Assessing This Season’s Goaltending Market

The goaltending market this summer was unusual, as there were very few available NHL-caliber netminders. The typical backup goalie carousel kept turning, but teams seeking starting netminders didn’t have many options. That’s not to say teams didn’t make moves; Anaheim and Detroit finally completed a long-anticipated trade involving John Gibson, and Pittsburgh sent Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks. Goaltending is almost always an interesting position, and as the season progresses, that interest only grows—especially among ambitious teams vying for a deep playoff run that may lack the netminding to get there. There’s also the added concern among general managers about mid-season goaltending trades, which reflects the volatility of the position. Several teams could benefit from an upgrade in net, yet there aren’t many options available on the trade market. So, the questions remain: who needs a goalie, and who can they target?

You can’t start an article about goaltending without mentioning the Edmonton Oilers, who have experienced instability between the pipes for much of Connor McDavid’s time with the team. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard haven’t been terrible for the Oilers, but they’ve been perfectly average when you analyze their numbers closely. During the 2023-24 season, both Pickard and Skinner performed slightly above average in goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck), while last season they were a bit below average in both the regular season and playoffs. Skinner’s goals saved above expected were exactly 0.0 in the playoffs, which is acceptable, but when Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky posts a +11.9, it makes a significant difference.

The Carolina Hurricanes could also benefit from upgrading their goaltending, but their goaltending hasn’t been bad enough to cost them a series. Carolina has adequate goaltending from Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, who both performed above average during the regular season by posting positive goals saved above expected. Still, their save percentages fell below the .900 mark in the playoffs when Andersen was average, and Kochetkov struggled, posting a .855 SV% and a 3.60 GAA in four games. The issue for Carolina isn’t that they’ve experienced poor goaltending in the playoffs; it’s that their goalies haven’t been able to steal a series for them, which could be part of the reason they keep faltering in the Conference Finals.

Finally, we have the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has been searching for its current (and future) goaltender for about 25 years. The Flyers’ goaltending hasn’t enjoyed much stability over the past two decades, aside from a few runs by various journeymen netminders. Last year, the Flyers posted the worst team save percentage in the NHL at .879 and are hoping that the addition of backup Dan Vladar can help turn things around, along with Samuel Ersson, who faced a lot last season and ended up with a -19.9 goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck). The Flyers aren’t quite ready to come out of a rebuild just yet, but a dependable starting netminder should be on their radar if they want to turn things around and start competing quickly.

With Edmonton, Carolina, and Philadelphia all needing goaltending upgrades, where can they realistically turn to make a move? That’s the challenge for these teams because there isn’t much of a trade market out there for goalies who could be considered upgrades, except for Philadelphia, where there are probably a few options. Carolina and Edmonton are both likely feeling the pressure to improve their goaltending after their recent playoff runs came to an end. While Edmonton would need to work some salary cap magic to upgrade in net, Carolina has plenty of space to make an addition and could do so at any point this season. So, what options are available to them?

The brief answer is that not much is available, and the available goaltenders come with significant risks, along with some potential benefits. The first goalie to consider is Elvis Merzļikins of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 31-year-old was once a promising young starter but hasn’t been dependable for several years now and was especially poor last season. He has faced numerous tragedies in Columbus, which have undoubtedly affected him over the past few years. Last year, the Riga, Latvia native played 53 games and posted a -8.2 goals saved above expected, along with a .892 SV% and a 3.18 GAA. Simply put, Merzlikins was outperformed by his peers and wasn’t reliable for the Blue Jackets. Given his age and contract situation (two years left at $5.4MM per season), he probably isn’t an ideal choice for Edmonton, Carolina, or Philadelphia.

Tristan Jarry could have been claimed by any team last season for free after he was placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. No team took a chance on the 30-year-old, and now he is back in Pittsburgh, aiming to re-establish himself as a full-time starter. There is no doubt about his talent — he is a highly skilled goaltender, but he has a history of falling apart at the worst possible moments. This has been a criticism of Jarry for years, and one reason he re-signed with the Penguins in 2023 is that neither team found a better fit, making it the best option for both sides. Ultimately, Jarry’s performance over the last two years has been underwhelming, and he may need a fresh start. Edmonton and Carolina should not be the teams to offer it. They are too close to contending for a Stanley Cup, and Jarry has shown throughout his career that he isn’t the guy to have in net when the games matter most.

Now, on the opposite end of the spectrum is arguably one of the most clutch goaltenders in today’s NHL, Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. Binnington demonstrated in the 4-Nations Face-Off that he can still come through in big moments and shouldn’t be dismissed yet. The former Stanley Cup champion posted decent numbers last season in 56 games, recording a +5.6 goals saved above expected (according to MoneyPuck), along with a .900 SV% and a 2.69 GAA. At 32 years old, Binnington still has a few productive seasons in him and could be the goalie to backstop a team like Carolina or Edmonton to a Stanley Cup. Binnington was taken off the trade market last season when St. Louis entered the playoff hunt, but could be reinserted if the Blues start slowly.

Finally, we come to a dark horse option: Joonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators two years ago to be a starter, but was traded and relegated to backup last year. His cap hit is $3MM for the next three seasons, which should not be a significant obstacle to move, but the question of whether he can be a dependable starter remains substantial. Korpisalo had periods in Columbus and Los Angeles where he appeared to be a reliable NHL starter, but his time in Ottawa was disappointing. He did bounce back with Boston last year but still posted below-average numbers in 27 games, with a -1.7 goals saved above expected and a .893 SV%. The cost to acquire him would be low, and he might not be a bad risk for Edmonton or Carolina to try alongside one of their existing netminders as part of a platoon. However, he should not be acquired to be the primary goaltender for a Stanley Cup contender.

Another option for teams is free agent Carter Hart, who is eligible to return on December 1st. Hart has stated he won’t return to Philadelphia and would prefer to sign with an American team, which likely rules out the Oilers and Flyers but still leaves open the possibility of going to Carolina if they offer him a contract.

Midseason goaltender trades aren’t common, but they do happen and sometimes work out. Colorado made two goaltending swaps last season, and aside from a forgettable Game 7 third period, they were likely pleased with the results of those moves. It will be interesting to see if Carolina, Edmonton, and Philadelphia decide to make a goaltending swap midseason to improve their chances of reaching their goals.

Photos by Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images