The Goalie Report: Risers and Fallers

In this column, we take a look at goalie performances over the past week, tracking which goaltenders' stock is rising and which ones' stock is falling -- including several starters who are in a groove as the playoffs are three weeks away while a couple of others look like they've run out of gas. 

NHL Goalie Report: Rising and Falling Stock Reports

Backstops Trending Up

Jake Oettinger, Stars (1.67 GAA, .950 SV%)

Oettinger appears to be peaking at the right time. We've come to expect a solid effort from him in recent years as he's consistently been a fixture near the top of most goaltending categories. It's the same story this season. He is definitely among the most skilled at the position and capable of handling a heavy workload as well. However, he is also playing behind one of the deepest lineups in the NHL. That only enhances his profile and chances for continued success.

Jordan Binnington, Blues (1.64 GAA, .933 SV%)

Binnington's current season has changed trajectory ever since he backstopped Team Canada to the win in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. In fact, it's been eerily similar to 2019, when he was promoted from the minors in mid-season and rode a wave of success all the way to the Stanley Cup. The Blues have been among the hottest teams in the NHL for several weeks. The confidence and groove that Binnington is in have no doubt spread to the whole team. With an 8-1-1 mark in their last 10 games, the Blues have climbed three points ahead in the race for the final wild-card spot. The way Binnington is carrying himself, it's hard to imagine that they will regress anytime soon.   

Adin Hill, Golden Knights (1.67 GAA, .932 SV%)

Hill has posted career highs in games played and wins this season. Even so, he won't rank among the busiest goalies in the league because his backup, Ilya Samsonov, has proven to be very capable in handling his share of the assignments without the team suffering any significant falloff in performance. Hill is currently also sitting on a career-best goals against average (2.48). He's fortunate to be playing behind another deep roster, which is among the league leaders in fewest shots allowed. He's certainly held up his end of the bargain and will be their workhorse in the postseason.

James Reimer, Sabres (2.69 GAA, .918 SV%)

Looking at the other names on the positive side of this list, Reimer stands out because he's the only one who's excelled despite playing for a team that is nearly mathematically eliminated. The veteran deserves credit for the way he has stepped in and locked down the backup role in Buffalo. In fact, he's outperformed starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the time they've been together this season. He certainly has done enough to plant a seed that could see him earn a contract extension in the off-season.

Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes (1.50 GAA, .952 SV%)

In recent years, Andersen has been limited by injuries that have prevented him from taking on a big workload. This will be the second consecutive season where he won't even reach the 30-game mark. The difference this year is that he's been healthy since mid-February and has more than held his own alternating starts with Pyotr Kochetkov. It may surprise you to know that Andersen boasts one of the top win percentages through his career, as compared to all goalies in league history. His current 11-5 record is in line with his career pace.

Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers (1.44 GAA, .942 SV%

This veteran has shown no sign of slowing down despite playing deep into the spring the past two seasons and has continued to excel during this regular season. It certainly helps to play behind a defending championship roster, but he's arguably been their most valuable player during this long, impressive run. So comfortable with their confidence in him, Panthers management was willing to deal away his backup at the trade deadline. Neither he nor his team has missed a beat since then. It remains to be seen if he'll play a reduced schedule the rest of the way before the playoffs. There's a sense that the Panthers aren't as concerned about earning the top spot in the Atlantic Division as their rivals in Tampa and Toronto.  

Goaltenders Trending Down

Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes (5.15 GAA, .756 SV%)

It's the first time this season where teammates appear in this column and it's odd that they're on opposite sides of the ledger, in terms of recent performance. For the most part, Kochetkov has held down the fort with a solid effort this season, but last week represents a low-water mark for him, and it's cast some real doubt about the lead dog in net as the playoffs are around the corner. The tandem is currently splitting starts, and there's a real chance that we may see both Hurricanes' goalies in a rare goalie share once the playoffs begin -- unless one of these guys far outplays the other over the balance of the regular season.   

Kevin Lankinen, Canucks (4.00 GAA, .800 SV%)

We've lauded Lankinen's efforts throughout this season and it's largely to his credit that the Canucks are only currently three points out of a playoff spot, in what has been a tumultuous year for the franchise, as the club has performed far below expectations.  That said, he picked a bad time to have a subpar week, with the stakes so high and his tandem partner, Thatcher Demko, returning to put up consecutive strong starts and earn a pair of road wins last week. We have to believe the Canucks will now look to Demko for the majority of their remaining starts.  

Tristan Jarry, Penguins (5.19 GAA, .816 SV %)

Jarry has had as up and down of a season as any goalie in recent memory.  He entered training camp as the top goalie in the Penguins organization, but stumbled badly early on and was sent to the minors. He rediscovered his form there and eventually earned his way back to Pittsburgh. The uptick in his fortunes took him back to where he was playing the lion's share of games here, as the Pens fanned their fading playoff hopes in recent weeks. His current three-game losing streak has likely ended all reasonable hopes for a playoff spot, but he will finish the year much more confident than he was at the start.