Who Are the Best Goalies in the Metropolitan Division?

With training camps already through and the preseason underway, it’s a good time to try to preview the Metropolitan Division by taking a look at its goalies. 

Does it need repeating that the goalie is probably the most important position in hockey? I’m sure there’s a nonsensical Twitter conversation out there where a guy with another man as his profile picture is making the argument that goalies mean nothing and if you think they’re important, then you’re stupid.

You can have a great team in every other position group, but a shaky goalie will kill you more than any other player can. 

Unlike the Atlantic Division’s goalies, which I previewed previously, the Metro has a couple of goalies with more than a decent shot at winning the Vezina Trophy. 

Here’s a look at the three goalies with the shortest odds to win the Vezina Trophy in the Metropolitan Division. 

1. Igor Shesterkin, Rangers (+675)

This season is the first year of Igor Shesterkin’s record-setting 8-year, $92 million contract extension. This deal set him up to become the league’s highest-paid goaltender on December 4 last season. 

He’ll have to prove that money was worth it, though, after he had a career-worst season based on some statistical categories last year. 

Shesterkin had a 2.86 GAA through his 61 starts, where he had a 27-29-5 record. Oddly enough, though, he had a career-best .905 save percentage.

Despite the bad numbers, Shesterkin still has the second-shortest odds to win the Vezina Trophy behind Connor Hellebuyck, who is a +310 favorite to win a third straight Vezina. 

Shesterkin wasn’t even a finalist last season for the award, but came in fourth place for the 2023-24 season. He won a Vezina in 2022, his first full season with the Rangers. 

I’m surprised that Shesterkin is viewed as such a close favorite behind Hellebuyck and in front of Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, who finished second in voting last year. 

Some of Shesterkin’s candidacy will hinge on the Rangers’ success this season, but I’m not so sold on their chances to make any significant noise this year. 

2. Logan Thompson, Capitals (+2000)

Washington’s Logan Thompson is firmly in the hunt to win his first ever Vezina Trophy this season. 

Thompson landed on the Capitals last season, posting a 2.49 GAA and a .910 save percentage. He finished fourth in the 2024-25 Vezina voting. 

Before becoming the starter in Washington, Thompson was a Stanley Cup winner with the Golden Knights in 2023 despite not actually starting any playoff games for Vegas due to an injury. His backup Adin Hill became the team’s go-to during that run and when Thompson returned from injury the next season the two became a goalie tandem. 

After the 2024 season, Thompson requested a trade when it became clear that Hill would be Vegas’ starter going forward. 

Now, in Washington, Thompson has a solid chance to win the Vezina Trophy, coming in sixth place in the preseason odds. 

If the Capitals can become a playoff contender, like they were last year, then Thompson’s odds will only improve.

3. Ilya Sorokin, Islanders (+2000)

The state of New York’s other elite goaltender is Islanders’ netminder Ilya Sorokin. 

Sorokin had a 2.69 GAA and a .907 save percentage in 61 games started last year — he had a 30-24-6 record in his starts. 

Sorokin’s been a finalist for the Vezina four years in a row, with his best finish coming in 2023 when he finished second place behind Boston’s Linus Ullmark. Could the 2025-26 season be the year he breaks through?

Right now, Sorokin’s definitely in the mix for the Vezina odds, kind of like he is every year. He’s currently 7th on the odds leaderboard right now behind Thompson. 

Like the other two on this list, some regular season success will have to break Sorokin’s way unless his numbers are just truly undeniable. New York is currently a slight underdog, at +220, to make the playoffs.