Who Are the Best Goalies in the NHL’s Central Division?

The home of the league’s two-time reigning Vezina Trophy winner is the Central Division. 

Connor Hellebuyck, also known as Bucky, Buck-Buck, and Helly according to Hockey Reference, will remain a favorite for the Vezina throughout the 2025-26 season. 

But, humor me a little and take a look at the other two goalies in this division who could challenge Hellebuyck’s supremacy this season. Here are the three goalies in the Central with the shortest odds to win the Vezina Trophy. 

Who Are the Best Goalies in the NHL’s Central Division?

Connor Hellebuyck, Jets (+300)

Hellebuyck is coming off an extraordinary 2024-25 season, which landed him not only a second-straight Vezina Trophy but also a Hart Trophy win. 

Hellebuyck led the league with 63 starts and posted a career-best 2.00 GAA alongside a .925 save percentage. He also led the league with 47 wins last season. 

If he can continue at the current pace, I don’t know if many goalies in the league could stop him from winning three in a row. 

The last goalie to win three straight Vezina Trophies was Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, who won in 1997, 1998, and 1999. Hasek has six Vezina trophy wins to his name, tied with Bill Durnan for the second most wins ever — Jacques Plante has the most with seven.

Hellebuyck has a long way to go before he can stand with those greats at the top of the Vezina-wins leaderboard. 

Jake Oettinger, Stars (+1500)

Dallas’ Oettinger has a chance in this upcoming to challenge Hellebuyck in his own division. 

In the 2024-25 season, he had a 2.59 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 58 games started. Oettinger had a record of 36-18 in those games. 

Oettinger also served as Hellebuyck’s backup during Team USA’s run in the Four Nations tournament and started in one game in the tournament. 

For his work during the 2024-25 season, he finished in eighth place in Vezina voting. 

The closest Oettinger has come to winning the award was in 2023 when he finished in fifth place after a 2.37 GAA and a .919 save percentage season. 

The 26-year-old goaltender is kind of stuck a tier somewhere right below where  Hellebuyck the other super-elite goaltenders like Vasilevskiy are and where the simply great or good goaltenders are. 

A major change in his statistical output, like leading the league in GAA or save percentage, could propel him across that threshold. Or perhaps a more successful regular season in Dallas. 

Mackenzie Blackwood, Avalanche (+2800)

After stints in New Jersey and San Jose, Mackenzie Blackwood has become a key to the winning formula in Colorado. 

He was traded from the Sharks to Avalanche last season and he hit the ground running, ending the season with 2.33 GAA and .913 save percentage. Blackwood had a 22-12 record in 37 games started. 

He also made his NHL playoffs debut last year with Colorado, starting in seven games for the Avalanche and earning a 2.71 GAA and .892 save percentage. 

Colorado’s brass liked him so much that they gave him a five-year, $26.25 million after just four games started last season. 

Blackwood is a solid goaltender who can help the Avalanche on their quest towards reaching another Stanley Cup but the odds of him winning a Vezina Trophy this season are very slim. 

He’s currently holding the 11th shortest odds in the league and barring something completely unforeseen I don’t know if he has a push in him.