Goalie stats
NHL Goalie Games Started Leaders: Buffalo Sabres
2026-27All situationsThrough 11 team games
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) leads NHL goalies with 6 games started for the Buffalo Sabres in 2026-27, ahead of 
Colten Ellis (BUF) (3).
Leaders: Games Started, Buffalo Sabres, 2026-27
- 1stUkko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF · 7 GP6
- 2ndColten EllisBUF · 3 GP3
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 2026-27, 2 goalies qualify for this board; the median is 5 and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen leads at 6.
Games Started leaderboard
| # | Goalie | Team | GS | GP | W | SV% | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenBUF | BUF | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0.860 | 3.59 | 67%▲1 |
| 2 | Colten EllisBUF | BUF | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0.864 | 3.19 | 14%▼2.6 |
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in Games Started in 2026-27?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen leads with 6. The median of the 2 qualified goalies is 5.
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.