star goalie voting. Now he is first in TSN.ca's Post2Post goalie rankings. The fabulous Finn has recorded save percentages of .929, .929 and .930 respectively over the past three seasons - a remarkable accomplishment - and heads up our 1-30 list of the NHL's best starting goalies.
1. Tuukka Rask
Boston Bruins | Age: 27
-
GP
58
-
W
36
-
L
15
-
OT
6
-
GAA
2.04
-
SV%
.930
The reigning Vezina Trophy winner has great feet and a great glove hand, a deadly combo.
2. Henrik Lundqvist
New York Rangers | Age: 32
-
GP
63
-
W
33
-
L
24
-
OT
5
-
GAA
2.36
-
SV%
.920
Steady and durable, he benefits from a solid defensive system in front of him.
3. Jonathan Quick
Los Angeles Kings | Age: 28
-
GP
49
-
W
27
-
L
17
-
OT
4
-
GAA
2.07
-
SV%
.915
The two-time Cup champ is all flexibility and is the NHL's most mentally-tough goalie.
4. Carey Price
Montreal Canadiens | Age: 27
-
GP
59
-
W
34
-
L
20
-
OT
5
-
GAA
2.32
-
SV%
.927
A future Vezina Trophy winner, Price has all the tools and has arrived in all facets of the game.
5. Semyon Varlamov
Colorado Avalanche | Age: 26
-
GP
63
-
W
41
-
L
14
-
OT
6
-
GAA
2.41
-
SV%
.927
The Second Team All-Star relies on reflexes. The Avs rely on him to bail them out.
6. Ben Bishop
Tampa Bay Lightning | Age: 27
-
GP
63
-
W
37
-
L
14
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.23
-
SV%
.924
The six-foot-seven netminder has to prove he didn't catch Lightning in a bottle last year.
7. Sergei Bobrovsky
Columbus Blue Jackets | Age: 26
-
GP
58
-
W
32
-
L
20
-
OT
5
-
GAA
2.38
-
SV%
.923
One of the hardest working goalies in league, he gives the Blue Jackets a chance to win every night.
8. Pekka Rinne
Nashville Predators | Age: 31
-
GP
24
-
W
10
-
L
10
-
OT
3
-
GAA
2.77
-
SV%
.902
Don't let a recurring hip injury fool you; he's still one of the best in the business.
9. Kari Lehtonen
Dallas Stars | Age: 30
-
GP
65
-
W
33
-
L
20
-
OT
10
-
GAA
2.41
-
SV%
.919
Lehtonen's an underrated puckstopper who can deliver great games and great athleticism.
10. Corey Crawford
Chicago Blackhawks | Age: 29
-
GP
59
-
W
32
-
L
16
-
OT
10
-
GAA
2.26
-
SV%
.917
Crawford's job isn't always to win games, it's to not lose them.
11. Roberto Luongo
Florida Panthers | Age: 35
-
GP
56
-
W
25
-
L
23
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.40
-
SV%
.919
@Strombone1 still has lots of game even if he has gone to a retirement haven.
12. Marc-Andre Fleury
Pittsburgh Penguins | Age: 29
-
GP
64
-
W
39
-
L
18
-
OT
5
-
GAA
2.37
-
SV%
.915
Regular season Fleury is significantly more dependable than post-season Fleury.
13. Ryan Miller
Vancouver Canucks | Age: 34
-
GP
59
-
W
25
-
L
30
-
OT
4
-
GAA
2.64
-
SV%
.918
Four seasons removed from the Vezina Trophy, he still gives the Canucks a playoff chance.
14. Mike Smith
Arizona Coyotes | Age: 32
-
GP
62
-
W
27
-
L
21
-
OT
10
-
GAA
2.64
-
SV%
.915
Arizona's best chance of reaching post-season again rests on his shoulders.
15. Jonathan Bernier
Toronto Maple Leafs | Age: 26
-
GP
55
-
W
26
-
L
19
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.68
-
SV%
.923
He has all the tools for greatness, but has to prove he can do it over long haul.
16. Cory Schneider
New Jersey Devils | Age: 28
-
GP
45
-
W
16
-
L
15
-
OT
12
-
GAA
1.97
-
SV%
.921
He played a career-high 45 games last year and is poised for breakthrough as starter.
17. Antti Niemi
San Jose Sharks | Age: 31
-
GP
64
-
W
39
-
L
17
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.39
-
SV%
.913
All the former Cup champ does is win but he doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.
18. Jimmy Howard
Detroit Red Wings | Age: 30
-
GP
51
-
W
21
-
L
19
-
OT
11
-
GAA
2.66
-
SV%
.910
He must have a bounce-back year for the Wings to reach a 24th-straight post-season.
19. Jaroslav Halak
New York Islanders | Age: 29
-
GP
52
-
W
29
-
L
13
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.25
-
SV%
.921
Good signing by the Islanders. He can deliver 50-plus capable games between the pipes.
20. Steve Mason
Philadelphia Flyers | Age: 26
-
GP
61
-
W
33
-
L
18
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.50
-
SV%
.917
He provided stability in Flyers' net, but can he do it for a second season in a row?
21. Brian Elliott
St. Louis Blues | Age: 29
-
GP
31
-
W
18
-
L
6
-
OT
2
-
GAA
1.96
-
SV%
.922
He has stretches of greatness but a history of faltering when faced with a No. 1 workload.
22. Craig Anderson
Ottawa Senators | Age: 33
-
GP
53
-
W
25
-
L
16
-
OT
8
-
GAA
3.00
-
SV%
.911
His save percentage went from .941 in 24 games (2012-13) to .911 in 53 games (2013-14).
23. Jonas Hiller
Calgary Flames | Age: 32
-
GP
50
-
W
29
-
L
13
-
OT
7
-
GAA
2.48
-
SV%
.911
He possesses the ability to steal games and will likely need to for his new low-scoring team.
24. Braden Holtby
Washington Capitals | Age: 25
-
GP
48
-
W
23
-
L
15
-
OT
4
-
GAA
2.85
-
SV%
.915
He will benefit from new head coach Barry Trotz and new goalie coach Mitch Korn.
25. Ondrej Pavelec
Winnipeg Jets | Age: 27
-
GP
57
-
W
22
-
L
26
-
OT
7
-
GAA
3.01
-
SV%
.901
He's wildly inconsistent for a team that needs nothing more than consistency from him.
26. Darcy Kuemper
Minnesota Wild | Age: 24
-
GP
26
-
W
12
-
L
8
-
OT
4
-
GAA
2.43
-
SV%
.915
He has lots and lots of upside, but he has to prove he can handle the pressure of being No. 1.
27. Cam Ward
Carolina Hurricanes | Age: 30
-
GP
30
-
W
10
-
L
12
-
OT
6
-
GAA
3.06
-
SV%
.898
The former Conn Smythe winner is a long way from his glory days in the 2006 playoffs.
28. Frederik Andersen
Anaheim Ducks | Age: 25
-
GP
28
-
W
20
-
L
5
-
OT
0
-
GAA
2.29
-
SV%
.923
The All-Rookie posted fantastic numbers last year. He'll work with rookie John Gibson this year.
29. Ben Scrivens
Edmonton Oilers | Age: 28
-
GP
40
-
W
16
-
L
16
-
OT
4
-
GAA
2.55
-
SV%
.922
A 59-save shutout in January notwithstanding, he still must establish himself as a No. 1.
30. Jhonas Enroth
Buffalo Sabres | Age: 26
-
GP
28
-
W
4
-
L
17
-
OT
5
-
GAA
2.82
-
SV%
.911
He earned the starting position in camp, now he has to prove he deserves the role.