NHL’s Metropolitan Division Home to Elite Goaltending

Even though the stance on paying goaltenders has changed over the years, it’s still the most important position in hockey. It can separate you from the pack, and one division seems to have an edge over the rest of the NHL.

After the New Jersey Devils acquired Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets, the Metropolitan Division is stacked with Vezina-caliber goaltending. From Hellebuyck to Ilya Sorokin, Igor Shesterkin, and Logan Thompson, the Metro has no shortage of high-end netminders.

Igor Shesterkin

Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after suffering an injury against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 9, but his resumé is impressive, to say the least. Before the injury, he seemed on track for another Vezina nomination. He posted a .927 save percentage and saved 4.7 goals above expected.

We’ve seen the Rangers’ netminders struggle since Shesterkin’s injury. Dylan Garand got off to a hot start, but he has an .871 save percentage and a 1-4-1 record across his last six appearances. They haven’t played all that poorly as a team, but they aren’t getting timely saves.

Shesterkin has had some ridiculous seasons with the Rangers. He saved 43.6 goals above expected in 2021-22 and won the Vezina Trophy. He also finished third in the Hart Trophy race and deserved the Hart nomination.

In his seven seasons, Shesterkin has saved at least 15 goals above expected four times. You could argue he’s the best goaltender in the NHL and that he’s worth his $11.5 million cap hit. It’s unfortunate he’s out for the season, and hopefully he returns to form a year from now.

Ilya Sorokin

The New York Islanders haven’t had as much success as the Rangers, but Ilya Sorokin is close to Shesterkin’s level. He’s never won the Vezina Trophy but has finished second in voting twice, and his results are similar to Shesterkin’s.

Sorokin’s best season came in 2022-23 when he saved 42.5 goals above expected. He finished with a .924 save percentage and probably would have won the Vezina in any other season had it not been for Linus Ullmark, who posted a .938 save percentage.

Like Shesterkin, Sorokin’s resumé speaks for itself. He has a .915 career save percentage and has saved at least 10 goals above expected in four of his seven NHL seasons. His $8.25 million cap hit appears to be aging incredibly well, with the salary cap expected to rise significantly over the next couple of years. He may have one of the best value contracts in the NHL.

Logan Thompson

Logan Thompson might not get the recognition that Sorokin or Shesterkin do. But he’s been one of the NHL’s best goaltenders since the Washington Capitals acquired him in the 2024 offseason.

Thompson had a career-best season in 2025-26, finishing with a .912 save percentage and saving 35.6 goals above expected. Surprisingly, he finished fourth in Vezina voting, behind Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Jeremy Swayman.

Unlike Sorokin and Shesterkin, Thompson doesn’t quite have the track record. He was a fine goalie with the Vegas Golden Knights. He was certainly above league average, but he was nowhere near the level he’s been with the Capitals.

Still, Thompson has a .911 career save percentage. He consistently outperforms his expected numbers and is among the NHL’s best goalies. He’s borderline elite, if not elite. The Capitals signed him to a six-year, $5.85 million AAV extension in Jan. 2025. That could prove to be a steal if he keeps posting the numbers he has.

Connor Hellebuyck

The newest addition to the Metropolitan Division, Hellebuyck could be a game-changer for the Devils. He’s coming off a down season, finishing 2025-26 with an .895 save percentage, but he looks like a good bounce-back candidate.

Still, Hellebuyck’s worst season being league-average says something about his resumé. He’s won the Vezina Trophy three times, finished as the runner-up once, and became the first goalie since Carey Price to win the Hart Trophy.

Hellebuyck’s Hart Trophy-winning season was one for the ages. He finished with a .925 save percentage in 2024-25 and saved 32.9 goals above expected. He’s posted a .920 save percentage or better five times in his career, which is impressive in an era of declining save percentages.

Hellebuyck has only made one start for the Devils so far, but he looked good, saving 17/18 shots and 0.65 goals above expected. The Devils haven’t had an elite goaltender since Cory Schneider, and Hellebuyck was their one missing piece before they acquired him. It’ll be interesting to see what impact he has as the season progresses.

Taking the Unpredictablity Out of Goaltending

Goaltending may be the ficklest position in the NHL, but it’s different for these four. Their resumés speak for themselves. Shesterkin may be injured, but we know what he’s like when he’s healthy. He’s one of the best, if not the best, goalies in the NHL. Sorokin and Hellebuyck’s resumés are equally impressive, and Thompson isn’t far behind them.

Devils GM Sunny Mehta talked about this when the organization introduced Hellebuyck last week. If you’re going to bet on an unpredictable position, bet on a goaltender such as Hellebuyck, who has the track record and takes some unpredictability out of goaltending.

That’s the state of goaltending in the Metro. Four of perhaps the five- or six-best netminders reside in one division after the Devils acquired Hellebuyck. With the league-average save percentage hovering in the .890s, these teams should consider themselves fortunate to have the goaltending they do.

Advanced stats from Hockey Stats