Ranking NHL's 10 best goaltenders entering 2025-26 season ft. Connor Hellebuyck

The 2025-26 NHL season is right around the corner. With it comes plenty of rankings and lists looking at the best players heading into the season. That’s why this list will focus on the top ten best goalies in the league.

It’s tough to choose only ten out of several great netminders. Nevertheless, here’s a look at the top-ten NHL goalies heading into the 2025-26 season.

Top-10 NHL goalies heading into 2025-26 season

#10 Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators picked up their franchise goalie in former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. The club promptly signed him to an extension as he led the Senators back to the playoffs this past season.

He posted a 2.72 GAA and a .910 SV% in 44 games. His 25-14-3 record doesn’t jump off the screen, but it’s more of a reflection of the team than on him.

#9 Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings

Former Stanley Cup champ Darcy Kuemper finally got the recognition he deserved by earning a Vezina Trophy nomination this past season. His 31-11-7 record in 50 appearances to go with a 2.02 GAA and .922 SV% were among the league’s best.

This season, it remains to be seen if he can follow up on his impressive numbers from last season. He’ll have a good team in front of him. So, there’s a good chance he will.

#8 Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild

Filip Gustavsson emerged as a workhorse for the Minnesota Wild last season. He appeared in 58 NHL games, winning 31 and posting five shutouts. His 2.56 GAA and .914 SV% were solid for a Wild team that made the postseason.

He’ll be counted on to continue his solid play as the Wild look to compete in a stacked Central Division with clubs like the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche.

#7 Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues

Jordan Binnington had an impressive 2024-25 NHL season. First, he backstopped the St. Louis Blues to an unlikely playoff appearance. His 2.69 GAA and .900 SV% in 56 games bolstered the Blues’ chances at nearly knocking off the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets.

Then, he took home the gold medal at the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team Canada with a stunning performance in the final game.

#6 Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

New York Islanders franchise netminder Ilya Sorokin was a question mark after it was revealed he had undergone offseason surgery. Whatever questions hovered around the Russian netminder were dispelled. Sorokin played in 60 games for the largely disappointing Islanders, notching a 2.71 GAA and .907 SV%.

Unfortunately, Sorokin could not lead the Islanders back to the postseason. The club faded down the stretch, missing the playoffs by a wide margin.

#5 Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger is one of the NHL’s best young netminders. His 2.59 GAA and .909 SV% paced the Stars to second place in the Central Division. He then backstopped the club to the Western Conference Final, where they eventually fell to the Edmonton Oilers.

Oettinger was brilliant in the Stars’ opening round victory over the Colorado Avalanche. His stellar performance allowed Dallas to knock off the Avalanche in a thrilling seven-game series. The Stars then walked over the Jets in the second round. Oettinger and the Stars ran out of gas in the third round, falling to the Oilers in five.

#4 Andrei Vasilevskiy

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrei Vasilevskiy was a perennial Vezina Trophy candidate, scoring five nominations. He backstopped the Tampa Bay Lightning two back-to-back Cups and three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances.

He had a down year by his standards in the 2024-25 NHL season. Still, that was plenty enough to earn the Bolts a playoff spot. The club fell to the powerhouse Florida Panthers in the first round.

#3 Igor Shesterkin

In keeping with the elite Russian netminders, Igor Shesterkin remains one of the NHL’s best despite an all-around tough season in 2024-25. The Rangers crashed back to Earth after the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy season. The club missed the playoffs even with Shesterkin posting a 2.86 GAA and .905 SV%.

The former Vezina Trophy winner will be looking to get back into high gear as his long-term extension is set to kick in.

#2 Sergei Bobrovsky

Sergei Bobrovsky has quietly put together one of the most impressive NHL careers. He has two Stanley Cups and 429 career wins. He notched a 2.44 GAA and .906 SV% last season.

In the postseason, he played every minute or every game, leading the Panthers to their third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance and second-straight victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

#1 Connor Hellebuyck

Connor Hellebuyck had a season for the ages in 2024-25. The Winnipeg Jets starter won 47 games, while sporting a 2.00 GAA and .925 SV%. He was, hands down, the best NHL goalie in 2024-25. He took home the Vezina Trophy.

He led the Jets to a second-round postseason appearance despite some shaky outings against the Blues. He also backstopped Team USA to a silver medal at the 4 Nations Face-Off, taking a tough-luck loss against Canada in the final.