NHL: Top-5 goaltending tandems for the 2020-21 season
To be successful in 2021, it may not be enough for NHL teams to have only one elite netminder.
Goaltending tandems have become a theme in recent NHL seasons. The Boston Bruins (Tuukka Rask/Jaroslav Halak), New York Islanders (Thomas Greiss/Semyon Varlamov), and Dallas Stars (Ben Bishop/Anton Khudobin) have all implemented them effectively in recent seasons.
Now, with a short offseason and a condensed regular season, having a great one-two punch between the pipes is more important than ever. With that, here are the top-5 goaltending tandems in the NHL entering the 2021 campaign.
Honorable Mentions
Joonas Korpisalo/Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets
Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins teamed up to effectively fill the void left by the departure of Sergei Bobrovsky last season. Korpisalo was expected to be a big part of the replacement plan, while Merzlikins impressed in his rookie season.
During the 2019-20 campaign, Korpisalo posted a 19-12-5 record, a 2.60 goals-against average (GAA), and a 91.1 save percentage. Merzlikins recorded a 13-9-8 record, a 2.35 GAA, and a 92.3 save percentage to complement his partner.
Inexperience keeps this duo out of the top 5, though they will look to be key contributors to the Blue Jackets in 2021.
Philipp Grubauer/Pavel Francouz, Colorado Avalanche
This tandem helped the Avs advance to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2020, and while it may not qualify for the top 5, it certainly should be solid again this season.
In the 2019-20 regular season, Philipp Grubauer went 18-12-4 with a 2.63 GAA, and a 91.6 save percentage. Pavel Francouz burst onto the scene with a 21-7-4 record to go with a 2.41 GAA and a 92.3 save percentage.
Once again, a lack of experience on the part of Francouz, and a lack of experience as a starter by both, keep this tandem off of the list. With one of the best rosters in hockey playing in front of them, however, look for these two to continue to be impressive.
5. Carey Price/Jake Allen, Montreal Canadiens
Carey Price is one of the best goalies in the NHL, and he proved that once again in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After a regular season in which he posted below-average numbers by Carey Price standards, the Montreal star posted a 5-5 record with a 1.78 GAA, and a 93.6 save percentage in the NHL bubble.
His new partner was acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the offseason and now has the Habs looking like an elite goaltending tandem. Allen saw limited action last season behind Jordan Binnington but went 12-6-3 with a 2.15 GAA and a 92.7 save percentage in the regular season. He also made five playoff appearances, going 2-1-1 and posting a 1.89 GAA and a 93.5 save percentage.
Jake Allen‘s role as a backup in recent years is one reason this duo isn’t higher, but the main reason is simply the quality of players still to come on this list. Regardless of the position, though, Price and Allen will have to be at the top of their game to get the Canadiens back to the postseason.
4. Marc-Andre Fleury/Robin Lehner, Vegas Golden Knights
It might be a surprise that this duo checks in at number four, as Marc-Andre Fleury has been one of the best players in Vegas since the team’s inception, and Robin Lehner was a Vezina Trophy candidate in 2019. This just goes to show how many clubs have loaded up when it comes to goaltending.
In the regular season, Fleury was 27-16-5, recording a 2.77 GAA and a 90.5 save percentage. He lost the starting job to Lehner after the trade deadline but managed to improve his numbers in limited postseason play.
Lehner, who split his regular season between Vegas and the Chicago Blackhawks, went 19-10-5 with a 2.89 GAA and a 92 save percentage. In the playoffs with the Golden Knights, he had a 9-7 record, a 1.99 GAA, and a 91.7 save percentage.
There is no doubt that this tandem, matched with an incredibly talented roster, will find success in 2021. It will be worth watching how the playing time is split, as well as whether or not any Fleury trade rumors come to fruition.
3. Darcy Kuemper/Antti Raanta, Arizona Coyotes
In the 2019-20 season, these teammates both finished in the top ten in save percentage (92.8 for Darcy Kuemper and 92.1 for Antti Raanta) in the NHL, while Kuemper finished towards the top in goals against as well (2.22).
In the postseason, though, Kuemper really showed off his abilities in the Qualifiers against the Nashville Predators, allowing only 11 goals on 163 shots. In addition, he recorded a save percentage of 92.5 or higher in five of his nine playoff games in the Edmonton bubble.
This goaltending duo comes in at number three because we have seen these two players combine to be an effective pairing already, which is something that can’t really be said for numbers four and five. The Coyotes will rely heavily on these two players in the 2021 season.
2. Ben Bishop/Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars
The Stars have used this goaltending tandem method well in recent years, continuously putting themselves atop the league’s defensive hierarchy. In 2020, the importance of having two quality options was exemplified by the Stars’ Western Conference championship.
Throughout the regular season, Bishop was the starter, going 21-16-4 with a 2.50 GAA and a 92 save percentage, while Khudobin went 16-8-4, accumulating a 2.22 GAA and a 93 save percentage. In the playoffs, however, Khudobin stole the show and posted a 14-10 record, a 2.69 GAA, and a 91.7 save percentage.
The uncertainty surrounding Bishop’s ability to stay healthy in the upcoming season is a big reason why this tandem is number two on the list. What is certain, though, is that these two are both capable of carrying the load for Dallas as this unprecedented season looms.
1. Tuukka Rask/Jaroslav Halak, Boston Bruins
No team conceded fewer goals in the 2019-20 regular season than the Bruins. Anchored by two elite goaltenders, Boston claimed the Presidents’ Trophy last season and could be poised to make a run at it again this year.
Rask opted out of the NHL’s return to play fairly early, but his regular season performance prior to the stoppage was lights out. He went 26-8-6 while recording a 2.12 GAA, and a 92.9 save percentage. Halak, who took over in the postseason, went 18-6-6 in the regular season with a 2.39 GAA and a 91.9 save percentage. His numbers slipped a bit in the playoffs, thanks to the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
Boston boasts a tremendous lineup, but the best defense and the number three penalty-killing unit in the NHL starts between the pipes. With Rask now back in the mix, look for this goaltending tandem to pick up where it left off in 2020.
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The NHL features so many impressive duos in goal, and it will be fun to watch them in action when the league drops the puck on the 2021 campaign.