Super 16: Hellebuyck, Shesterkin, Swayman top goalie power rankings

Welcome to Goalie Week. NHL Social is celebrating goaltending with NHL Goalie Week from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1, reveling in the uniqueness and artistry of the puck-stoppers through the decades. Today, in a special version of NHL.com’s Super 16 power rankings, our writers and editors rank the top 16 goalies in the NHL entering the 2024-25 season.

Is there a more divisive player on the ice than the goalie?

You either love him or hate him. He's either helping your team win — sometimes stealing a victory — or he's crushing your hopes and dreams with each save.

It's goalie week here at NHL.com. We've written about our favorites from when we were kids, the goalies that made us love, or maybe even hate, the position. We've written about goalie records that will last forever. We've debated the best of all time. We've even touched on the present, with Yaroslav Askarov getting traded to the San Jose Sharks and the need for Joseph Woll to step up for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now we've got the mother of all goalie debates for you. The Super 16, goalie edition.

Who are the best goalies in the game today? How did we rank them, and why?

There's clearly a wide-ranging opinion on this, with three goalies receiving at least two No. 1 votes from the 13 participating writers and editors, led by Igor Shesterkin's seven. The 13 voters ranked a total of 29 goalies. There are 10 goalies that are in everyone's Super 16.

It all came down to math, as it does every week with our Super 16. The 13 voters put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like and a point total is assigned to each, with the goalie selected first given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on.

So here is the goalie edition of the Super 16, with a synopsis of each netminder and the reason why the writer/editor ranked him where they did in their own Super 16, which are listed at the bottom.

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Total points: 193

"It was a no-brainer to rank the Jets goalie at the top of this special edition of the Super 16. He is the best, most consistent, most durable goalie in the League today. A workhorse for the Jets, Hellebuyck won 37 games last season, second to Alexandar Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche (38). His .921 save percentage was the best in the League among goalies to play at least 30 games, and his 2.39 goals-against average was third behind Pyotr Kochetkov (2.33) of the Carolina Hurricanes and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.37) of the Florida Panthers. He allowed three goals or fewer in 50 of his 60 games and won the Vezina Trophy for the second time in his nine NHL seasons, this time in a landslide, getting 31 of the 32 first-place votes. But this is nothing new. Hellebuyck has played in 60 or more games in each of the past three seasons, registered a save percentage of .910 or better and a GAA of under 2.97 in each season. There is not another goalie that has as extensive a resume of sustained excellence." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

2. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

Total points: 189

"Shesterkin's numbers and impact speak for themselves. This is three seasons running now for the Rangers goalie. It's not a flash in the pan. The past three seasons, among goalies with at least 100 games played (i.e., No. 1 goalies), Shesterkin has the most wins (109), is second in save percentage (.921), third in GAA (2.39) and tied for second in shutouts (13). In the same span of time in the playoffs (minimum 10 games), he is second in wins (23), second in save percentage (.929), fifth in GAA (2.39) and third in games played (43). He struggled through the All-Star break last season (19-12-1, 2.86 GAA, .899 save percentage in 32 games), but a week of correcting his game coming out of the break was all Shesterkin needed. He went 17-5-1 with a 2.20 GAA, .930 save percentage and four shutouts in his final 23 games. He was back to being what he is, the very best goalie in the NHL, which is where I had him ranked, No. 1 in my Super 16." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

3. Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

Total points: 161

"Assuming, of course, that Swayman eventually signs a new contract, all things are pointing up for the goalie. He made a serious impression on the hockey world during the playoffs last spring, the biggest reason why the Bruins made it to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round before losing to the Florida Panthers. But not only was it his technique, his mastery of the game, his ability to handle the daily grind and the best that his opponents could throw at him as he put up a .933 save percentage and 2.15 GAA in 12 games. It was the confidence, the sense of self, that said that not only could Swayman be among the best, but that he would be. The pressure will be on as he assumes the No. 1 goalie mantle in Boston. Swayman can handle it, and that's why I had him No. 4 in my rankings." -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

4. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

Total points: 160

"What a season for the 35-year-old, huh? Bobrovsky was as outstanding in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as he was during the regular season, and the Panthers goaltender wrapped it up by winning his first Stanley Cup championship, and the first for Florida. That’s why he's the No. 1 goalie for me heading into this season. In 58 regular-season games, Bobrovsky was 36-17-4 with a 2.37 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and six shutouts, which tied for the NHL lead. He was a Vezina Trophy finalist for the third time, finishing third in voting after winning it in 2013 and 2017. He was 16-8 with a 2.32 GAA, .906 save percentage and two shutouts in 24 playoff games, saving his best for last when he made 23 saves in Florida's 2-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Like I said, what a season." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Total points: 158

"Let's not kid ourselves: if this poll were conducted two years ago, after the Lightning made their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance, Vasilevskiy certainly would have placed first, perhaps even unanimously. After undergoing back surgery last September and missing the first two months of the 2023-24 season, he did have a subpar (by his standards) season. A 2.90 GAA and .900 save percentage in 52 games obviously aren't the numbers he is accustomed to producing. Even with that blemish on his otherwise flawless resume, the 30-year-old is regarded as one of the best goalies in the world by most, and the very best by some. His athleticism remains second to none. Even Nashville's Juuse Saros, a superstar in his own merit, told my colleagues at the European Player Media Tour in Prague last week that Vasilevskiy's springiness and flexibility are the talents he wishes he had. He was No. 3 on my list." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

6. Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks

Total points: 148

"I had Demko No. 3 on my list and he might have been higher if not for lingering questions about the knee injury that sidelined him for all but one game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs after he missed 14 games because of a knee injury during the regular season (March 10-April 15). Demko was brilliant when he was healthy last season, though, helping Vancouver finish first in the Pacific Division, and he was second in voting for the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL, behind Hellebuyck. The 28-year-old was 35-14-2 in 51 games, and among goalies to play at least 30 games he was second with a .918 save percentage, fourth with a 2.45 GAA and tied for fifth in the League with five shutouts. Demko's health will be vital to the Canucks' success this season." -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

7. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Total points: 136

"Saros continues to be overlooked as one of the best goalies in the NHL. He has led or tied for the NHL lead in games each of the past three seasons, and has faced the most shots and made the most saves each of the past two seasons. He had 35 wins last season and is one of four goalies (Jake Oettinger, Shesterkin, Vasilevskiy) with at least 30 wins in each of the past three seasons. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2021-22, Saros has 106 wins, trailing only Shesterkin (109). The 29-year-old signed an eight-year contract July 1 and won't have to worry about top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov taking his job, as the latter was traded to the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 23. Saros has been in the top six in Vezina Trophy voting four straight seasons and likely will win it a few times before his NHL career is over. He is No. 4 for me." -- David Satriano, staff writer

8. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars

Total points: 131

"At 25 years old, Oettinger already has proven to be one of the best goalies in the NHL and was No. 4 on my list. He's led the Stars to the Western Conference Final the past two seasons, and has allowed two goals or fewer in 19 of his 38 playoff starts, including 11 of 19 during last season's postseason run. Since making his NHL debut Jan. 28, 2021, his 2.51 GAA ranks fifth among goalies (minimum 75 games), and he's one of 16 goalies with at least 10 shutouts. That his 2.72 GAA and .905 save percentage in 54 games during the regular season in 2023-24 could be considered a down season speaks to how high a bar he already has set. There's a lot of talent around Oettinger in Dallas, but it's the goaltending that is a big reason the Stars will enter 2024-25 again as a Stanley Cup contender." -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

9. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

Total points: 98

"A year ago, Sorokin was an obvious top-five pick. There was no debate. He was one of the greatest goalies in the NHL. He's still probably one of the best, but he will need to gain the confidence of Patrick Roy, who was hired as Islanders coach Jan. 20. Sorokin lost his No. 1 spot near the end of last season, starting four of New York's final 11 regular-season games and starting once in five postseason games. Roy was betting on Semyon Varlamov, whom he knew from their time together with the Colorado Avalanche. Sorokin still is in the top 10 in the NHL; he's No. 9 on my list. He should be back as the Islanders' main goalie this season. He's in his prime at 29 years old, and he's entering the first season of an eight-year contract he signed July 1, 2023." -- Jean-François Chaumont, LNH.com senior writer

10. Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators

Total points: 81

"Ullmark's trade to Ottawa this summer certainly opens the door to a fascinating narrative regarding his status as one of the elite goalies in the NHL. The 31-year-old was 40-6-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage in 49 games with the Boston Bruins en route to being voted the Vezina Trophy winner as the League's top goalie in 2022-23. Now he goes to an Ottawa team that has nowhere near the suffocating defensive system that has been Boston's trademark for years. Will his numbers dip this season? Probably. At the same time, you don't put together historic numbers like he did in his Vezina season by fluke, and that's why I have him at No. 8 on my list. Goaltending is the biggest reason a young Senators roster led by forwards Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson hasn't taken the next step and made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Joining a franchise thirsting for help at the position season after season, here's Ullmark's chance to be a difference maker. It says here there's a good chance he'll be exactly that." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

11. Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

Total points: 58

"Binnington won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. He had a .913 save percentage last season, tied for sixth in the NHL among goalies who played at least 41 games (or half his team's schedule). That's his best save percentage since he burst onto the scene in 2018-19 and had a .927 save percentage in 32 regular-season games and went on to win the championship. The 31-year-old has the swagger and skills to rank among the top 10 goalies in the NHL. I have him at No. 6." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

12. Stuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers

Total points: 54

"Skinner has accomplished a lot in his first two seasons as an NHL starter with the Oilers. The 25-year-old Edmonton native backstopped the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing 2-1 to Bobrovsky and the Panthers. During his rookie season in 2022-23, Skinner took over the starting job from Jack Campbell, played in the NHL All-Star Game and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Skinner should be considered a top-10 goalie in the League after going 36-16-5 with a 2.62 GAA and .905 save percentage in 59 games last season, and I have him at No. 9 on my list. He has yet to reach his prime and has the potential to be among the best goalies in the League. He will go into this season as the Oilers starter and is expected to improve on his first two seasons behind a talented roster. Skinner also should be among the goalies in consideration to play for Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

13. Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils

Total points: 52

"Markstrom appeared to be on the verge of superstardom after he went 37-15-9 with a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage in 63 games, and led the Calgary Flames to the Pacific Division title in 2021-22. But the Flames and Markstrom struggled the past two seasons; he had 23 wins in each of them, with his save percentage dropping to .892 in 2022-23 before jumping a bit to .905 last season. But I ranked him 12th on my list because of the fact he will have a new address in New Jersey this season. Like Markstrom, the Devils had a rough time of it last season. But by adding the goalie this offseason, along with defensemen Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon, plus the return of a healthy Jack Hughes at center, I expect big things from the Devils and Markstrom this season." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

14. Alexandar Georgiev, Colorado Avalanche

Total points: 36

"There is no doubt that Georgiev is an absolute workhorse. He started 62 of the Avalanche's 82 games last season, two fewer than Saros did for the Predators. Since becoming the Avalanche's No. 1 goalie in 2022-23, he has started 124 games, tied for second in the NHL with Hellebuyck and three behind Saros. He had 40 wins in 2022-23, good for a first-place tie with Ullmark, then with the Bruins, and last season he led the NHL outright with 38 wins. Now, a lot of that has to do with the team that plays in front of him, of course. But still, he's in there night after night. His save percentage dropped from .919 two seasons ago to .897 last season, which is a bit concerning. But still, he's a top-10 goalie in the NHL, which is why I ranked him No. 9." -- Price

15. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres

Total points: 31

"The Sabres have a No. 1 goalie in Luukkonen, which means now they have a chance to break the playoff drought that reached 13 seasons in 2023-24. Luukkonen, who was No. 11 on my Super 16, established himself as Buffalo's No. 1 last season when he was 27-22-4 with a 2.57 GAA, .910 save percentage and five shutouts in 54 games. The Sabres did not drive possession or offense, leaving them vulnerable defensively, but Luukkonen stepped up. He signed a five-year, $23.75 million contract ($4.75 million average annual value) on July 24. He has to build on last season for he and Buffalo to be taken seriously, but he set the bar higher than a Sabres goalie has since Ryan Miller. He's 25 and he's 6-foot-5. He's coming into his prime. It's his time." -- Rosen

16. Charlie Lindgren, Washington Capitals

Total points: 20

"I had Lindgren 10th on my list after he supplanted Darcy Kuemper as the Capitals' No. 1 goalie and was one of the main reasons they qualified for the playoffs as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference last season. Lindgren's emergence led to Kuemper being traded to the Los Angeles Kings for center Pierre-Luc Dubois during the offseason. The 30-year-old established NHL career-highs in games (50), wins (25-16-7) and shutouts (tied for League lead with six), with a 2.67 GAA and .911 save percentage. With Washington having a slim margin for error to reach the playoffs, Lindgren started 19 of its final 22 regular-season games and was 12-6-2 with a 2.39 GAA, .919 save percentage and three shutouts." -- Gulitti

Others receiving points: Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken, 12; Connor Ingram, Utah Hockey Club, 9; Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals, 9; Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights, 6; Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes, 5; Cam Talbot, Detroit Red Wings, 5; Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes, 4; Petr Mrazek, Chicago Blackhawks, 4; Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2; Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild, 2; Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders, 2; Marc-Andre Fleury, Minnesota Wild, 1; John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks, 1

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED ’EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Juuse Saros; 4. Jeremy Swayman; 5. Jake Oettinger; 6. Ilya Sorokin; 7. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 8. Thatcher Demko; 9. Jacob Markstrom; 10. Sergei Bobrovsky; 11. Linus Ullmark; 12. Alexandar Georgiev; 13. Stuart Skinner; 14. Joey Daccord; 15. Filip Gustavsson; 16. Jordan Binnington

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 4. Jeremy Swayman; 5. Juuse Saros; 6. Thatcher Demko; 7. Jake Oettinger; 8. Sergei Bobrovsky; 9. Ilya Sorokin; 10. Stuart Skinner; 11. Linus Ullmark; 12. Jacob Markstrom; 13. Jordan Binnington; 14. Connor Ingram; 15. Charlie Lindgren; 16. Alexandar Georgiev

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Sergei Bobrovsky; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 4. Thatcher Demko; 5. Jeremy Swayman; 6. Jordan Binnington; 7. Igor Shesterkin; 8. Linus Ullmark; 9. Juuse Saros; 10. Jake Oettinger; 11. Stuart Skinner; 12. Ilya Sorokin; 13. Alexandar Georgiev; 14. Jacob Markstrom; 15. Joey Daccord; 16. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

TOM GULITTI

1. Connor Hellebuyck; 2. Igor Shesterkin; 3. Thatcher Demko; 4. Sergei Bobrovsky; 5. Jeremy Swayman; 6. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 7. Juuse Saros; 8. Linus Ullmark; 9. Jake Oettinger; 10. Charlie Lindgren; 11. Ilya Sorokin; 12. Connor Ingram; 13. Jordan Binnington; 14. Jacob Markstrom; 15. Adin Hill; 16. Joey Daccord

ADAM KIMELMAN

1. Connor Hellebuyck; 2. Igor Shesterkin; 3. Jeremy Swayman; 4. Jake Oettinger; 5. Juuse Saros; 6. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 7. Sergei Bobrovsky; 8. Ilya Sorokin; 9. Thatcher Demko; 10. Linus Ullmark; 11. Jacob Markstrom; 12. Jordan Binnington; 13. Logan Thompson; 14. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 15. Pyotr Kochetkov; 16. Joey Daccord

TRACEY MYERS

1. Sergei Bobrovsky; 2. Thatcher Demko; 3. Connor Hellebuyck; 4. Igor Shesterkin; 5. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 6. Jeremy Swayman; 7. Linus Ullmark; 8. Ilya Sorokin; 9. Stuart Skinner; 10. Jake Oettinger; 11. Charlie Lindgren; 12. Juuse Saros; 13. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 14. Pyotr Kochetkov; 15. Jacob Markstrom; 16. Cam Talbot

BILL PRICE

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 4. Jeremy Swayman; 5. Ilya Sorokin; 6. Juuse Saros; 7. Sergei Bobrovsky; 8. Thatcher Demko; 9. Alexandar Georgiev; 10. Jake Oettinger; 11. Stuart Skinner; 12. Jacob Markstrom; 13. Jordan Binnington; 14. Joey Daccord; 15. Linus Ullmark; 16. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

SHAWN P. ROARKE

1. Connor Hellebuyck; 2. Sergei Bobrovsky; 3. Jake Oettinger; 4. Thatcher Demko; 5. Jeremy Swayman; 6. Igor Shesterkin; 7. Jusse Saros; 8. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 9. Jordan Binnington; 10. Alexandar Georgiev; 11. Ilya Sorokin; 12. Charlie Lindgren; 13. Linus Ullmark; 14. Jacob Markstrom; 15. Joey Daccord; 16. Connor Ingram

DAN ROSEN

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 3. Jeremy Swayman; 4. Connor Hellebuyck; 5. Juuse Saros; 6. Sergei Bobrovsky; 7. Jake Oettinger; 8. Thatcher Demko; 9. Linus Ullmark; 10. Ilya Sorokin; 11. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 12. Jordan Binnington; 13. Stuart Skinner; 14. Jacob Markstrom; 15. Adin Hill; 16. John Gibson

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Jeremy Swayman; 4. Juuse Saros; 5. Thatcher Demko; 6. Sergei Bobrovsky; 7. Jake Oettinger; 8. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 9. Ilya Sorokin; 10. Alexandar Georgiev; 11. Jacob Markstrom; 12. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 13. Stuart Skinner; 14. Frederik Andersen; 15. Joseph Woll; 16. Linus Ullmark

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Connor Hellebuyck; 3. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 4. Sergei Bobrovsky; 5. Thatcher Demko; 6. Jeremy Swayman; 7. Juuse Saros; 8. Jake Oettinger; 9. Linus Ullmark; 10. Ilya Sorokin; 11. Jordan Binnington; 12. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 13. Petr Mrazek; 14. Cam Talbot; 15. Semyon Varlamov; 16. Marc-Andre Fleury

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Connor Hellebuyck; 2. Sergei Bobrovsky; 3. Jake Oettinger; 4. Igor Shesterkin; 5. Thatcher Demko; 6. Juuse Saros; 7. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 8. Jeremy Swayman; 9. Stuart Skinner; 10. Jordan Binnington; 11. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; 12. Logan Thompson; 13. Ilya Sorokin; 14. Jacob Markstrom; 15. Linus Ullmark; 16. Cam Talbot

MIKE ZEISBERGER

1. Igor Shesterkin; 2. Andrei Vasilevskiy; 3. Sergei Bobrovsky; 4. Jeremy Swayman; 5. Connor Hellebuyck; 6. Thatcher Demko; 7. Jake Oettinger; 8. Linus Ullmark; 9. Juuse Saros; 10. Stuart Skinner; 11. Ilya Sorokin; 12. Jacob Markstrom; 13. Alexandar Georgiev; 14. Jordan Binnington; 15. Adin Hill; 16. Frederik Andersen