NHL Standings ordered by goaltending save percentage

NHL Standings are determined by points. Teams earn two points for a win, one point for an overtime loss, and zero points for a regulation loss. But what do the 2023-24 standings look like in terms of strongest and weakest goaltending? 

Strong goaltending, or at least average goaltending, is a necessary component in the recipe for success. While the number of goals a team lets up isn’t always all on the goaltender but also the defense, a strong goalie bails their team out when needed. Some teams that had the potential to be contenders have been crushed by poor goaltending. Here are the NHL Standings ordered by team goaltending save percentage.

It’s no surprise that the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers are the top four teams on this list. These teams have been firing on all cylinders this year and are serious contenders for the Stanley Cup. The Jets have a winning goaltending tandem in Connor Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit. Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz of the Panthers have been elite. Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark continue to shine for the Bruins. The Rangers continue to get excellent goaltending, with their number one goalie, Igor Shesterkin, while their number two, Jonathan Quick, has actually put up even better numbers this year.

Another cup contender, the Vegas Golden Knights, clocks in at seventh on this list. The other top teams in the NHL this year are the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars. These teams are further down the standings ordered by save percentage, but both still have average goaltending. The Colorado Avalanche are a strong team, sitting third in the Central Division, but their goaltending is weaker than other top teams, with a .900 SV%. None of the top contenders have sub-.900 goaltending.

The New Jersey Devils have struggled with defense, power play, injuries, and more, but the most prominent disaster is their goaltending. Vitek Vanecek completely fell off a cliff, and Akira Schmid has struggled. Rookie Nico Daws had a hot start after coming off the Injured Reserve, but he has also fallen off hard, likely due to being overworked after hip surgery. The Tampa Bay Lightning have failed to get strong goaltending out of Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson this season. Unlike the Devils, the Lightning are currently sitting in a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference despite poor goaltending. The Washington Capitals and New York Islanders are six and seven points back with three games in hand, so the Lightning cannot afford any missed opportunities for points going down the stretch.

It's surprising to see the Carolina Hurricanes so far down this list considering they're currently second in the Metropolitan Division. The Philadelphia Flyers are also pretty far down the list for a team in third in the Metro. Both of these Eastern Conference teams are in playoff positions. Their offense has not allowed for struggling goaltending to bring them down. On the flip side, the Seattle Kraken have had excellent goaltending this year, but they are not in the Western Conference playoff picture. They have quality defense but have failed to put up the offensive numbers needed to go on a tear. It isn't surprising to see teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Ottawa Senators near the bottom of this list. These four teams are at the bottom of their respective divisions in the actual standings.

Strong goaltenders can steal games for their team, although they cannot always lift the team up. Poor goaltending doesn't always derail a season, but it makes it difficult for a team to prevail. Ultimately, goaltending has a significant impact on a team's success.