Best Goalies in the 2026 NHL Playoffs

It’s that time of year again, folks: the NHL playoffs are only a few short days from beginning. 

As we begin to evaluate the playoff teams and parse the contenders from the non-contenders, we have to remember the biggest factor in a team’s playoff success: its goaltending. No one factor can make or break an NHL team’s playoff hopes more than the success of its goaltender. 

I took the liberty of compiling a ranking of the most trustworthy goaltenders in this year’s playoffs, taking into account their performances in the regular season and their career playoff outings. 

As a result, projected starting goalies who have not played in a playoff game are not eligible for this list. My apologies to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, I’ll be sending you an Edible Arrangement gift basket in lieu of inclusion on this list. 

Here’s my ranking of the most trustworthy goaltenders in this year’s playoffs. 

Best Goalies in the 2026 NHL Playoffs

1. Andrei Vasilveskiy, Lightning

Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy is the creme de la creme of goaltenders in this year’s playoffs.

He had an excellent regular season with Tampa, earning a 2.31 GAA and a .911 save percentage. Vasilveskiy had 39 wins in 58 games played. 

Across his career, he’s been a rock-solid steadying force in the postseason. The 31-year-old Russian goaltender boasts a career playoff goals against average of 2.45 and a save percentage of .918.

His last few outings in the playoffs have been a little rocky. In last year’s opening round series, he allowed 16 goals in five games. He earned two quality starts in that series and a -3.5 goals saved above average, according to Hockey Reference. In the last three postseasons, he’s had a 3.34 GAA. 

Even with all that, Vasilevskiy is still the most talented goaltender in these playoffs. If the Panthers or Jets had made the playoffs, maybe his countryman Sergei Bobrovsky or Winnipeg’s goalie Connor Hellebuyck would earn the top spot. But as it stands, Vasilveskiy is the best. 

2. Jake Oettinger, Stars

Dallas’ Jake Oettinger is one of the more experienced starting goaltenders in this year’s playoffs. Especially on the Western Conference side of the bracket. 

Oettinger has made 63 starts in the playoffs in his career, earning 32 wins, a 2.56 GAA, and a .912 save percentage. Last postseason, he played in 18 games, posting a 2.82 GAA and a solid 2.4 goals saved above average. 

He’s coming off one of his poorest regular-season performances. He had a career low .900 save percentage. Hockey Reference deemed 58.5% of his starts quality. 

Despite all that, Oettinger is still elite and one of the more experienced goaltenders in the playoffs. 

3. Jeremy Swayman, Bruins

Boston’s Jeremy Swayman has reached the end of a bounce-back season for him personally and for the team overall. 

At the end of last season, the Bruins were the worst team in the Atlantic Division standings with a 33-39-10 record and 76 team points. Swayman finished that season with a 3.11 GAA and only 22 wins in 58 games started. He also had an ugly contract dispute with Boston’s front office that may have been partially responsible for ending the Bruins careers of head coach Jim Montgomery and captain Brad Marchand. 

Now, at the end of the 2025-26 season, Boston’s back in the playoffs, and Swayman put up great numbers. He earned a 2.71 GAA and a .907 save percentage, had 31 wins in 54 games started, and a career-best 18.1 goals saved above average. 

Swayman has never had a playoff run without the security of his former goalie tandem partner Linus Ullmark. But in 18 games started, he has 9 wins and a .922 save percentage. 

Regardless of how things go, the Bruins should just be happy to be back in the postseason after a disastrous season last year. But Swayman’s play could elevate them into a legitimate contender. 

4. Scott Wedgwood, Avalanche

Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood is by far the least experienced goalie on this list, but he’s been a major piece of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche team, so he deserves inclusion. 

Wedgewood has four career playoff appearances, three with Dallas in 2023 and one with Colorado last season. In the 123 minutes he’s played in the playoffs, Wedgewood has a .892 save percentage and has allowed four goals. 

The 33-year-old goalie has been a journeyman in his eight-year NHL career. He began his career with the Devils in 2015. Since then, he’s played in games for four other franchises, including the Avalanche, who gave him the reins this season. 

Wedgewood started in 42 games with Colorado this year, earning a league-leading 2.07 GAA and a league-leading .920 save percentage. He also led the league in goals saved above average. 

The Avalanche, who led the league in scoring and also had the fewest goals allowed, will probably not need much out of their goalie to succeed in the playoffs. But Wedgewood has proved to be a solid net presence in the regular season and in limited playoff experience. 

5. Linus Ullmark, Senators

Ullmark warrants mention on this list, despite his Ottawa team likely being a first-round exit waiting to happen. He’s one of the more experienced playoff goaltenders on this list and, despite some off-ice struggles this season, had a solid year. 

Ullmark took a 35-day leave of absence in December to deal with mental health issues. He’s returned to full-time status since then, but has missed games here and there. 

When he’s played, Ullmark’s still been an above-average goaltender, but he’s fallen short of his usual standards. Through 49 games, he has 28 wins, a 2.73 GAA, and a career-low .891 save percentage. 

On the bright side, according to Hockey Reference, Ullmark has made 28 quality starts, which is the second-highest total of his career behind his Vezina-winning 2022-23 season. 

I don’t expect the Senators to do much in these playoffs. They’re a +145 underdog in the series against the Hurricanes, and that’s a generous line. 

What I do expect is for Ullmark to be one of the few difference makers on the ice for Ottawa.