NHL Starting Goalies: Your Complete 2026-27 Season Guide

Introduction

Tracking NHL starting goalies requires daily attention. Injuries shift depth charts overnight. Tandems split starts unpredictably. A backup steals the net during a hot streak. This guide delivers the complete picture for the 2026-27 season — projected starters, key backups, injury situations, and fantasy implications across all 32 teams. Whether you need lineup confirmation or season-long analysis, you will find actionable answers here.

What Defines an NHL Starting Goalie in Today’s Game?

The traditional workhorse who plays 65+ games is fading. Modern NHL starting goalies increasingly share creases in tandems or committees. Carolina won the Stanley Cup using a two-goalie approach. Colorado deploys Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood as a near-even split.

Three factors drive this shift:

• Workload management keeps goalies fresher for playoffs
• Salary cap efficiency favors investing elsewhere
• Analytics reveal minimal drop-off between starter and quality backup

When you see “NHL starting goalies” referenced today, it often means the 1A in a tandem — the goalie expected to handle 55-65% of starts.

2026-27 NHL Starting Goalies: Complete Team-by-Team Breakdown

Anaheim Ducks: Lukas Dostal

Dostal owns the crease after showing high-end talent. Anaheim’s defensive structure remains a concern, but his puck-stopping ability gives him fantasy relevance. Ville Husso or Laurent Brossoit backs up.

Boston Bruins: Jeremy Swayman

Swayman returns as the clear No. 1 despite Boston’s roster questions. His 33 projected wins reflect both his talent and the team’s expected competitiveness.

Buffalo Sabres: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Luukkonen posted a 2.51 GAA and .909 save percentage in 35 games last season. Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis provide depth, but Luukkonen controls his destiny.

Calgary Flames: Dustin Wolf

Wolf continues developing as Calgary’s long-term answer. Devin Cooley or Arsenii Sergeev serve as backup options.

Carolina Hurricanes: Brandon Bussi

Bussi emerged as the Stanley Cup champion’s backbone, going 31-6-2 with a 2.47 GAA. Pyotr Kochetkov recovered from hip surgery and will push for significant playing time.

Chicago Blackhawks: Spencer Knight

Knight gets the opportunity to establish himself as Chicago’s franchise goalie. The team’s timeline and Connor Bedard’s injury affect his win totals but not his grip on the job.

Colorado Avalanche: Scott Wedgewood

Wedgewood’s 31-6-6 record earned him the edge, but Mackenzie Blackwood factors heavily. This remains a true committee on one of the league’s best teams.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Jet Greaves

Greaves posted a 2.60 GAA and ranked ninth in Goals Saved Above Expected. He nearly carried Columbus to the playoffs and now owns the net.

Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger

After a career-worst, Oettinger wants consistency.899 percent of savings . His 38 projected wins rank second league-wide, but Casey DeSmith outperformed him statistically last season.

Detroit Red Wings: John Gibson

Gibson brings veteran stability to Detroit. Daniil Tarasov backs up.

Edmonton Oilers: Tristan Jarry

Jarry starts opening night while Frederik Andersen recovers from an undisclosed injury. Devon Levi backs up initially. When healthy, Andersen could challenge for the No. 1 role. This three-goalie experiment carries real risk.

Florida Panthers: Jacob Markstrom

Markstrom inherits the defending conference champion’s crease. Akira Schmid backs up. Markstrom’s 3.07 GAA last season raises questions.

Los Angeles Kings: Darcy Kuemper

Kuemper and Anton Forsberg split duties for Los Angeles.

Minnesota Wild: Jesper Wallstedt

Wallstedt represents the future in Minnesota. Filip Gustavsson or Calvin Pickard serve as tandem partners.

Montreal Canadiens: Jakub Dobes

Dobes earned a three-year, $16 million extension after going 29-10-0. Jacob Fowler, a 21-year-old with elite upside, waits behind him.

Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros

Saros remains Nashville’s workhorse despite declining numbers. Justus Annunen backs up.

New Jersey Devils: Jake Allen

Allen takes the lead role for New Jersey. Nico Daws provides depth.

New York Islanders: Ilya Sorokin

Sorokin ranks among the league’s most talented goalies. Team mediocrity limits his win ceiling.

New York Rangers: Igor Shesterkin

Shesterkin remained elite despite the Rangers’ struggles. A revamped defense should help. He posted a .935 save percentage through early games.

Ottawa Senators: Linus Ullmark

Ullmark bounced back from a difficult start to post strong playoff numbers. Samuel Ersson and Leevi Meriläinen provide questionable support.

Philadelphia Flyers: Dan Vladar

Vladar earned a five-year extension after a 29-14-7 season with a 2.42 GAA. He is the unquestioned starter.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Arturs Silovs

Silovs and Sergei Murashov compete for starts on a rebuilding Pittsburgh roster.

San Jose Sharks: Yaroslav Askarov

Askarov represents San Jose’s goalie of the future. Alex Nedeljkovic or Eric Comrie backs up.

Seattle Kraken: Joey Daccord

Daccord ranked eighth in goals saved above expected over three seasons. Philipp Grubauer backs up.

St. Louis Blues: Joel Hofer

Hofer overtook Jordan Binnington with a 2.61 GAA and six shutouts. Binnington enters the final year of his contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Andrei Vasilevskiy

Vasilevskiy won his second Vezina Trophy, leading the league with 39 wins. He remains the NHL’s best fantasy goalie.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky signed a three-year, NHL Starting Goalies $21 million deal to stabilize Toronto’s crease. Anthony Stolarz backs up. Bobrovsky turns 38 in September.

Utah Mammoth: Karel Vejmelka

Vejmelka played a league-high 64 games last season. Sebastian Cossa provides competent backup play.

Vancouver Canucks: Thatcher Demko

Demko’s injury history keeps him at 14 projected wins. Kevin Lankinen, better suited as a 1B, may see significant time.

Vegas Golden Knights: Carter Hart

Hart gets the opportunity on a Western Conference contender. Adin Hill backs up.

Washington Capitals: Logan Thompson

Thompson posted a 2.44 GAA and .912 save percentage for the second straight year. Washington’s offseason additions boost his value.

Winnipeg Jets: Connor Hellebuyck

Hellebuyck followed his MVP season with a career-worst campaign (2.86 GAA, .895 save percentage). Trade rumors persist. Stuart Skinner backs up.

NHL Starting Goalies Depth Chart: Quick Reference Table

Key NHL Starting Goalies Injury Updates

Frederik Andersen (Edmonton): Out with undisclosed injury. Expected to return around December. Tristan Jarry starts in his absence.

Thatcher Demko (Vancouver): Chronic injury issues limit his workload projection. Kevin Lankinen will see increased starts.

Pyotr Kochetkov (Carolina): Recovered from hip surgery that cost him most of last season. Will split time with Bussi.

Fantasy Hockey: Which NHL Starting Goalies Should You Draft?

Tier 1 — Elite: Andrei Vasilevskiy. He won the Vezina and led the league in wins.

Tier 2 — Strong starters: Igor Shesterkin, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Logan Thompson, Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman.

Tier 3 — Fading veterans: Jacob Markstrom, Sergei Bobrovsky, Juuse Saros. Draft with caution.

Tier 4 — Rising youngsters: Jakub Dobes, Spencer Knight, Karel Vejmelka, Lukas Dostal.

Tier 5 — Committee value: Scott Wedgewood/Mackenzie Blackwood (Colorado), Brandon Bussi/Pyotr Kochetkov (Carolina).

How to Track NHL Starting Goalies Daily

Daily lineup confirmation prevents fantasy disasters. Use these resources:

• NHL.com team pages publish starting goalie announcements
• Daily Faceoff aggregates confirmed starters
• Left Wing Lock provides projected starters with confidence levels
• Team social media often breaks news first

Goalies get confirmed starters approximately 2-4 hours before puck drop. Back-to-back sets create the most uncertainty. Monitor morning skates for clue