This is the final in what was a series focusing on the top 10 at each position. We led off with centers in the first column followed by right and left wingers and then blueliners. This list is where each player stands around two-thirds of the way through the season as the NHL is in the 4 Nations Face-Off break. 

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets (third in pre-season column)

Helly, a two-time and reigning Vezina Trophy winner after his brilliant 2023-24, is the leading candidate to add a third trophy to his mantlepiece. He has played at least 60 games each of the last three seasons and is on pace to reach that mark again. Hellebuyck is 34-7-2 with a 2.06 goals-against average (GAA), a .925 save percentage and six shutouts over 43 appearances. This is the second straight season Helly has improved both his GAA and SV% as he gets better as he ages.

2. Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals (unranked in pre-season column)

Thompson, traded by Vegas to Washington this offseason, has taken his game to another level this season. He hasn’t lost in regulation since December 17, a span of 15 games, during which he has gone 12-0-3. Overall. Thompson, who has paired with Charlie Lindgren to have the Caps on top of the Metro and Eastern Conference, is 24-2-5 with a 2.23 GAA and a .921 save percentage over 31 games. He sits one win shy of matching his career-high in victories set last season and signed a six-year, $35.1 million contract extension with Washington last month.

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning (second in pre-season column)

Vasilevskiy, who took a step back last season, partially due to his late start after offseason back surgery, has been back on the beam this season. He still notched 30 wins in 2023-24, although that came with a 2.90 GAA and .900 save percentage, the third straight campaign his GAA rose and SV% declined. Vasi, who notched win #300, has turned back the clock, as he is 25-15-3 with a 2.32 GAA and a .918 save percentage over 43 starts this season. He's had no fewer than 30 wins in any of the last seven campaigns and should get to that mark again, with an outside chance at the 40-win mark.

4. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars (fourth in pre-season column)

I projected Oettinger fourth on a hunch. He had a down year last season, falling from eight-best in GSAx in the NHL in 2022-23 to 50th last year. With that decline, Oettinger posted a 2.72 GAA and .905 save percentage, a far cry from the prior year when he was at 2.37 and .929, respectively. Oettinger has looked more like the goalie we saw in 2021-22 and 2022-23, posting a 26-12-2 record with a 2.35 GAA and a .911 save percentage across 40 starts this season. He was one of the three goalies selected to play for the US in the 4 Nations Face-Off, backing up Connor Hellebuyck.

5. Jakob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils (eighth in pre-season column)

This is where we hit the coin flip section as several goalies could make an argument they deserve to be in this spot. New Jersey bet that Markstrom would fill the gaping hole that existed between the pipes, enabling the team to take a major step forward. This most certainly has been the case, as Markstrom, despite a bit of a slump before he was injured, is 21-9-5 with a 2.20 GAA and .912 save percentage. He will miss 4-6 weeks to the sprained MCL suffered January 22 against the Bruins, leaving the netminding mainly to Jake Allen.

6. Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild (unranked in pre-season column)

The Gus Bus has certainly had his stops-and-starts this season. Despite that uneven performance at times, Gustavsson has posted a 22-11-3 record, 2.63 GAA and .915 save percentage across 37 appearances with Minnesota this season. Those numbers are almost at the midpoint between his brilliant 2022-23 and fall from grace 2023-24 campaigns, enabling the Wild to retain a playoff spot. Marc-Andre Fleury has been solid as a backup and Jesper Wallstedt is likely the future, but Minnesota will likely go as far as Gustavsson takes them.

7. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers (seventh in pre-season column)

As noted in the pre-season column, Bob’s Cup victory likely sealed his path to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Add in two Vezina Trophies and fact he will surpass 400 wins this season, which he did, and the case is pretty much made. Bobrovsky, brilliant last season, may not be having as dominant of a season, but he still has been pretty darn good. He is 23-12-2 with a 2.66 GAA and a .902 save percentage this season, but his ratios are a 2.35 GAA and .915 save percentage since the start of January, evidencing that he recently has found his form after a somewhat slow beginning to the season.

8. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers (first in pre-season column)

I struggled mightily where to place Igor. When he was one on his game starting the season, the Rangers were dominant. A 4-15-0 stretch took the Rangers out of playoff contention, resulting in “The Memo” and expectations of a massive selloff. New York has somewhat righted the ship, though the team still is struggling defensively. The difference in Shesterkin this season has failed to consistently come up with the big save, resulting in him sitting with a 18-19-2 record, 2.87 GAA and .906 save percentage, but the talent to be an elite netminder is still there.

9. Mackenzie Blackwood, Colorado Avalanche (unranked in pre-season column)

For Blackwood, it’s been a Tale of Two Cities. In San Jose, despite playing better just prior to the trade, he was 6-9-3 with a 3.00 GAA and .909 save percentage. Following the December move to Denver, Blackwood has gone 14-6-2 with a 2.13 GAA and .922 save percentage. Colorado locked up Blackwood to a five-year, $26.25 million contract extension shortly after the trade, so he is penciled in as the team’s top netminder for the near future. Based on how he has performed for the Avalanche, you could argue he deserved to be higher on the list.

10. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders (tenth in pre-season column)

Sorokin, who had offseason back surgery, took a while to find his form. He struggled a bit initially, but his play since the calendar flipped to 2025 is a large reason why the Islanders are in the playoff hunt. Sorokin had a brutal 2022-23, as his wins fell from 31 to 25, GAA shot up from 2.34 to 3.01, and save percentage dropped from .924 to .909. This season, thanks to a strong six weeks leading up to the 4 Nations Face-Off Break, Sorokin holds a 20-16-4 record, .907 save percentage and 2.69 GAA through 40 appearances. Look for him to remain strong the rest of the way.

Honorable mentions:

Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights

Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes

Charlie Lindgren, Washington Capitals

Stuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers

Cam Talbot, Detroit Red Wings

Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames

Joesph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs