Goaltending in the NHL is a hard job. There are very limited spots available and then when you do make it there, only one of you gets to play in a game (usually). Both starter and back-ups will get to see the ice through the year, but one will obviously get more.
Goalies support and help each other out through the season and even in a game. Giving each other tips on what they can do to better their performance or even tips on what some players like to do when they get the puck.
I've looked at rosters and more specifically stats to make a comparison about goaltenders and who I think are the best tandem. The stats I've looked at are GAA, SV%, W, and GP.
It is still early in the season so the back up goalies haven't seen a whole lot of ice time yet, but they have made a few appearances which I have also factored in.
So after looking at and comparing all of this information these are the goalie tandems I feel are the best in the league right now.
Sitting at the top for best tandem goes to the pair of Brian Elliot and Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues. These two have split St. Louis' 15 games so far this season 10 for Elliot and 5 for Allen and have posted some very good numbers. Jake Allen has posted the better numbers out of these two but has also seen less time on ice. Allen has played just shy of 300 minutes this season while Elliot has played just over 613 minutes this season. But both have posted some very good numbers. Allen leads the NHL in GAA with a 1.40 in his games played and a record of 4-1-0 while Elliot has posted a 1.96 GAA so far with a record of 6-3-1. Both have good SV% numbers with Allen towards the top of the NHL again (second) with a .944 and Elliot sits in 15th overall in the NHL with a .928 SV%.
Both are very reliable tenders and both are capable of carrying a team through a season. But the fact that they are both playing so well on the same team, opponents should be worried when they play the Blues. Look for the St. Louis Blues to continue to split the duties between the two and watch them both continue with their strong play.
A close second place for the best tandem has to go to the duo of Pekka Rinne and Carter Hutton.
These two have split duties in the 15 games the Predators have played
so far this season and both of their numbers are pretty amazing. Rinne
has obviously had the bulk of the starts (13) and Hutton has been a
very good go to when Rinne needs a rest. Although Hutton hasn't seen a win yet this season he has still held the Preds in games and just not had the bounces go his way. The Predators currently have a
record of 10-3-2 and sit at the top of the Central Division. Rinne has
a GAA of 1.83 while Hutton has a GAA of 1.95 which puts them 6th and
8th in the NHL for GAA. Their SV% is just as good. Hutton with .935
and Rinne right behind him with a .934 making them number 6 and 7 in the
NHL for SV%.
The Nashville Predators will always go with their
main man in Pekka Rinne when they get the choice since he has been
absolutely lights out so far this season gathering all of Nashville's 10
wins and already seeing just over 788 minutes of ice time. As long as
Rinne can stay healthy this season the Nashville Predators should be
able to ride his coat tails and stay around the top of the Central
Division. Possibly making their way into the post season in April.
Those are my two top tandems for goalies in the NHL so far this season. I could continue with a list but the remaining tandems just don't seem to stack up to these two. There are some that are just as close and just as good, but I think that these two pairs are just a little bit better.
Let me know what you think and who your top tandems are.
Thanks for reading.
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