The New York Rangers goalie may be right, but Sorokin has bragging rights of a sort over his buddy after becoming the 17th goaltender in NHL history to be credited with a goal on Saturday.

Sorokin was the last member of the Islanders to touch the puck before Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos missed on a pass in the offensive zone, sending it back into his own net with 12 seconds left, sealing the Islanders’ 7-4 win at UBS Arena.

With Predators goalie Juuse Saros on the bench for an extra attacker, Sorokin made a blocker save on Stamkos and denied Jonathan Marchessault on the rebound. Stamkos controlled the puck along the left boards after it skittered away from the front of the net, but his pass back to the point missed its target and didn’t stop until it hit the back of the Nashville net.

“I knew I’d do it before Igor,” Sorokin joked after the game.

FIRST NHL GOAL ALERT! 🚨

Ilya Sorokin makes the save, and the puck finds its way into the net at the other end! pic.twitter.com/pIB9alW8pT

— NHL (@NHL) March 1, 2025

No Rangers goaltender has ever been credited with a goal, although Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin, arguably the best puck-handler of his era, did become the first goalie to have two assists in a game on March 19, 1972, more than seven years before Billy Smith of the Islanders became the first NHL goalie to be credited with a goal. On Nov. 28, 1979, Smith, like Sorokin, was the last Islanders player to touch the puck before Colorado Rockies defenseman Rob Ramage missed connections on a pass from behind the Isles’ goal line and the puck slid back into Colorado’s net.

Bob Froese of the Rangers nearly became the second goalie to score a goal. He was originally credited with a second-period tally against the Islanders on Nov. 29, 1987, when Brent Sutter’s back pass during a delayed penalty misfired and slid into his own empty net.

But after Ed Hertensten, the game’s official scorer, reviewed a videotape of the 3-1 victory, the goal was awarded to defenseman David Shaw, who was judged to be the last Rangers player to touch the puck before it went into the Islanders net.

“I wasn’t sure during the game,” Froese said the next day, “but when I watched the replay I knew it didn’t hit me, and I went in and told the coaches.”

Sorokin’s goal was the 20th (18 in the regular season, two in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) credited to a goaltender; he’s the 17th different goalie to score a goal and the third this season. Eleven goalies have shot the puck into the net, with Ron Hextall doing it twice. The other eight have come when the goalie was credited with the goal by being the last player on his team to touch the puck before a member of the opposing team accidentally put it into his own net.

Shesterkin, who scored a goal in 2013 when he played junior hockey in Russia, has come within inches of doing it several times in the NHL and is considered one of the League’s best stick-handlers among goalies. He barely missed wide left against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 21, 2022, and again against the Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 23, 2023.

“I was mad at myself,” Shesterkin said of the miss against the Panthers. “I thought I would get a chance — and scoring in Madison Square Garden, I think it’s the dream for everybody, not only for goalies.”

Related: Rangers trade grades after acquiring Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen from Avalanche

A look at 20 goalie goals in NHL history

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders vs. Nashville Predators, March 1, 2025

Sorokin made two big saves in the final half-minute against the Predators before Stamkos misfired on a pass and the puck slid back into Nashville’s net. The goal, listed as coming from 172 feet away, provided insurance in a 7-4 victory at UBS Arena.

Alex Nedeljkovic, Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres, Jan. 17, 2025

Nedeljkovic picked up a dump-in behind his net and quickly shot the puck, which landed beyond the red line, bounced three times and slid into the Sabres net with 2:42 remaining in the third period. Nedeljkovic, who also made 40 saves, became the first goalie in NHL history with a goal and an assist in the same game. He also became the first goalie to score in the NHL, the American Hockey League (twice) and the ECHL.

Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues, Oct. 15, 2024

Gustavsson gloved Pavel Buchnevich’s slap shot from the neutral zone, immediately put the puck down, dropped to a knee and airmailed a shot through that sailed into the offensive zone and rolled into the empty net with nine seconds remaining in the third period. He also made 27 saves in the 4-1 win.

Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning, Nov. 30, 2023

Jarry made a save and lifted a shot from his crease into an empty net at 18:52 of the third period in a 4-2 win. NHL Edge stats showed the shot reached a top speed of 55.76 mph, covered 148.7 feet while airborne and maxed out at 16.4 feet above the ice. Oh, he also made 39 saves.

🚨 GOALIE GOAL! 🚨

Tristan Jarry is the 10th NHL goalie since 2000 to score a goal.#NHL | #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/8NPC7ITEPP

— Hockey Reference (@hockey_ref) December 1, 2023

Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins at Vancouver Canucks, Feb. 25, 2023

Ullmark knocked down a dump-in near his left post, then launched the puck up and over everyone; it landed flat just above the hash marks and slid into the net with 48 seconds remaining to secure a 3-1 win. Ullmark also made 26 saves to reach 30 wins for the first time in his eight NHL seasons.

Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks, Jan. 9, 2020

Rinne’s 29-save effort against the Blackhawks helped new coach John Hynes get his first win with Nashville, but he made history by controlling the puck behind the goal line and shooting it into an empty net with 22 seconds left to play.

Mike Smith, Phoenix Coyotes vs. Detroit Red Wings, Oct. 19, 2013

Smith barely beat the clock, scoring with 0.1 seconds left to cap a 5-2 win at Jobing.com Arena. After making 31 saves against the visiting Red Wings, he controlled the puck and shot for the empty net after Detroit had pulled Jimmy Howard for an extra skater. It barely beat the green light.

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes, March 21, 2013

Brodeur, the gold standard for puck-handling goalies, was credited with his third career goal and second in the regular season — ironically without using his stick. The goal came 3:54 into the game at PNC Arena during a New Jersey power play and technically is the only time in NHL history that one goalie scored against another. Carolina’s Dan Ellis was leaving the ice during a delayed penalty but hadn’t gotten to the bench when Jordan Staal’s back pass headed for the empty net. Ellis raced back toward his crease but got there too late to prevent the goal; he’s listed among the players on the ice. The Devils won the game 4-1, with Brodeur making 17 saves.

Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils, Dec. 26, 2011

Ward got a slightly delayed Christmas present when New Jersey pulled Johan Hedberg for an extra attacker in the final minute at RBC Center, only to have Adam Henrique fall down while trying to reach Ilya Kovalchuk’s pass to the left point. The puck slid down the ice and into the empty Devils net to complete Carolina’s 4-2 win.

Chris Mason, Nashville Predators vs. Phoenix Coyotes, April 15, 2006

Mason, who had been credited with a goal while playing in the AHL, got credit for one in the NHL at 10:47 of the third period when Geoff Sanderson of the Coyotes accidentally put the puck into his own net after Phoenix had pulled goalie David LeNeveu during a delayed penalty. It completed the scoring in Nashville’s 5-1 win.

Mika Noronen, Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs, Feb. 14, 2004

Noronen helped the Sabres survive a late-game barrage of shots by the Maple Leafs, then got his reward when a pass from behind the Buffalo net by Toronto’s Robert Reichel missed connections and slid down the ice and into an empty net, capping Buffalo’s 6-4 win at Air Canada Centre.

Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks, March 10, 2002

Nabokov became the first (and still only) goalie to score a power-play goal when shot the puck from his own crease into an empty net against the Canucks, who had pulled Peter Skudra. Nabby’s shot into the vacated net capped San Jose’s 7-4 win at General Motors Place.

Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadiens at New York Islanders, Jan. 2, 2001

Theodore made 32 saves at Nassau Coliseum before shooting the puck into an empty net to cap Montreal’s 3-0 victory. It came exactly two years after Ottawa’s Rhodes scored a goal and had a shutout; that combination has not been repeated in the next 24 years (and counting).

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers, Feb. 15, 2000

Among his other accomplishments, Brodeur is the only goalie to receive credit for a game-winning goal. He got it when Philadelphia’s Daymond Langkow accidentally put the puck into his own net 9:43 into the third period, giving the Devils a 3-1 lead. It became the game-winner when Philadelphia’s Mark Recchi scored at 11:59. Scott Niedermayer’s insurance goal gave New Jersey a 4-2 win at Continental Airlines Arena.

Damian Rhodes, Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils, Jan. 2, 1999

Rhodes was the first goalie to cap a shutout by scoring a goal. He was credited with one at 8:14 of the opening period during a delayed penalty when Devils defenseman Lyle Odelein put the puck in his own net after Brodeur had been pulled during a delayed penalty. That made it 2-0; Rhodes finished with 30 saves in a 6-0 victory at Corel Centre.

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils vs. Montreal Canadiens, April 17, 1997

This one had to be sweet for Brodeur, a Montreal native. He scored the first of his three goals in Game 1 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by shooting the puck into an empty net after the Canadiens had pulled goalie Jocelyn Thibault. It capped a 5-2 win at Continental Airlines Arena.

Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings at Hartford Whalers, March 6, 1996

Osgood was on his way to finishing 39-6 with five ties when he shot the puck the length of the ice into an empty net after Hartford pulled Sean Burke. It completed a 4-2 win at the Hartford Civic Center.

Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals, April 11, 1989

Hextall became the first goalie to score in a playoff game and the first to score a shorthanded goal. He shot the puck into an empty net after Washington pulled goalie Pete Peeters during a power play, capping an 8-5 win at Capital Center.

Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins, Dec. 8, 1987

Hextall, one of the most active goalies in NHL history when it came to playing the puck, became the first to score by shooting the puck into the net. He his length-of-the-ice shot went into an empty net after Boston pulled goalie Rejean Lemelin, capping a Philadelphia’s 5-2 victory at the Spectrum.

Billy Smith, New York Islanders at Colorado Rockies, Nov. 28, 1979

Smith became the first goalie to be credited with a goal when he made a save during a delayed penalty and was the last player to touch the puck before Rockies defenseman Rob Ramage missed connections on a back pass and the puck slid into an empty net after Colorado had pulled goalie Bill McKenzie. However, the Rockies went on to win 7-4 at McNichols Sports Arena; Smith is still the only goalie to be credited with a goal in a game his team lost.

The two Russian goalies have known one another since they were 16. They’ve played against each other in the KHL (Shesterkin for St. Petersburg; Sorokin for CSKA Moscow) and together on several Russian national teams over the years. Sorokin is the godfather to Shesterkin’s child and spent Christmas at Shesterkin’s house.

The two even got to play together during the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend, and they’ve trained together in Russia during the offseason – even combining to push a car together as part of their workout regimen in the summer of 2023. 

But they’ll put their friendship on hold Tuesday night when Shesterkin and the Rangers head to UBS Arena for the first of two games in a seven-day span against Sorokin and the Islanders.

It’s been an up-and-down season for both goaltenders, who’ve established themselves among the best in the NHL. Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy in 2022 and Sorokin was a finalist in 2023, when Linus Ullmark — then of the Boston Bruins — won the award.

Both also signed massive long-term contracts, befitting their status. Sorokin is in the first season of an eight-year contract that carries an average annual value of $8.5 million. In December, the Rangers laid out even more money to keep Shesterkin off the free agent market this summer, signing him to an eight-year, $92 million deal ($11.5 million AAV, the most ever for an NHL goalie) that kicks in next season.

Related: 3 storylines for Rangers archrival ahead of 2 crucial head-to-head matchups

Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin having inconsistent seasons

It hasn’t been a terrific season for either goaltender nor his team, each scrambling to earn one of the two wild-card playoff berths in the Eastern Conference.

Despite a brilliant 36-save performance Sunday in the Rangers’ 5-3 road victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Shesterkin is 19-20-2 with career worsts in goals-against average (2.98) and save percentage (.903). That’s quite a comedown from last season, when he overcame a midseason slump to finish 36-17-2 with a 2.58 GAA and .913 save percentage.

He was the biggest reason the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL regular-season champion in 2023-24. Shesterkin also was a major difference maker in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, getting the Rangers within two victories of their first trip to the Final since 2014.

But his gem in Pittsburgh came less than 24 hours after he allowed five goals in the first 18:21 of what became an 8-2 loss to the Sabres in Buffalo. Though he’s had dominant stretches, Shesterkin also has struggled at times behind a leaky defense. He’s allowed four or more goals 14 times this season, and when asked last Thursday to appraise his play, he replied simply: “Not good so far.”

The same could be said for Sorokin, who’s lost his past three starts and allowed four or more goals in each, including a 4-3 home loss to the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Before that, he won seven in a row, allowing a total of seven goals. He was named the NHL First Star for the week ending Feb. 2.

For the season, he’s 20-17-4 with a 2.71 GAA and a .907 save percentage.

Unlike Shesterkin, who has a quality backup in Jonathan Quick, Sorokin is flying solo. Semyon Varlamov, the Isles No. 2 for the past few seasons, hasn’t played since late November because of a lower-body injury; the Islanders said in early February that he’ll remain out indefinitely. Marcus Hogberg played superbly in five starts after the Christmas break before sustaining an upper-body injury on Jan. 22 and hasn’t played since.

That’s left the organization’s No. 4 goalie, Jakub Skarek, as Sorokin’s backup – coach Patrick Roy opted to use him against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 2 in the second half of a back-to-back set; he was unimpressive in a 6-3 loss.

Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin have struggled in Rangers-Islanders series

All that said, the spotlight will be on the two besties when the Rangers visit the Islanders on Tuesday and for the MSG rematch March 3.

What makes it the more intriguing is that neither Shesterkin nor Sorokin has been all that great in these Rangers-Islanders games over the years.

Shesterkin got the win when the Rangers defeated Sorokin and the Islanders 5-2 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 2 but has a losing career record against them – he’s 6-8-2 with a 3.02 GAA and .895 save percentage.

Sorokin is 3-4-2 against the Rangers with a 3.20 GAA and .907 save percentage. He is 0-3-2 in his past five decisions against the Rangers, each against Shesterkin.

His last win against the Rangers was a 41-save shutout in a 3-0 win on Long Island on Oct. 26, 2022, with Jaroslav Halak in goal for the Rangers.

With the Rangers in 11th place in the East, two points out of the second wild card and three points ahead of the Islanders, it’s a game each team has to have. They’ll need their star goaltenders to be at their best. Friendships can wait for a bit when there’s a playoff race afoot.

Each team is coming off a win on Friday night. The Rangers got another magnificent performance by goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who made 40 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators at the Garden. The banged-up Islanders gutted out a 4-3 road victory against the Buffalo Sabres on a night that saw them play the second half of the game with just four defensemen after Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly were injured in the second period.

The win against the Senators gave the Rangers a 7-2-1 record through their first 10 games. The Islanders are 4-5-2 and been shut out a League-high four times, including a 2-0 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. That’s also when their most dynamic forward, Mathew Barzal, sustained an upper-body injury. He was sent home, didn’t play in the win at Buffalo and was placed on long-term injured reserve on Saturday.

The all-time series between the local rivals is about as close as it could be. The Rangers have 138 wins, the Islanders have 136 (there have also been 19 ties). The difference is that the Rangers won three of the four games last season – one each in regulation, overtime (in their Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium) and a shootout. The Rangers are 77-53-6 with 11 ties at MSG, including three straight victories.

This is the only game between the local rivals until the Rangers visit UBS Arena on Feb. 25; they play three times in the final six weeks of the season, including again at MSG on March 3.

Related: Jimmy Vesey likely to make season debut for Rangers against Islanders

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Islanders

1. Igor vs. Ilya

Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin may play on opposite sides in one of the biggest NHL rivalries, but they’re buddies away from the rink. Each was a star in the KHL before coming to North America and among the best in the NHL the goalie position. Indications at their respective teams’ practices Saturday indicate they’ll face each other Sunday.

The two have been friends since they were teenagers coming up through Russia’s hockey system. The friendship has lasted through their time playing for two of the KHL’s biggest rivals and has continued during the New York-New York rivalry. They’ve even hung out together during the offseason.

Shesterkin has more accomplishments – he won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22 and helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final twice in the past three seasons. But he’s 5-8-1 with a 3.10 goals-against average and .890 save percentage against the Islanders.

Sorokin has fared a little better against the Rangers, 3-3-2 with the same 3.10 GAA but a .909 save percentage and one shutout.

“No friends on the ice,” Sorokin told The Athletic last fall. “After, we talk. But on ice, we’re professionals.”

2. Shuffling the lines

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette has kept his top three lines pretty much intact through the first 10 games. But after watching them get caved in during a 5-3 road loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday and outplayed even more severely by the Senators, the pairings could look a lot different when the Rangers hit the ice Sunday.

He made it clear after the win against the Senators that he wasn’t happy with the way his big guns played this week on both sides of the puck.

At practice Saturday, Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, who accounted for both goals against Ottawa, were moved to a line with No. 1 center Mika Zibanejad, who has struggled for most of the season, especially 5v5. Vincent Trocheck, who usually centers Panarin and Lafreniere, was between Will Cuylle, who’s impressed as the third-line left wing, and Reilly Smith, who had been playing with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Kreider skated on a third line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko.

“That’s three out of four games where I don’t think that we’ve taken it the way we want to offensively,” Laviolette said after practice, “so we gave it a different look in practice.

“If you’ve got to make some moves, things are going to change.”

Jimmy Vesey, who’s expected to make his season debut Sunday after missing the first 10 games with a lower-body injury, was at right wing on the fourth line with center Sam Carrick and left wing Adam Edstrom.

3. Rangers face battered Islanders team

The Rangers are catching the Islanders at far less than full strength.

Barzal was placed on LTIR Saturday, which means he must miss at least 10 games and 24 days. The Isles say he’ll be lost for 4-6 weeks. Pelech, who was hit in the face by a shot, is also projected to miss 4-6  weeks; he was placed on injured reserve. They were already without former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair, who’s out with a lower-body injury.

Two other defensemen didn’t practice Saturday and are listed as day to day. Reilly was helped off the ice after a thunderous second-period hit by Buffalo’s Jordan Greenway and didn’t return. It’s tough to imagine that he’ll be ready to play against the Rangers.

Alexander Romanov returned Friday after missing two games with an upper-body injury but didn’t practice Saturday, which might have been a maintenance day. He’s listed as day to day, but they’re hoping he’ll be ready to go. Coach Patrick Roy said Saturday he expects Romanov to play.

The Isles recalled defensemen Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from AHL Bridgeport, but neither is the caliber of Reilly, let alone Pelech, who will leave a big hole on the top pairing with Noah Dobson if he can’t play.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Zibanejad – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Trocheck – Smith

Kreider – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Lindgren – Fox

Miller – Trouba

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Islanders: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders

When: Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to Watch: MSGSN/NHL Network

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

Martin will attend Islanders training camp on a PTO, with a chance of landing a contract for the 2024-25 season.

“Matt Martin will be coming to camp on a tryout,” Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Friday, when meeting with reporters at their rookie camp.

Just last month, Lamoriello said that the Islanders will “probably be moving on” from Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Those veteran forwards helped form the Islanders’ “Identity Line” with center Casey Cizikas for the large part since 2013-14.

But Martin trained on Long Island this summer with the hope of getting another opportunity with the Islanders. The 35-year-old has played 955 NHL games, all but 132 with the Islanders. He is seventh all-time in franchise history with 823 games played, and sixth with 985 penalty minutes.

Last season, Martin accepted Matt Rempe’s challenge and fought the Rangers rookie on his first NHL shift in front of 79,000 fans at MetLife Stadium. Martin finished with eight points (four goals, four assists) and 43 penalty minutes in 57 games.

Fitting Martin under the salary cap will be difficult for the Islanders. Sitting right at the cap limit of $88 million, the Islanders would have to trade or release someone — a forward likely — from the NHL roster to make room for Martin on an affordable deal.

Related: Former Rangers goalie Keith Kinkaid trys to finish ‘Metropolitan-area trio’ with Islanders PTO

Rangers rival reveals Ilya Sorokin injury

Lamoriello also provided information about star goalie Ilya Sorokin which should catch the attention of the Rangers and all other Islanders opponents.

“During summer training, he had a little bit of a thing. He is skating, it’s nothing we’re concerned about,” Lamoriello said. “Will he miss the first day (of training camp), the first couple of days? Maybe, but I’m going to leave that up to the training staff.”

Lamoriello said that “thing” is an upper-body injury.

There was speculation about Sorokin because he wasn’t taking part in informal practices with teammates ahead of training camp. Lamoriello expressed surprise at recent rumors concerning Sorokin.

“There is no one with a more impeccable character and mental toughness than Ilya Sorokin,” Lamoriello said. “I was shocked and have no knowledge of anything that was rumored out there. … He’s been here all summer.”

A Vezina Trophy finalist in 2022-23, Sorokin struggled last season. He posted an NHL career-worst 3.01 goals-against average and . 909 save percentage and was pulled in his one start in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Islanders lost in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Islanders also have veteran Semyon Varlamov in goal. The 36-year-old stepped up last season with a 2.60 GAA and .918 save percentage.

Led by 2022 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, who finished fourth in voting as top NHL goalie this past season after a strong second half, the Blueshirts can confidently say they have one of the five best goalies on the planet. Backing him up is the future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick, who enjoyed a career resurgence at 38 years old with a .911 save percentage and an 18-6-2 record.

With Shesterkin and Quick both returning, the Rangers boast one of the top goalie tandems in the NHL. But is it the best?

That moniker has been held by the Boston Bruins the past few seasons, featuring the dynamic pairing of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Beyond their adorable hugging routine after games, Swayman and Ullmark weren’t just two starting-caliber goaltenders — they were two elite starting goalies.

Ullmark and Swayman finished sixth and seventh in Vezina Trophy voting this past season, making them the first tandem to appear together on the award’s voting since Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot did so for the Rangers during their 2014-15 Presidents’ Trophy season. And that’s, of course, after Ullmark took home Vezina Trophy honors in 2023.

But with Ullmark traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason, the tandem has been broken up, paving the way for a new duo to claim the mantle.

So where exactly does the Rangers’ excellent pairing rank across the League? Let’s find out. Here are the 10 best goalie tandems in the NHL.

Related: Igor Shesterkin believes ‘it should’ve been’ other Rangers goalie in 2024 NHL All-Star Game

Ranking top 10 goalie tandems in NHL right now

One quick note of clarification — both members of the tandem must have representable stats to be considered. That, unfortunately, eliminates a team like the Winnipeg Jets, who boast the reigning Vezina Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck, but have Kaapo Kahkonen (3.64 GAA, .898 SV%) as a backup.

An elite starter can boost the ranking, but he must be accompanied by a quality backup to get full consideration.

Honorable Mention: Toronto Maple Leafs — Joseph Woll & Anthony Stolarz

Do the Toronto Maple Leafs have the 11th-best goalie tandem in the NHL? Perhaps not. But after multiple seasons with subpar goaltending, they do have an enticing duo that’s worth keeping an eye on this coming season.

Joseph Woll’s numbers last season (2.94 GAA, .907 save percentage in 25 games) do not leap off the stat sheet, but he was one of the biggest reasons that the Maple Leafs forced Game 7 in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Bruins, after he entered in Game 4 and finished the 2024 postseason with a ridiculous 0.86 GAA and .964 save percentage.

Stolarz, meanwhile, was one of the best backups in the League last season and helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup, recording a 2.03 GAA and .925 save percentage in 29 games behind Sergei Bobrovsky.

Health will be a question for Woll and it’s curious to see how both fare with a larger workload, but there’s reason to buy into Toronto’s tandem next season.

10. Edmonton Oilers — Stuart Skinner & Calvin Pickard

The Edmonton Oilers fell short of hoisting the Stanley Cup, but the performance of their goalie tandem throughout the postseason should breed excitement for the upcoming season.

Stuart Skinner could not top his impressive rookie campaign and second-place Calder Trophy finish in 2022-23, but still finished last season with a respectable 2.62 GAA and .905 save percentage. An up-and-down regular season carried into the postseason, when he was ultimately benched during the second round. But Skinner regained the No. 1 role and rewarded Edmonton, finishing 9-6 with a sterling 2.05 GAA and .914 save percentage in his final 15 games after returning to the net.

Calvin Pickard had an excellent 2.45 GAA and .909 save percentage in 23 games as a backup during the regular season and didn’t look overmatched in the playoffs during his three games.

Skinner, 26, still needs to prove that he can play at a top level consistently, but the Oilers should be in good hands with this pairing entering the season.

9. Washington Capitals — Charlie Lindgren & Logan Thompson

Charlie Lindgren was a delightful surprise for the Washington Capitals this past season, finishing eighth in Vezina Trophy voting and receiving one Hart Trophy vote after he posted a 2.67 GAA and .911 save percentage as the No. 1 in D.C.

The Capitals acquired Logan Thompson this offseason to provide a 1a-1b scenario in goal. Thompson reassumed a starting role with the Vegas Golden Knights following an early injury to Adin Hill and was productive, recording a 2.70 GAA and .908 save percentage in 46 games in 2023-24.

Thompson is a clear upgrade over Darcy Keumper, who lost his starting job last season to Lindgren, and provides a nice safety blanket if Lindgren isn’t quite as dominant in 2024-25. But if Lindgren continues to play well, this is a mean duo.

8. Carolina Hurricanes — Frederik Andersen & Pyotr Kochetkov

The Carolina Hurricanes may not have the elite starting goalie that some of the other teams on this list boast. What they do have, however, is two legitimate starting goaltenders. It’s not quite a Swayman-Ullmark situation, but the Canes do have two netminders who should be able to play 40-50 games.

Limited to 15 games due to a scary blood clotting issue last season, Frederik Andersen was quietly brilliant, 13-2-0 with a 1.84 GAA and .932 save percentage. Pyotr Kochetkov, meanwhile, recorded a 2.33 GAA (best among goalies with at least 40 games played) and .911 save percentage.

Both struggled in the postseason, when neither recorded a save percentage over .900 as the Hurricanes were eliminated by the Rangers in the second round. Still, Andersen has a solid track record and Kochetkov is on the rise.

7. St. Louis Blues — Jordan Binnington & Joel Hofer

After a couple of down years, Jordan Binnington bounced back with an excellent 2023-24, finishing with a 2.84 GAA and .913 save percentage.

He was backed by Joel Hofer, 23, who received Calder Trophy votes as NHL rookie of the year with a 2.65 GAA and .913 save percentage in 30 games.

The duo will return for another season together, and while it may not be a particularly flashy pairing, there aren’t too many questions surrounding this tandem. Stability and ease of mind are a good thing when it comes to goaltending. Those aren’t phrases typically associated with Binnington, but it’s hard to argue about a goaltending unit that ranked fourth in the NHL in save percentage (.913) last season.

6. Dallas Stars — Jake Oettinger & Casey DeSmith

Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith are both coming off career-worst seasons in 2023-24. But there’s still a lot to like about this pairing heading into the upcoming season.

Oettinger’s save percentage dipped below .910 for the first time in his four-year career, when he finished the regular season with a .905 save percentage and 2.72 GAA. But he snapped back into form when the postseason rolled around, recording a brilliant 2.24 GAA and .915 save percentage in 19 postseason games, ranking third among all playoff goalies with 7.3 GSAA.

It’s a safe bet that he’s closer to the goalie we saw in the postseason. Keep in mind, he’s just one year removed from a fifth-place Vezina Trophy finish and still has a career 2.51 GAA and .913 save percentage, even after a down year.

DeSmith’s save percentage dipped below .900 for the first time in his career, after he appeared in 29 games with the Vancouver Canucks, but that’s coming after five excellent seasons as a backup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. A bounce back from both members of this tandem is likely, particularly Oettinger, who can be of the elite goaltenders in the sport.

5. Nashville Predators — Juuse Saros & Scott Wedgewood

Juuse Saros put the noisy trade rumors to rest with an eight-year contract extension that will keep him with the Nashville Predators through his age-36 season.

Perhaps it affected him last season, when he had a 2.86 GAA and .906 save percentage, the worst numbers of his nine-year career by a wide margin. He still finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting, and led all NHL goalies in games played (64) for the third season in a row, but his stats took an uncharacteristic dip. Odds are, it’s just a blip on the radar, and he’ll be back to his elite ways next season.

He’s played 64 or more games in every season since 2021-22, so the backup role may be less vital in Nashville, but they’ll have an experienced one in Scott Wedgewood, who joined the Predators as part of their free-agent frenzy.

Wedgewood posted a 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage in 32 games with Dallas last season. It’s not a remarkably strong season, but he’d recorded a save percentage of .910 or higher in each of the prior two seasons and has proven himself a reliable backup.

Saros should bounce back and continue to shoulder the bulk of the workload, and even if Wedgewood falters, the Predators still have Kevin Lankinen, who’s played to a 2.79 GAA and .912 save percentage in his two seasons with Nashville.

4. Vancouver Canucks — Thatcher Demko & Arturs Silovs

Thatcher Demko had the finest season of his NHL career in 2023-24, finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting with a 2.45 GAA and .918 save percentage. It’s far from the first season he’s been excellent, but this was certainly the best we’ve seen him.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in Vancouver’s first postseason game and didn’t play again. After DeSmith, the No. 2 goalie, also sustained an injury, it was Arturs Silovs who took over in net, starting the final 10 games of their postseason run.

Silovs had played just four games in the regular season but carried the Canucks past the Predators in the first round of the playoffs with excellent play in net. The carriage turned into a pumpkin against the Oilers in the second round, and he finished the 2024 postseason with a 2.91 GAA, .898 save percentage, and 5-5 record.

Still, he showed enough on the biggest stage to earn a new contract and the backup role. He doesn’t need to be a superstar with Demko in front of him, but if he can hold strong in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he should be able to be a solid backup.

3. Florida Panthers — Sergei Bobrovsky & Chris Driedger/Spencer Knight

Swayman and Ullmark may have been the crown jewel of goalie tandems last season, but Bobrovsky and Stolarz were right up there with the best of them, leading the Panthers to the lowest GAA (2.42) and second-best save percentage (.918) in the NHL. Unfortunately, with Stolarz signing in Toronto, Florida will have to turn elsewhere for solid production from their No. 2.

Luckily, they’ve got a couple of good options. Chris Driedger was signed this offseason, but don’t be surprised if Spencer Knight is the No. 2.

Driedger was rather average in the past two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, but he’ll return to Florida where he enjoyed his two best NHL seasons. Knight, meanwhile, hasn’t played in the NHL since February of 2023 after entering the NHL/NHLPA player’s assistance program to address his mental health. He played a full season in the AHL this past season, though, and should find himself back as the No. 2, especially since the 23-year-old will be paid $4.5 million.

Whether it’s Driedger or Knight, they’ll be backing Bobrovsky, who finished third in Vezina voting with a 2.37 GAA and .915 save percentage and started all 24 games on Florida’s road to win the Stanley Cup.

He’ll be 36 next season, but Bobrovsky is playing some of his best hockey. If the backup picture was clearer, Florida could top this list, especially if Knight reaches the high expectations from earlier in his career.

2. New York Islanders — Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov

The New York Islanders should have the most fearsome goalie tandem in the League. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give that nod to them after a head-scratching season from Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin wasn’t just unable to match his 2022-23 numbers, when he led the League with six shutouts, had a .924 save percentage and finished second in Vezina voting — no, his numbers fell off a cliff. The Islanders’ No. 1 surprisingly received one Vezina vote last season despite a 3.01 GAA and .908 save percentage.

Veteran Semyon Varlamov, 35, was far better, posting a .918 save percentage in 28 games and getting the starting nod in the postseason in four of their five games. The one game Sorokin did start was disastrous since he allowed three goals on 14 shots and was pulled after the first period.

Varlamov has been ultra-consistent with a 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage in his five seasons with the Islanders, so even if Sorokin’s struggles continue, the Islanders still have an excellent netminder. But if Sorokin can find what made him arguably the best goalie in the NHL just one season ago, this could be the best tandem in the NHL by a wide margin.

1. New York Rangers — Igor Shesterkin & Jonathan Quick

With the Islanders drop-off and questions behind Bobrovsky with the Panthers, the Rangers outstanding duo earns the top spot in the NHL.

Shesterkin deservedly gets his praise as one of the best netminders in the League, particularly after a postseason where his 13.1 GSAA ranked second among goalies. He carried the Rangers in the postseason, even when they were badly outplayed in the conference final.

Not to be ignored, however, is how vital Quick was to their early success. Quick didn’t lose in regulation for his first 10 starts and held down the fort when Shesterkin experienced some struggles until after the NHL All-Star break. Not many people had the 38-year-old winning 18 games this past season.

Shesterkin’s been a bit streaky the past couple of regular seasons, but he’s been nearly flawless in postseason play, and Quick has proven himself a more than trustworthy No. 2 who can carry the load if Shesterkin starts slow once again. And it doesn’t ever hurt to have a three-time Stanley Cup winner to turn to when needed.

There are a few goalies out there like Demko, Hellebuyck, and Bobrovsky who can contend with Shesterkin for the moniker of “best NHL goalie” but none of them have a backup who has Quick’s resume nor was as effective in his role last season.