Goalie usage

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2025-26

How often each team's starter played in 2025-26, 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.

Karel Vejmelka had the heaviest workload in 2025-26, 63 of 82 Mammoth starts (77%). 1 team rode a workhorse and 15 teams split the net 1A/1B, and the net changed hands during the season for 10 teams.

Updated Nov 15, 10:39 AM ET

Who changed hands, split or carried the load

Changed hands

HurricanesBussi over Andersen, game 29
AvalancheBlackwood over Wedgewood, game 53
Red WingsGibson over Talbot, game 33
OilersIngram over Skinner, game 62
CanadiensDobes over Montembeault, game 55

1A/1B splits

Most starts

Karel VejmelkaUTA63 of 82
Juuse SarosNSH59 of 82
Andrei VasilevskiyTBL58 of 82
Logan ThompsonWSH58 of 82
John GibsonDET57 of 82

Most goalies used

Kraken5 starters
Maple Leafs5 starters
Oilers4 starters
Rangers4 starters
Senators4 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.

Atlantic Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2025-26, Atlantic Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Lightning 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Andrei Vasilevskiy 58 GS · 71% · L10 7	G2Jonas Johansson 23 GS · 28% · L10 2	Halverson 1
Red Wings 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1John Gibson 57 GS · 70% · L10 8	G2Cam Talbot 25 GS · 30% · L10 2	–
Bruins 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Jeremy Swayman 54 GS · 66% · L10 7	G2Joonas Korpisalo 28 GS · 34% · L10 3	DiPietro 0
Panthers 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Sergei Bobrovsky 51 GS · 62% · L10 4	G2Daniil Tarasov 31 GS · 38% · L10 6	–
Senators 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Linus Ullmark 49 GS · 60% · L10 7	G2Leevi Meriläinen 19 GS · 23% · L10 0	Reimer 13, Sogaard 1, Shepard 0
Canadiens 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Jakub Dobes 42 GS · 51% · L10 7	G2Samuel Montembeault 23 GS · 28% · L10 0	Fowler 17
Maple Leafs 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Joseph Woll 38 GS · 46% · L10 4	G2Anthony Stolarz 25 GS · 30% · L10 3	Hildeby 14, Primeau 3, Akhtyamov 2
Sabres 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 34 GS · 41% · L10 6	G2Alex Lyon 34 GS · 41% · L10 2	Ellis 14

Metropolitan Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2025-26, Metropolitan Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Capitals 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Logan Thompson 58 GS · 71% · L10 8	G2Charlie Lindgren 20 GS · 24% · L10 1	Stevenson 4
Islanders 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Ilya Sorokin 54 GS · 66% · L10 9	G2David Rittich 28 GS · 34% · L10 1	Hogberg 0
Blue Jackets 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Jet Greaves 53 GS · 65% · L10 8	G2Elvis Merzlikins 29 GS · 35% · L10 2	–
Rangers 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Igor Shesterkin 51 GS · 62% · L10 6	G2Jonathan Quick 24 GS · 29% · L10 2	Martin 4, Garand 3
Flyers 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Dan Vladar 51 GS · 62% · L10 7	G2Samuel Ersson 29 GS · 35% · L10 3	Kolosov 2
Devils 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Jacob Markstrom 43 GS · 52% · L10 3	G2Jake Allen 36 GS · 44% · L10 5	Daws 3
Hurricanes 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Brandon Bussi 39 GS · 48% · L10 5	G2Frederik Andersen 35 GS · 43% · L10 5	Kochetkov 8
Penguins 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Arturs Silovs 38 GS · 46% · L10 4	G2Stuart Skinner 27 GS · 33% · L10 6	Jarry 13, Murashov 4

Central Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2025-26, Central Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Mammoth 82 GP	Workhorse	G1Karel Vejmelka 63 GS · 77% · L10 8	G2Vitek Vanecek 19 GS · 23% · L10 2	–
Predators 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Juuse Saros 59 GS · 72% · L10 6	G2Justus Annunen 23 GS · 28% · L10 4	–
Jets 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Connor Hellebuyck 57 GS · 70% · L10 8	G2Eric Comrie 24 GS · 29% · L10 2	Milic 1
Blackhawks 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Spencer Knight 55 GS · 67% · L10 7	G2Arvid Soderblom 24 GS · 29% · L10 3	Commesso 3
Stars 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Jake Oettinger 54 GS · 66% · L10 7	G2Casey DeSmith 28 GS · 34% · L10 3	–
Wild 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Filip Gustavsson 49 GS · 60% · L10 5	G2Jesper Wallstedt 33 GS · 40% · L10 5	–
Avalanche 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Scott Wedgewood 43 GS · 52% · L10 5	G2Mackenzie Blackwood 36 GS · 44% · L10 5	Miner 3
Blues 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Joel Hofer 43 GS · 52% · L10 7	G2Jordan Binnington 39 GS · 48% · L10 3	–

Pacific Division

NHL Goalie Starts by Team 2025-26, Pacific Division: status, last 10 starters, season split, starter and backup
Team	Status	Starter	Backup	Others
Ducks 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Lukas Dostal 55 GS · 67% · L10 7	G2Ville Husso 19 GS · 23% · L10 3	Mrazek 8, Buteyets 0
Flames 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Dustin Wolf 55 GS · 67% · L10 6	G2Devin Cooley 26 GS · 32% · L10 3	Sergeev 1
Kings 82 GP	Clear No. 1	G1Darcy Kuemper 50 GS · 61% · L10 4	G2Anton Forsberg 31 GS · 38% · L10 6	Copley 1
Sharks 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Yaroslav Askarov 47 GS · 57% · L10 5	G2Alex Nedeljkovic 34 GS · 41% · L10 5	Brossoit 1
Kraken 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Joey Daccord 46 GS · 56% · L10 3	G2Philipp Grubauer 28 GS · 34% · L10 3	Murray 4, Kokko 3, Ostman 1
Canucks 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Kevin Lankinen 43 GS · 52% · L10 5	G2Thatcher Demko 20 GS · 24% · L10 0	Tolopilo 18, Patera 1
Oilers 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Connor Ingram 30 GS · 37% · L10 8	G2Stuart Skinner 23 GS · 28% · L10 0	Jarry 16, Pickard 13
Golden Knights 82 GP	1A/1B split	G1Akira Schmid 29 GS · 35% · L10 0	G2Adin Hill 27 GS · 33% · L10 4	Hart 18, Lindbom 8

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: BUF (Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 34, Alex Lyon 34); CAR (Brandon Bussi 39, Frederik Andersen 35); COL (Scott Wedgewood 43, Mackenzie Blackwood 36); EDM (Connor Ingram 30, Stuart Skinner 23); MIN (Filip Gustavsson 49, Jesper Wallstedt 33); MTL (Jakub Dobes 42, Samuel Montembeault 23); NJD (Jacob Markstrom 43, Jake Allen 36); OTT (Linus Ullmark 49, Leevi Meriläinen 19); PIT (Arturs Silovs 38, Stuart Skinner 27); SEA (Joey Daccord 46, Philipp Grubauer 28); SJS (Yaroslav Askarov 47, Alex Nedeljkovic 34); STL (Joel Hofer 43, Jordan Binnington 39); TOR (Joseph Woll 38, Anthony Stolarz 25); VAN (Kevin Lankinen 43, Thatcher Demko 20); VGK (Akira Schmid 29, Adin Hill 27).