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The NHL this season has boasted some of the best goalie tandems in recent memory. Teams across the league have benefited from being able to turn to quality backups now more than ever, as the theory of the true workhorse goalie diminishes. Throughout the season, three goalie tandems have stood out as the premiere duos across the NHL.
These three goalie tandems are the best the NHL has had to offer in 2022-23.
#1 Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman
The Boston Bruins have to be pretty pleased with their goaltenders so far in a season that has shown so much success. The Boston Bruins goalie tandem might not just be the best this season, but maybe the best of all time. The Bruins have two true number one goaltenders that are not only elite, but love playing with each other.
Linus Ullmark has some of the best numbers in the entire league. He holds a GAA of 1.97, which is among the NHL’s best, and has a save percentage of .937. Swayman, in a much smaller sample size, has been nearly as elite as Ullmark. Swayman holds a .927 save percentage and a GAA of 2.21 in just 32 games played this season, cementing the Bruins' duo as the best goaltender tandem in the NHL.
#2 Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury
When the Minnesota Wild made the trade for Flip Gustavsson in a one-for-one deal to offload an incensed Cam Talbot to the Ottawa Senators, not even Wild GM Billy Geurin could have foreseen Gustavsson turning into the Wild’s best goalie and a Vezina candidate. But here we are. During times of the season, Gustavsson has stood on his head and won games singlehandedly for the Central Division-leading Wild. He is among the NHL’s leaders in save percentage with .932.
Not too shabby having a three-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender as their backup, but that is what the Wild have in Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury started the season abysmal, but in the last two months has saved his season statistics to above average. Fleury may not be the showstopping goalie he was in years past, but as a second option, he’s one of the league’s best.
#3 Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov
This tandem is less of a tandem and more of a Batman and Robin situation. Ilya Sorokin has lit up for the New York Islanders this season and owns some of the best numbers in the league. With the way the New York Islanders play in front of him, it’s no surprise that Sorokin is off to his best statistical season so far.
Journeyman NHL goaltender Semyon Varlamov has had a resurgent season for the Islanders, although his sample size is not as robust as Jeremy Swayman or Marc-Andre Fleury. Varlamov and Sorokin haven’t had any notable drop-off when the team has had to turn to either of them and are one of the biggest reasons why the Islanders turned their season around toward a possible playoff spot.
