November 20, 2024 by Bob Schmidt

Every month, I will be tabulating a goaltending power rankings chart and sharing the top 10 here on The Heavy Hockey Network. This chart comes to form based on calculations stemming from 25 statistical categories from five different sources. There is a minimum requirement of there games played for this list.

1. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

October stats: 4-2-1, 2.44 GAA, .923 SV%, one shutout

Key October performance: 34 saves on 35 shots in a 4-1 win vs. Toronto Maple Leafs – Oct 19

The New York Rangers were expected to be one of the top teams in the NHL coming this season, and Shesterkin is a major reason why they could repeat as President’s Trophy winners. The 28-year-old Russian netminder could not have started the season better than with a 31-save shutout against the Pittsburgh Penguins on opening-night. The 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner will be relied upon fairly heavily this season, as evidenced early on when he started seven of his team’s nine games in October. In the above noted game against the Leafs, Shesterkin faced 16 shots alone from the combination of Auston Matthews, who is the reigning Maurice “Rocket” Richard winner with 69 goals, and William Nylander, who is fresh off his first 40-goal campaign, stopping all but one.

2. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes

October stats: 3-1-0, 1.48 GAA, .941 SV%

Key October performance: 33 saves on 35 shots in a 3-2 OT win vs. Edmonton Oilers – Oct 22

The Carolina Hurricanes appear to be utilizing a 1A/1B goaltending rotation with the 12-year veteran Frederik Andersen sharing the cage with Pyotr Kochetkov, who is just entering his third full season. This competition for crease time has brought out the best in Andersen, as he currently is besting his counterpart in both goals against average (1.48 to 2.72) and save percentage (.941 to .878). All four of his starts were deemed quality starts (starts with SV% greater than average SV% for the year, or at least .885 on nights with 20 or fewer shots against). The key for Andersen will be staying healthy as the Danish netminder has battled injuries over the past two seasons.

3. Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

October stats: 4-2-2, 1.99, .945, one shutout

Key October performance: 40 saves on 41 shots in a 3-1 win vs. New York Islanders – Oct 29

With John Gibson unavailable to the Anaheim Ducks for the beginning of this season after an appendectomy, the starter’s job opened up for Dostal, and he has made the most of it thus far. The 24-year-old Czechia native began the season by posting a 30-save shutout over the San Jose Sharks. In three of his October starts, Dostal faced over 40 shots, winning one of them and losing the other two in overtime, while posting save percentages of .918, .976 and .956. If he can maintain this level of play on a rebuilding team, it will be difficult for Gibson to reclaim the No. 1 job when he returns to action.

4. Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild

October stats: 4-1-1, 2.17 GAA, .922 SV%

Key October performance: 31 saves on 33 shots in a 3-2 win vs. Columbus Blue Jackets – Oct 10

The Minnesota Wild are hoping for a bounce back season from their 26-year-old netminder who is coming off a disappointing 2023-24 campaign that saw him post subpar numbers in both goals against average (3.06) and save percentage (.899), and a dismal 42% in quality starts. Gustavsson’s start to this season suggests he might be back on track as being the solid starting goaltender the Wild anticipated he would be back when they signed him in 2023. In his first five starts, the Swedish puck stopper helped backstop his team to four wins and nine of a possible 10 points. Gustavsson’s resurgence would go a long way in an overall season resurgence for the Wild.

5. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

October stats: 2-2-1, 1.80 GAA, .932 SV%

Key October performance: 32 saves on 34 shots in a 6-2 win vs. Colorado Avalanche – Oct 14

After posting the worst numbers of his NHL career last season, Ilya Sorokin opened the 2024-25 campaign with a terrific performance against the always dangerous Colorado Avalanche, posting a .941 save percentage, including five denied shots from reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon. He’s a difference-maker for the New York Islanders and has the ability to keep his team in the playoff hunt, despite their current run of injuries. All five of his starts in October were quality starts.

6. Cam Talbot, Detroit Red Wings

October stats: 2-1-1, 3.16, .913, 1 shutout

Key October performance: 42 save shutout in a 3-0 win vs. Nashville Predators – Oct 12

While Cam Talbot’s 3.16 goals against average in October is high, that’s largely due to the five goals he allowed in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers on October 17. More often than not, Talbot has kept his team in the fight so far this season, and his much more respectable goals against average of 2.23 over the other four games in October is one of the stats that help support that statement. The 37-year-old veteran twice faced 40 or more shots in a game last month, and helped his team to a victory in both. Talbot has shown to be more of a streaky goalie towards the latter part of his career and has struggled with consistency. If that is the case this season again, the Detroit Red Wings would be wise to ride the hot hand while they can.

7. Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets

October stats: 7-1-0, 2.13 GAA, .923 SV%, one shutout

Key October performance: 30-save shutout in a 6-0 win vs. Edmonton Oilers – Oct 9

Hellebuyck made a statement at the 2024 NHL Awards by collecting his second Vezina Trophy, his first Jennings trophy, and being named an NHL First Team All-Star for the second time. The Commerce, Michigan native then started his 2024-25 season with another statement, a 6-0 blanking of the Edmonton Oilers, a Stanley Cup favourite of many industry experts, on the road. He followed that up by winning his next five starts as well, helping his Jets ascend to the top of the NHL standings. Hellebuyck is widely regarded as one of the best goalies in the NHL, if not THE best, and his October starts show that he will continue to be mentioned in that conversation going forward.

8. Casey DeSmith, Dallas Stars

October stats: 2-1, 1.68 GAA, .936 SV%, 1 shutout

Key October performance: 25-save shutout in a 2-0 win vs. Seattle Kraken – Oct 13

Casey DeSmith quickly endeared himself to Dallas Stars fans with a shutout performance over the Seattle Kraken in the season-opener. The 33-year-old made it look that easy. DeSmith is in his seventh NHL season, on his third NHL team, and has been the backup goalie throughout his entire NHL career. That won’t change this season, as he sits behind the established starter of today and tomorrow for Dallas, Jake Oettinger. That’s a difficult job, but DeSmith has proven his capability in his three October starts and cracked the top 10 of 11 of the 25 statistical categories used to formulate this list.

9. Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken

October stats: 4-2-1, 2.85, .912

Key October performance: 28 saves on 30 shots in an 8-2 win vs. Montreal Canadiens – Oct 29

It’s not often that a goalie selected in the seventh-round even makes it to the NHL, let alone becomes a starting goalie, but Joey Daccord is the rare exception. When Seattle claimed the Daccord in 2021, he was third on their depth chart behind 2018 Stanley Cup winner, Philipp Grubauer, and 2012 third-round pick, Chris Driedger. By the end of the 2023-24 season, Daccord had worked his way to becoming the main man in the crease. His strong play to start this season shows he plans on that not changing. Daccord’s numbers of 2.85 goals against average, .912 save percentage, and 63% quality starts, are significantly better than that of his counterpart, Grubauer (3.27, .877, 33%).

10. Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs

October stats: 4-2-1, 2.45, .916

Key October performance: 32 saves on 34 shots in a 5-2 win vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – Oct 21

The Toronto Maple Leafs have turned to a 30-year-old career backup goalie to help bring stability in the crease to a franchise that has had a goalie carousal happening over the past few seasons. That seems like a poor strategy, but Stolarz appears intent to show otherwise. In his first five starts this season, the 6-foot-6 netminder put up a 1.83 goals against average and .938 save percentage quickly alleviating many doubts that he might be a weak link on the team, at least early on. Stolarz was thrust into the spotlight when projected season starter, Joseph Woll, was unable to start the season because of injury and the Edison, New Jersey native took full advantage of that opportunity. With Woll now good to go, this could make for a healthy battle for crease time between the two which should greatly benefit the Leafs.