Goalie usage

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2020-21

How often each team's starter played in 2020-21, how often the backup got the net, and whose net changed hands. Goalies are ranked G1, G2 and G3 by season starts, and each keeps one colour. Open a team for every game of the season.

Connor Hellebuyck had the heaviest workload in 2020-21, 45 of 56 Jets starts (80%). 3 teams rode a workhorse and 16 teams split the net 1A/1B, and the net changed hands during the season for 7 teams.

Updated Nov 15, 11:20 AM ET

Who changed hands, split or carried the load

Most goalies used

Sabres6 starters
Senators5 starters
Coyotes4 starters
Bruins4 starters
Avalanche4 starters

Changed hands: a different goalie took the lead in the last 10 starts and kept it for at least 20 games. The note names the last such change.

North Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2020-21, North Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Jets 56 GP	Workhorse	G1Connor Hellebuyck 45 GS · 80% · L10 8	G2Laurent Brossoit 11 GS · 20% · L10 2	–
Flames 56 GP	Workhorse	G1Jacob Markstrom 43 GS · 77% · L10 9	G2David Rittich 12 GS · 21% · L10 0	Domingue 1, Zagidulin 0
Canucks 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Thatcher Demko 35 GS · 63% · L10 7	G2Braden Holtby 21 GS · 38% · L10 3	–
Oilers 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Mike Smith 30 GS · 54% · L10 5	G2Mikko Koskinen 25 GS · 45% · L10 5	Skinner 1, Stalock 0
Canadiens 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Jake Allen 27 GS · 48% · L10 7	G2Carey Price 25 GS · 45% · L10 0	Primeau 4, Lindgren 0
Senators 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Matt Murray 25 GS · 45% · L10 2	G2Marcus Hogberg 10 GS · 18% · L10 2	Forsberg 8, Gustavsson 7, Daccord 6
Maple Leafs 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Frederik Andersen 23 GS · 41% · L10 1	G2Jack Campbell 22 GS · 39% · L10 8	Hutchinson 8, Rittich 3

East Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2020-21, East Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Penguins 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Tristan Jarry 38 GS · 68% · L10 7	G2Casey DeSmith 17 GS · 30% · L10 2	Lagace 1, D'Orio 0
Capitals 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Vitek Vanecek 36 GS · 64% · L10 6	G2Ilya Samsonov 18 GS · 32% · L10 3	Anderson 2
Devils 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Mackenzie Blackwood 35 GS · 63% · L10 8	G2Scott Wedgewood 15 GS · 27% · L10 2	Dell 5, Comrie 1
Islanders 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Semyon Varlamov 35 GS · 63% · L10 6	G2Ilya Sorokin 21 GS · 38% · L10 4	–
Rangers 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Igor Shesterkin 31 GS · 55% · L10 6	G2Alexandar Georgiev 18 GS · 32% · L10 3	Kinkaid 7
Flyers 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Brian Elliott 26 GS · 46% · L10 6	G2Carter Hart 25 GS · 45% · L10 0	Lyon 5
Bruins 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Tuukka Rask 24 GS · 43% · L10 5	G2Jaroslav Halak 17 GS · 30% · L10 1	Swayman 10, Vladar 5
Sabres 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Linus Ullmark 20 GS · 36% · L10 0	G2Carter Hutton 12 GS · 21% · L10 0	Tokarski 10, Johansson 6, Houser 4, Luukkonen 4, Lekkas 0

Central Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2020-21, Central Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Lightning 56 GP	Workhorse	G1Andrei Vasilevskiy 42 GS · 75% · L10 6	G2Curtis McElhinney 12 GS · 21% · L10 3	Gibson 2
Blackhawks 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Kevin Lankinen 37 GS · 66% · L10 4	G2Malcolm Subban 14 GS · 25% · L10 3	Delia 5
Predators 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Juuse Saros 35 GS · 63% · L10 9	G2Pekka Rinne 21 GS · 38% · L10 1	Kaskisuo 0
Stars 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Anton Khudobin 32 GS · 57% · L10 6	G2Jake Oettinger 24 GS · 43% · L10 4	–
Blue Jackets 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Joonas Korpisalo 31 GS · 55% · L10 2	G2Elvis Merzlikins 23 GS · 41% · L10 6	Kivlenieks 2, Vehvilainen 0
Panthers 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Sergei Bobrovsky 30 GS · 54% · L10 4	G2Chris Driedger 23 GS · 41% · L10 3	Knight 3
Red Wings 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Thomas Greiss 29 GS · 52% · L10 5	G2Jonathan Bernier 23 GS · 41% · L10 4	Pickard 4
Hurricanes 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Alex Nedeljkovic 23 GS · 41% · L10 5	G2James Reimer 21 GS · 38% · L10 2	Mrazek 12

West Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2020-21, West Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Blues 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Jordan Binnington 41 GS · 73% · L10 7	G2Ville Husso 15 GS · 27% · L10 3	–
Avalanche 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Philipp Grubauer 39 GS · 70% · L10 6	G2Jonas Johansson 7 GS · 13% · L10 2	Dubnyk 5, Miska 5
Golden Knights 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Marc-Andre Fleury 36 GS · 64% · L10 5	G2Robin Lehner 19 GS · 34% · L10 5	Dansk 1, Thompson 0
Ducks 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1John Gibson 35 GS · 63% · L10 5	G2Ryan Miller 14 GS · 25% · L10 2	Stolarz 7
Sharks 56 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Martin Jones 34 GS · 61% · L10 3	G2Devan Dubnyk 13 GS · 23% · L10 0	Korenar 7, Melnichuk 2
Wild 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Cam Talbot 33 GS · 59% · L10 6	G2Kaapo Kahkonen 23 GS · 41% · L10 4	–
Kings 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Cal Petersen 32 GS · 57% · L10 7	G2Jonathan Quick 22 GS · 39% · L10 2	Grosenick 2
Coyotes 56 GP	1A/1B split	G1Darcy Kuemper 27 GS · 48% · L10 7	G2Adin Hill 17 GS · 30% · L10 3	Raanta 11, Prosvetov 1

Goalie data stories

How the game changed, told through the numbers.

All NHL data stories

How to read it

G1 starter, G2 backup, G3 third goalie and beyond. The colour follows the goalie, so a goalie who loses the net keeps the same colour while the label changes.

For a finished season, roles are ranked on season starts. Season share is starts over games.

Statuses: Workhorse Clear No. 1 1A/1B split. Hover a status for its rule.

Tonight's confirmed and expected starters are on starting goalies today; save % and form are in the goalie hub.

Frequently asked questions

How are the starter, backup and third goalie decided for a past season?

By season starts: G1 made the most starts, G2 the next most, G3 and beyond everyone else who dressed. Each goalie keeps one colour on the page.

What do the team statuses mean?

Workhorse: the No. 1 started at least 75% of games. Clear No. 1: 60-75%. 1A/1B split: under 60%.

What does "changed hands" mean?

A different goalie took the lead in the last 10 starts (strictly more of them than the goalie who had been leading) and held it for at least 20 games. Short injury fill-ins don't count; injuries, slumps and trades that lasted do.

Which NHL teams split their goalie starts?

Teams whose No. 1 started under 60% of games: ARI (Darcy Kuemper 27, Adin Hill 17); BOS (Tuukka Rask 24, Jaroslav Halak 17); BUF (Linus Ullmark 20, Carter Hutton 12); CAR (Alex Nedeljkovic 23, James Reimer 21); CBJ (Joonas Korpisalo 31, Elvis Merzlikins 23); DAL (Anton Khudobin 32, Jake Oettinger 24); DET (Thomas Greiss 29, Jonathan Bernier 23); EDM (Mike Smith 30, Mikko Koskinen 25); FLA (Sergei Bobrovsky 30, Chris Driedger 23); LAK (Cal Petersen 32, Jonathan Quick 22); MIN (Cam Talbot 33, Kaapo Kahkonen 23); MTL (Jake Allen 27, Carey Price 25); NYR (Igor Shesterkin 31, Alexandar Georgiev 18); OTT (Matt Murray 25, Marcus Hogberg 10); PHI (Brian Elliott 26, Carter Hart 25); TOR (Frederik Andersen 23, Jack Campbell 22).