The Edmonton Oilers understand the importance of a dependable goalie tandem.
In the second round of last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs, the Oilers found themselves trailing the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 as they approached Game 4. Desperate for a spark and recognizing that starter Stuart Skinner needed a mental break, the team turned to backup goalie Calvin Pickard. Pickard stepped in for two games, delivering a solid performance with a 1-1 record. Reinvigorated, the Oilers secured back-to-back victories upon Skinner’s return in Game 6. From that moment, Skinner was mentally locked in, guiding the team all the way to Game 7 of the Cup Final.
Whether it’s the regular season or the postseason, today’s NHL is such that teams have multiple goaltending options. Sometimes that means having a competent backup to give an overworked star goalie a breather. Sometimes that means having a goalie rotation that goes three netminders deep.
So which teams have the best goaltending depth?
These rankings were developed through consultations with a wide array of goaltending experts, including coaches, analytics specialists, former players, and by utilizing statistics from sources such as Evolving Hockey, Money Puck, Hockey Reference, and Stathletes.
Rosters are through Oct. 16. And keep in mind that these rankings are a combination of past performance and projections for the 2024-25 season.