With coaching camps already by way of and the preseason underway, it’s a great time to attempt to preview the Metropolitan Division by having a look at its goalies.
Does it want repeating that the goalie might be a very powerful place in hockey? I’m certain there’s a nonsensical Twitter dialog on the market the place a man with one other man as his profile image is making the argument that goalies imply nothing and should you suppose they’re necessary, then you definitely’re silly.
You possibly can have an amazing staff in each different place group, however a shaky goalie will kill you greater than some other participant can.
Not like the Atlantic Division’s goalies, which I previewed beforehand, the Metro has a few goalies with greater than an honest shot at successful the Vezina Trophy.
Right here’s a take a look at the three goalies with the shortest odds to win the Vezina Trophy within the Metropolitan Division.
1. Igor Shesterkin, Rangers (+675)
This season is the primary 12 months of Igor Shesterkin’s record-setting 8-year, $92 million contract extension. This deal set him as much as grow to be the league’s highest-paid goaltender on December 4 final season.
He’ll need to show that cash was price it, although, after he had a career-worst season primarily based on some statistical classes final 12 months.
Shesterkin had a 2.86 GAA by way of his 61 begins, the place he had a 27-29-5 document. Oddly sufficient, although, he had a career-best .905 save share.
Regardless of the dangerous numbers, Shesterkin nonetheless has the second-shortest odds to win the Vezina Trophy behind Connor Hellebuyck, who’s a +310 favourite to win a 3rd straight Vezina.
Shesterkin wasn’t even a finalist final season for the award, however got here in fourth place for the 2023-24 season. He gained a Vezina in 2022, his first full season with the Rangers.
I’m stunned that Shesterkin is considered as such a detailed favourite behind Hellebuyck and in entrance of Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, who completed second in voting final 12 months.
A few of Shesterkin’s candidacy will hinge on the Rangers’ success this season, however I’m not so bought on their probabilities to make any vital noise this 12 months.
2. Logan Thompson, Capitals (+2000)
Washington’s Logan Thompson is firmly within the hunt to win his first ever Vezina Trophy this season.
Thompson landed on the Capitals final season, posting a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save share. He completed fourth within the 2024-25 Vezina voting.
Earlier than turning into the starter in Washington, Thompson was a Stanley Cup winner with the Golden Knights in 2023 regardless of not truly beginning any playoff video games for Vegas because of an harm. His backup Adin Hill turned the staff’s go-to throughout that run and when Thompson returned from harm the subsequent season the 2 turned a goalie tandem.
After the 2024 season, Thompson requested a commerce when it turned clear that Hill can be Vegas’ starter going ahead.
Now, in Washington, Thompson has a stable likelihood to win the Vezina Trophy, coming in sixth place within the preseason odds.
If the Capitals can grow to be a playoff contender, like they had been final 12 months, then Thompson’s odds will solely enhance.
3. Ilya Sorokin, Islanders (+2000)
The state of New York’s different elite goaltender is Islanders’ netminder Ilya Sorokin.
Sorokin had a 2.69 GAA and a .907 save share in 61 video games began final 12 months — he had a 30-24-6 document in his begins.
Sorokin’s been a finalist for the Vezina 4 years in a row, along with his greatest end coming in 2023 when he completed second place behind Boston’s Linus Ullmark. Might the 2025-26 season be the 12 months he breaks by way of?
Proper now, Sorokin’s undoubtedly within the combine for the Vezina odds, type of like he’s yearly. He’s presently seventh on the chances leaderboard proper now behind Thompson.
Like the opposite two on this record, some common season success should break Sorokin’s approach except his numbers are simply really simple. New York is presently a slight underdog, at +220, to make the playoffs.
