NHL Goalie Report: Top Risers & Fallers Fueling Playoff Wildcard Battle

Last week, some top goalies showed their wares as central pieces to playoff aspirations, but their teams aren't locked in to playoff certainty yet.

A few more are floundering for a variety of reasons.

Top NHL Goalies Establishing Momentum and Playoff Relevance

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

Sorokin has maintained his profile as one of the best and busiest of NHL goalies. He does not have as deep a roster around him as several other perennial top goalies. However, he continued to his part with a pair of outstanding appearances that resulted in wins as he turned aside 64 of 67 shots on goal (.955 save percentage). His year-to-date stats are much better than goalie tandems on other Metropolitan Division rosters, and that's a big reason why the Isles rank second in this group. He did miss some time a couple of weeks ago, but David Rittich stepped up admirably. Sorkin is expected to continue to get the majority of starts in the upcoming schedule.  

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

The Jets dug themselves into a sizeable deficit in the Central Division race while Hellebuyck was on the injured reserve list earlier this season, and team fortunes didn't change in the early days of his return. However, more recently, he and the team have found a groove as he's lost only one of his last 5 starts in regulation time. Last week, he stopped 87 of 94 shots (.926 save percentage), giving a strong indication that he's back in top form. He is expected to garner a heavy workload as the Jets hope to battle their way back in a crowded wildcard race.

Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks

Knight has put together a strong series of performances to extend a personal streak to seven consecutive quality starts. This is not the first time he's shown this ability, and while there have been some bumps in the road, he has helped his club to escape the bottom of the Central Division standings for the first time in recent seasons. He has lived up to the hope that he could take on a number one starter's workload, ranking eighth in starts this season, while giving his team a chance to be competitive on a nightly basis.       

Alex Nedeljkovic, San Jose Sharks

Nedeljkovic extended a personal-best win streak to a season-high four games with a pair of wins last week. He allowed only three goals out of the 79 shots directed at him (.962 save percentage). He was acquired by the Sharks to be a backup to their budding young prospect, Yaroslav Askarov, and has been even better than expected. In fact, he's actually outplayed his prized partner this season, adding two impressive starts last week, saving 56 of 59 shots on goal (94.9 save percentage). In recent weeks, he's earned a larger share of the starts, to the point where the two goalies are now splitting assignments almost equally.       

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Since he returned from an injury absence that cost him a couple of weeks in early December, Vasilevskiy has played with a renewed focus. He collected three wins and an overtime loss in four starts last week, allowing only five goals against out of 91 shots on goal (.945 save percentage). He has far outplayed all of his Atlantic Division rivals this season and is the biggest reason that the Tampa club is slowly tightening its grip on first place in the group. He is now unbeaten in regulation time over his last 11 starts.  

Connor Ingram, Edmonton Oilers

Since he was acquired from Utah, where he was limited to a role with their AHL affiliate, Ingram has steadily built a strong case for regular NHL work. In his first nine starts with the Oilers, including three more solid efforts last week, he is now sporting an impressive 2.22 goals against average along with a solid .917 save percentage. He's pushing for more starts after splitting time with (and outperforming)  Tristan Jarry over the last three weeks.

Goalies Experiencing Declines and Questionable Recent Performances

Jonathan Quick, New York Rangers

This veteran goalie was expected to repeat his solid backup role from last season with the Rangers. However, an injury to Igor Shesterkin has changed those plans dramatically.

The Rangers have leaned heavily on Quick, and the 40-year-old goalie has struggled mightily in each of his last seven starts. He's at the stage in his career where he needs more time off between stats, as well as a defensively responsible lineup in front of him. Both of these aspects are currently missing from the Rangers' profile.       

Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa Senators

The continuing absence of top goalie Linus Ullmark (for personal reasons) ultimately placed a big workload on the shoulders of Merilainen in his sophomore season. Given the busy schedule and the lack of a viable backup, he made 11 straight starts, and that took a great toll on him, culminating with a pair of subpar starts last week. This ultimately resulted in his demotion to the AHL. Veteran James Reimer was signed recently and will now share the net with Hunter Shepard, who was recalled from AHL Belleville.

Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs

Woll had been seeing more positives that negatives outcomes in a season where he probably been playing more frequently than expected. His overall level of play has been solid, but there is a keen focus on him because of an injury-riddled past. He has managed his responsibilities quite well for the most part, having rebounded from his rare poor starts. Last week, he recorded consecutive poor starts for the first time, allowing 11 goals out of 62 shots on goal. He has to bounce back or risk the loss of playing time here, with Dennis Hildeby looking over his shoulder.

Injury Updates Reshaping Goalie Roles Across NHL Teams

Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs

Stolarz is on a conditioning stint with AHL Toronto and could be back early next week. He will get a shot to reclaim a top goalie role then.

Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights

Hill returned to the Golden Knights roster last week, appearing in two games, and has a path to the majority of remaining starts as Akira Schmid did not distinguish himself over recent weeks, and Carter Hart is on the IR until late February, nursing a lower-body injury.

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