Goalie stats
NHL Goalie Games Started Leaders: Washington Capitals
2021-22All situationsThrough 82 team games
Ilya Samsonov (WSH) and 
Vitek Vanecek (WSH) lead NHL goalies with 39 games started for the Washington Capitals in 2021-22, ahead of 
Zach Fucale (WSH) (3).
Leaders: Games Started, Washington Capitals, 2021-22
- 1stIlya SamsonovWSH · 44 GP39
- 2ndVitek VanecekWSH · 42 GP39
- 3rdZach FucaleWSH · 4 GP3
4thPheonix CopleyWSH · 2 GP1
The full ranked table, with filters, follows.
What Games Started measures
This board ranks NHL goalies by games started, regular season only. Pick any season back to 2017-18 above the table. Games the goalie started, regular season.
Starts follow the depth chart and health more than form, so they carry over well within a season.
Games started counts the games a goalie began in net. Workhorse starters reach 60 or more; most teams now split the net closer to 55-27. Starts are opportunity: every win, save and shutout needs one. Watch for timeshares forming early in the season. In 2021-22, 4 goalies qualify for this board; the median is 21 and Ilya Samsonov leads at 39.
Games Started leaderboard
| # | Goalie | Team | GS | GP | W | SV% | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilya SamsonovWSH | WSH | 39 | 44 | 23 | 0.896 | 3.02 | 0.1% |
| 2 | Vitek VanecekWSH | WSH | 39 | 42 | 20 | 0.908 | 2.67 | 0.1%▼3.1 |
| 3 | Zach FucaleWSH | WSH | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0.924 | 1.75 | — |
| 4 | Pheonix CopleyWSH | WSH | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.878 | 3.11 | 0.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in Games Started in 2021-22?
Ilya Samsonov leads with 39. The median of the 4 qualified goalies is 21.
How is Games Started calculated?
Games the goalie started, regular season. Regular season only, from the NHL's official game data.
How reliable is Games Started?
Starts follow the depth chart and health more than form, so they carry over well within a season.