No National Hockey League team can hope to have success without a great goaltender. But there are a few teams who boast both effective starters and capable backup options. Although some of the top teams are a one-man show; Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tampa Bay, Jacob Markstrom in Calgary, Darcy Kuemper in Washington, Thatcher Demko in Vancouver, just to name a few, there are a few squads who have effectively rolled out the tandem over the past few years.
A great goaltending tandem doesn't necessarily mean success, as a strong starter who can play upwards of 55-60 games in the regular-season and every minute in the playoffs is a blessing that few teams have. But keeping top goalies well-rested down the stretch is extremely important, as are the unfortunate reality of injuries in today's game. In that vein, let's count down the top five goaltending tandems heading into the 2023-24 NHL season.
Honorable mentions: Adin Hill & Logan Thompson, Vegas Golden Knights, Jake Oettinger & Scott Wedgewood, Dallas Stars, Andrei Vasilevskiy & Jonas Johansson, Tampa Bay Lightning, Igor Shesterkin & Jonathan Quick, New York Rangers, Juuse Saros & Kevin Lankinen, Nashville Predators
5) Connor Hellebuyck & Laurent Brossoit, Winnipeg Jets
Despite intense trade speculation and rumors that Connor Hellebuyck will not re-sign in Winnipeg, he remains one of the best goalies in the NHL and a perennial Vezina Trophy contender. The 30-year-old had another excellent regular season in 2022-23, posting a 2.49 GAA and .920 SV% over 64 starts. Hellebuyck is a workhorse, and should start upwards of 60 games next year if he remains in Winnipeg.
Laurent Brossoit was excellent for the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1 against the Jets, and he's now a Stanley Cup champion. He returns to Manitoba as the backup, but has the qualities to be a starting goaltender in another market and helps make up one of the league's top-five tandems.
4) Filip Gustavsson & Marc-Andre Fleury, Minnesota Wild
Filip Gustavsson was an absolute revelation for the Minnesota Wild during the 2022-23 season, and he was rewarded with a three-year, $11.25 million contract this summer. The Swedish star projects as the goalie of the future in the State of Hockey, and will look to help this team return to the playoffs in 2024 after a true breakout campaign.
Marc-Andre Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup champion who will go down as one of the best players at his position in history. At 38-years-old, his best days are behind him, but he remains one of the best backup goalies in the league. If the Wild do advance to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it could be a toss-up for who gets the Game 1, Round 1 start.
3) Frederik Andersen & Antti Raanta, Carolina Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta have been holding it down in Carolina since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, and the results speak for themselves. The Hurricanes were one win away from an Eastern Conference Final trip in 2022, and got over the hump last season, beating the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils before being swept by the Florida Panthers in the 2023 ECF.
Although health is a constant concern with these two (Andersen is 33, Raanta 34), when healthy, they make up one of the league's best tandems. Both can be called on with confidence in both the regular-season and playoffs, and after the unrestricted free agents chose to stay in Carolina, expect another standout season from both of them in 2023-24.
2) Linus Ullmark & Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
It was very hard to not put the Boston Bruins at No. 1 on this list after the incredible season that Linus Ullmark had in 2022-23. His incredible 40 wins in 49 starts, coupled with a sparkling 1.89 GAA and .938 SV%, made him a shoo-in for his first Vezina Trophy earlier this summer.
And Jeremy Swayman was no slouch. In fact, he was phenomenal in the games he played for the B's, and projects as an NHL starter next season. It takes two incredible goaltending seasons to produce 65 wins in 82 games, and that exactly what Boston got. They were arguably the best regular season team of all time. But Ullmark faltered in the playoffs and the Bruins went home early, leading to a mass exodus this summer headlined by the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
Ullmark and Swayman will likely be great next year, but don't expect anywhere near the kind of numbers they put up in 2022-23. Still, the two remain a top tandem in the game.
1) Ilya Sorokin & Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders
Ilya Sorokin was my pick to win the NHL's Vezina Trophy in 2023-24, and he's objectively expected to have a massive year on Long Island. Semyon Varlamov has been a great goalie throughout his career, and despite being 35-years-old, he can still play at a high level when Sorokin needs a rest.
Sorokin might be on the verge of taking the crown from Vasilevskiy as the league's best pound-for-pound goaltender, and an absolutely crucial year looms for the 28-year-old. With a fantastic defensive system and very solid blueliners in front of him, Sorokin is primed for another massive year in New York. Heading into training camp, the Russian tandem is the class of the NHL.
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