NHL’s Top 5 Goalie Duos - Is Boston #1?

By: Abe Krishnan, 10/15/25

Photo of Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins goalie

In the competitive, high-stakes environment of the NHL, a good goaltender is a vital piece to a championship caliber team. But in the current game, with the grueling 82 game schedule and constant risk of injury, having two reliable netminders is a necessity for any team that truly wants to compete for a championship. Going into this season, a few teams have constructed elite tandems, but the question is: which pair actually reigns supreme, and is Boston #1?

Let’s take a look at the top five goalie tandems going into the 2025-2026 NHL season:

Honorable mention: The Florida Panthers

With the Panthers being back to back Stanley Cup champions, and making it to the finals three years in a row, it’s hard to believe that they don’t crack the top five. But going into the 25-26 season, they only have one proven option. And that's two time Vezina trophy winner, (best goalie in the NHL) two time Stanley Cup champion, and future hall of famer, Sergei Bobrovsky . Bobrovsky has been an elite goaltender in the league for over a decade. Despite how dominant Bobrovsky was in the playoffs the last three years, I don’t think that their backup goaltender — Daniil Tarasov — can hold down the fort in case of an injury to Sergei. Tarasov played 20 games last year for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and put up a 3.54 GAA (goals against average) and .881 save percentage, which are sub-par numbers to say the least. Additionally, Bobrovsky is 37, and in the unforgiving NHL being an elite goaltender would be a major accomplishment at such an old age. So despite the Panthers recent success, they are going to just miss the cut for the top five.

#5: The Washington Capitals:

The Capitals’ Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren have proven themselves as an impressive duo after rotating games for the majority of last season. One of the reasons why the Capitals are on this list is because both Thompson and Lindgren had 20 wins last season, being one of only three duos to do so. But if that's the case, why aren’t the other two duos on this list? Well that's because of the elite numbers these goalies put up while doing it. Thompson was incredible with a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save percentage while having a record of 31-6-6. You can count on him to get the job done in a must win game. Lindgren still got the job done with solid numbers (2.73 GAA, .896 save percentage) while going 20-14-3. The Capitals have a very solid tandem that can get the job done, which is why they’re on the list.

#4: The New Jersey Devils:

The Devils coming in at #4 may be a surprise, but when their duo of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen is healthy, they may be one of, if not the most dangerous tandem in the entire league. Proven veterans Markstrom and Allen showcased last season that they are not washed, despite their old ages. Markstrom, posted a 2.50 GAA and a .900 save percentage in 49 games, and Allen, posted a respectable 2.66 GAA and a .908 save percentage in 31. The Devils, who allowed the 5th least goals per game last year with 2.66, were an elite defensive team, but struggled to find offense. With the new additions, healthy players and reliable goaltenders, the Devils could be a serious contender for the Stanley Cup this year.

#3: The New York Rangers:

With Igor Shesterkin , one of the most proven goalies over the past couple seasons, paired with the veteran Jonathan Quick , three time Stanley cup champion and one time Conn Smythe winner (most valuable player of the playoffs), what could go wrong in New York? Well, last season, despite having both Shesterkin and Quick, they missed the playoffs. The numbers weren’t great: Igor Shesterkin's had a .905 save percentage and Jonathan Quick had a .893, and the Rangers were 15th in a 32-team league with an .896 team save percentage and 19th with a 3.09 GAA. The numbers don’t tell the full story. Shesterkin faced the most shots in the NHL last season (1,751 in 61 games, an average of 28.7 per game), and due to New York's poor defending against the rush, Quick and Shesterkin were constantly left out to dry with odd man rushes. Now, going into the 25-26 season, the Rangers have made improvements to their backline, and their new Head Coach, Mike Sullivan, is more defensive oriented. Shesterkin and Quick will do their jobs, New York’s success is just a question of whether the team can perform under them.

#2: The Dallas Stars:

The Stars depth in goaltending has been good for years now, most notably this year with Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith . While Oettinger gets most of the starts, — last season being 36-18-4 with a 2.59 GAA, .909 save percentage and two shutouts — DeSmith was also a very reliable option for the Stars. DeSmith — who posted a 2.59 GAA, 9.15 save percentage and two shutouts while going 14-8-2 — is one of the premier backups in the entire league, and when your starter is as good as Oettinger is, it’s no question why they’re at the #2 spot.

#1: The Winnipeg Jets:

With Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie , the Jets seem to have the #1 spot on lock. Hellebuyck, who went an impressive 47-12-3 while posting a ridiculous 2.00 GAA, .925 save percentage and eight shutouts, raises no doubt on why he's a three time Vezina winner. Coming off of the 24-25 season, where he won the Hart trophy (most valuable player) — which has only happened nine times in the history of the NHL, most recently in the 14-15 season — he can stay a top three goaltender in the NHL. It also helps when you have a reliable backup like Eric Comrie, who last year posted a 2.39 GAA, .914 save percentage, and two shutouts while going 9-10-1. When all is said and done, having a goalie that is awarded the most valuable player in the league makes it pretty hard not to put them at the #1 spot.

No Boston?

While the Bruins had the best tandem during the 22-23 season with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman both having historic seasons, their duo this year unfortunately doesn’t have Ullmark. Ullmark was traded in 2024 in order to clear up cap space for the Bruins. But this trade affected Swayman, because he and Ullmark had a very strong bond. And while Swayman has been a solid goaltender, he’s experienced some struggles the past couple of seasons, and having Joonas Korpisalo , who posted a 2.90 GAA and .893 save percentage with a record of 11-10-3, as the backup doesn’t help.