Goaltenders on cusp of becoming elite discussed by NHL.com writers

NHL Network airs its list of Top 10 Goalies on Sunday (7 p.m. ET). The list will likely be top-heavy with veterans who have proven their worth during several seasons and hundreds of games.
For this companion exercise, we asked NHL.com writers to identify goalies on the cusp of joining that group of elite veterans and who could be fighting for the top spot in the Top 10 list within three seasons.

Some may be on the NHL Network's list (none of the writers were privy to the list when they voted), but others may not.
To be eligible, a goalie must have played in fewer than 150 NHL games. Other than that, it was fair game to pick experienced goalies on the verge of becoming established No. 1s or prospects who could rise rapidly through the ranks.
Our writers delivered with an eclectic mix of goalies.
Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Matt Murray of the Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the votes, as expected; each is already an established No. 1 on an elite team. But after that, the voting was spread out. Antti Raanta of the Arizona Coyotes was a strong candidate, and some liked the thought of Carter Hutton getting a chance to be No. 1 with the Buffalo Sabres. Philipp Grubauer, another backup moving to a new team in the Colorado Avalanche, earned votes as well. Juuse Saros, the starter-in-waiting behind Pekka Rinne with the Nashville Predators, was a popular pick. Even
Carter Hart
, the uber-prospect with the Philadelphia Flyers, got a mention.
Our writers reveal some of their picks and explain the rationale behind them.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets -- No disrespect to any of the other goaltenders mentioned, but this was a relatively easy choice for me. Hellebuyck emerged as one of the best goalies in the NHL last season and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. He's just entering the prime of his career -- he turned 25 on May 19 -- and he only got better with an increased workload; his goals-against average (2.36) and save percentage (.924, .922) in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs were nearly identical. With a solid group in front of him, expect Hellebuyck to build on what was a stellar season. -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor

Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins -- With all due respect to Hellebuyck, no young NHL goalie has written more of a Cinderella story than Murray. I find it incredible that he had hoisted the Stanley Cup twice (2016, 2017) and was still eligible for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Murray's record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is 28-15 with a 2.08 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and six shutouts. When the crunch time of the postseason comes around, the unflappable Murray, 24, more often than not answers the bell. Nine months away from his 25th birthday, the best very well could be yet to come. That's got to be scary for opposing shooters around the NHL. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Antti Raanta, Arizona Coyotes -- It's hard to disagree with Hellebuyck or Murray, and as tempting as it was to pick a hot prospect like Hart of the Flyers or a more established young goalie like Saros, it was too hard to ignore the recent record of Raanta, who slipped under the threshold with 141 NHL games played after an impressive transition into a No. 1 role with the Coyotes last season. Never mind that his career .922 save percentage is higher than Hellebuyck and Murray, he overcame injuries early last season to finish with a .930 save percentage in his first shot as an NHL starter. Raanta's small but compact frame and crisp movement fit well with the more dynamic lateral attacks in today's game, and at age 29 he won't be too old three years from now. ­ -- Kevin Woodley, correspondent

Carter Hutton, Buffalo Sabres -- My colleagues fail to realize that Hutton, who's 32, is hungry to prove his value as an NHL starting goalie. He signed a three-year contract with the Sabres on July 1 after leading all NHL goalies last season (minimum 30 games played) in GAA (2.09) and save percentage (.931) while backing up Jake Allen with the St. Louis Blues. Hutton's.940 save percentage at 5-on-5 ranked second among goalies with a minimum of 1,000 minutes played. I expect Hutton, 63-39-17 in six NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Predators and Blues, to play more than 40 games for the first time in his career and thrive behind rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators -- Nice picks, gang. Too bad you missed the best of these up-and-coming goalies. Saros is the perfect storm for this exercise; a goalie with a very good track record across a not-too-small sample size, playing for a team that should be elite for the next few years. At 23, Saros already has two seasons as a full-time NHL backup under his belt. Starter Pekka Rinne, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, is 35. He has played fewer games in each of the past three seasons, and that trend should continue. Eventually he will cede control of the net and a seasoned Saros will step right in, playing behind one of the best defenses in the League. I expect his already-impressive numbers (2.42 goals-against average, .923 save percentage) to continue to improve. He could be fighting for No. 1 on the Top 20 list in three years, without question. -- Shawn Roarke, Director of Editorial