The NHL Network’s latest Top 10 goaltenders list was not kind to the Vegas Golden Knights.
After seeing the Golden Knights turn up on the network’s Top 20 defensemen and Top 20 wingers rankings, it would have made sense to expect at least one Vegas goalie to land among the league’s best. Instead, Sunday’s reveal came with a clean sweep: no Carter Hart, no Adin Hill, no Golden Knights goaltender at all.
The only former Vegas netminder to make the cut was Logan Thompson, now with the Washington Capitals. Thompson came in at No. 6, a major jump after failing to crack the list last season.
Here’s how the full ranking shook out:
Jakub Dobes, No. 10, MTL
Jesper Wallstedt, No. 9, MIN
Dan Vladar, No. 8, PHI
Jake Oettinger, No. 7, DAL
Logan Thompson, No. 6, WSH
Jeremy Swayman, No. 5, BOS
Ilya Sorokin, No. 4, NYI
Igor Shesterkin, No. 3, NYR
Connor Hellebuyck, No. 2, WPG
Andrei Vasilevskiy, No. 1, TBL
That’s a tough group to break into. With names like Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin sitting near the top, the bar is set high for anyone - and especially for a team that has already moved one of those elite-caliber names out of town.
The bigger issue for Vegas is that goaltending has already been a real offseason concern. The room has questions, and the Golden Knights are still looking for answers.
Could that change by next season’s Top 10 list? It’s possible, but the path is pretty clear.
Health has to hold, first and foremost. Adin Hill needs to avoid any more hits to the blueberry section and stay close to his 2024-25 form. That would be a strong foundation.
Carter Hart also has work to do after what the source describes as a statistically disappointing Stanley Cup Final showing. That wasn’t all on him, but Vegas needs him leaning into his strengths, staying sharp, and avoiding any bad leg injuries.
If the Golden Knights want to really change the conversation, there’s another route: make a trade. General manager Kelly McCrimmon has built a reputation as one of the league’s sneakiest dealmakers, and the names Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl are proof of that.
Even big-name goaltenders have been tied to Vegas in some capacity, including Connor Hellebuyck, though a deal now looks unlikely. Still, McCrimmon has pulled off moves that didn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar before, so nothing can be ruled out completely.
Whether the Golden Knights sort out their situation for the 2026-27 season and the Stanley Cup playoffs remains to be seen. But if there’s one thing this organization has shown, it’s that Kelly McCrimmon can surprise people when he decides to upgrade the roster - especially in net.
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Golden Knights Enter 2026-27 With One Troubling Question In Net
Vegas spent plenty of the season trying to sort out a crease that never really settled, and the numbers reflected it. The Golden Knights finished with a team goals-against average of 2.95, yet the more alarming issue was the .884 team save percentage, with no goaltender finishing above .900. Even as the club leaned on its defensive structure to keep games manageable, the overall work in net never gave the group the kind of steady backing it expected.
There is some reason for optimism entering 2026-27, but it starts with health as much as talent. Carter Hart and Adin Hill both had their seasons interrupted by lower-body injuries, and that kind of disruption can ripple through the entire position group. Vegas does not need a total overhaul so much as a healthier, more reliable version of the crease it envisioned, especially now that the goaltender with its best save percentage is no longer in the picture. [Read more 🡒]