NHL: Ranking the starting goaltenders of the Central Division
The NHL’s Central Division goaltenders’ will have their share of highs and lows in 2021.
The Central Division boasts seven starting NHL goaltenders, two of which will not be anointed in their roles until the end of training camp. For these rankings, I will assume that Juuse Saros (NSH) and Malcolm Subban (CHI) will be named the starting goaltenders (Yes, I know what they say about those who assume).
There is a strange mixture of inexperience and veteran goaltenders in the Central that we don’t tend to see in any division. Uncertainty looms over some of the men who will get the opening day nod, but there is talent between the pipes nevertheless.
Again, here is the criteria that I will utilize to help determine these rankings:
- GAA (Goals Against Average)
- SV% (Save Percentage)
- QS% (Quality Start Percentage)
- GSAA (Goals Saved Above Average)
- RBS (Really Bad Starts)
- HDGAA (High Danger Goals Against Average)
- HDSV% (High Danger Save Percentage)
Let’s kick things off with the seventh spot in these rankings.
94. . . . Malcolm Subban. 7. player
With the departure of veteran Corey Crawford, Malcolm Subban has been allowed to compete for a starting job for the first time in his career. The Blackhawks’ goaltending situation is currently in flux, but the 26-year old Subban has the most direct path to claiming the starting duties. Subban went 9-7-3 in limited playing time last season, finishing the campaign with a 3.17 GAA and a .890 SV%.
Subban was only credited with a QS% of 36.8 while tallying seven RBS in his 19 starts. His GSAA was a -10.63, so Subban’s numbers don’t necessarily indicate that the Blackhawks will have consistency in goal. There is a glimpse of hope that more consistent playing time can breed better performance, as Subban had a .803 HDSV% and a 1.85 HDGAA.
The Blackhawks announced their rebuild via letter this offseason, exchanging veterans for prospects, picks, and younger players. Although they have managed to piece together an enticing roster of talent young and old, their goaltending appears to be a huge weakness for the 2021 season.
98. . . . Cam Talbot. 6. player
Freshly signed to a three-year, $11 million contract, Cam Talbot is now the number one option in Minnesota. Talbot had a solid pandemic-shortened season, registering a record of 12-10-1, with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 SV%. He played well for Calgary, earning the trust of head coach Geoff Ward and getting the nod as the starter come the postseason.
Talbot should be a serviceable goaltender for the Wild if he continues to post similar numbers to last season. In 2019-20, the 33-year old had a QS% of 50 while only tallying two RBS and compiling a GSAA of 7.53.
Where he has to improve is making big saves, especially those from high-quality chances. Talbot finished with a below-average .799 HDSV%, but he did post a 1.36 HDGAA, which was good for 23rd. Talbot has yet to transition to a new home flawlessly, so expect some hiccups from the goaltender during his first year in the state of hockey.
5. player. 151. . . . Juuse Saros
It is still not confirmed that Saros will officially end Pekka Rinne’s reign in Nashville’s goal, but a Henrik Lundqvist-like situation is brewing in Smashville. Saros was the Predators’ starter in the postseason, and all signs point to him remaining in that role next year. He finished 2019-20 with a 17-12-4 record to go along with a 2.70 GAA and a .917 SV%.
Saros had always been a serviceable backup, making a tough transition to the starting job rather seamlessly. He had a QS% of 61.8 and a GSAA of 5.26 while tallying just three RBS. The 25-year old benefited from Rinne’s tutelage, remaining calm and poised despite some long offensive stretches by the opposition.
Saros did struggle in high-danger chances, recording a .798 HDSV% and a 1.65 HDGAA, numbers that will have to improve in 2021. Yet, the Finnish netminder had an excellent season and should improve upon his numbers if given a distinct role right out of the gate.
player. 103. . . . Philipp Grubauer. 4
Many people viewed the Colorado Avalanche as the most complete team in hockey outside of their goaltending situation. Still, Philipp Grubauer proved that he is more than capable of manning the pipes for the Avalanche. In fact, Colorado fell apart after his injury in the postseason, eventually falling in seven games to the Dallas Stars.
Grubauer had an 18-12-4 record in 2019-20, posting a GAA of 2.63 and an SV% of .916. The 28-year old had suffered an injury during the regular season and raised concerns about his health moving forward. But when Grubauer plays, he plays well, as he had a GSAA of 6.48 while only having four RBS and a QS% of 47.1.
The Avs goaltender did have an outstanding .819 HDSV% and an HDGAA of 1.58, proving his ability to make the big save. When healthy, Grubauer is a solid starting netminder that benefits from playing behind possibly the best overall team in the league.
3. player. 99. . . . Jordan Binnington
Jordan Binnington’s incredible Stanley Cup run in 2019 was all but forgotten after a miserable 2020 postseason. His post-pandemic struggles should not blur the fact that he is still a very talented goaltender. Before the pause, Binnington was 30-13-7, with a 2.56 GAA and a .912 SV%.
The 27-year old had performed well again for a St. Louis team that was a bottom feeder before his arrival two seasons ago. He had a QS% of 56 and a GSAA of 3.30, making the saves he had to make to backstop the Blues, turning in just five RBS in his 50 starts.
A 2020 NHL All-Star, Binnington showed glimpses of his rookie year, playing well despite the lofty expectations he imposed on himself with his otherworldly play during the 2019 postseason. He was still magnificent in high-danger chances, with an HDSV% of .867 and a 1.13 HDGAA, indicating that his lackluster bubble performance was a fluke.
119. . . . Ben Bishop. 2. player
Ben Bishop has consistently been one of the NHL’s best goalies, posting a GAA below 2.55 in each of the last seven seasons. 2019-20 was no different, finishing with a 21-16-4 record, a 2.50 GAA, and a .920 SV%. Bishop was deemed unfit to play in the postseason, leading to the emergence of Anton Khudobin, but make no mistake; this is still Bishop’s team when he is healthy.
The 6-foot-7 goaltender uses his size and positioning to cut down angles, leading to a QS% of 62.8% and a GSAA of 13.28. With only five RBS in 2019-20, Bishop showed that Dallas is a tough team to beat when he is in goal.
Every facet of Bishop’s game is composed and succinct, preventing goals from the outside and in-tight with ease. He had an HDGAA of 1.31 and an HDSV% of .849, miraculous numbers that allowed Dallas to boast the second-lowest Goals Allowed per Game Played total last year.
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1. player. 107. . . . Connor Hellebuyck
It only fits that the man who was awarded the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender is ranked first in the Central Division. Carrying a Winnipeg team that had lost a lot of defensive depth into the postseason, Connor Hellebuyck was a man on a mission for the Jets in 2019-20.
He went 31-21-5 with a 2.57 GAA and a .922 SV%, turning away glorious chances and an abundance of shots to carry the Jets. His GSAA was an absurd 22.40, and his QS% was a ridiculous 64.3, proving just how phenomenal of a netminder he truly is and was last campaign.
Despite starting 56 games, Hellebuyck had only six RBS in all of 2019-20. His high-danger numbers were solid, boasting a .823 HDSV% and a 1.65 HDGAA. Whenever a big performance was asked of Hellebuyck, he delivered, putting together a phenomenal season for Winnipeg.
The Central Division’s goaltending situation is certainly a mixed bag, but there is a lot of quality amidst the chaos. Hellebuyck, Bishop, and Binnington will be expected to continue their exceptional performances. Still, the remaining four goaltenders will be asked to raise their play level for their teams to succeed in 2021.
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Did I get it right? Let me know what you think of these rankings in the comments below, and be on the lookout for the final starting goaltender rankings, featuring the NHL’s Pacific Division.