RADIO
Andy's NHL power rankings for the top-10 Vezina Trophy candidates for the 2025-26 season. His top Vezina Trophy candidates of December 2025 include Logan Thompson, Jake Oettinger, Ilya Sorokin, more.
The holiday break has hit the NHL season. With most of the teams nearing the halfway point of their season, it's time to begin analyzing the top candidates for the end-of-season awards.
In this piece, we will spotlight the top-10 current Vezina Trophy candidates with a few honorary mentions.
All statistics and team records mentioned are updated as of Wednesday, December 24. Who are the top-10 Vezina Trophy candidates? Let's dive in!
Upgrade To VIP: Save 30% on any NHL Premium Pass using discount code NEW. Win more with our NHL DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) anchors the team with his exclusive DFS Heat Map, lineup picks and projections. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!
Honorary Mention - Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks
Coming in at the No. 11 spot is the top netminder of one of the most surprising teams of the young season, the Anaheim Ducks. In 2024, Dostal was given the full lion's share of the Anaheim crease and was not very consistent, posting a modest 3.10 GAA and a .903% SV% across 54 games. He finished his season with a 23-23-1 record and only one shutout.
However, the 25-year-0ld has completely flipped the script as he is leading the Ducks to an outstanding start. Entering the Christmas break, the Ducks sit in second place in the Pacific Division, tied alongside the Golden Knights (44 points) for the top spot.
The former third-round pick carries a strong 2.87 GAA with a .899% SV% with a 13-8-1 record. However, his .871% SV% over his last five outings suggests he is still showing signs of rust following his upper-body injury, which kept him on the shelf for nine games earlier this month. Before his injury, Dostal carried a .907% SV% with a 9-2 record over his last 11 contests.
Under the hood, Dostal has tallied 11.6 Goals Saved Above Expected and carries a 1.94 Wins Above Replacement (according to MoneyPuck.com), which places him 15th among all netminders who have played at least 15 games.
If Dostal can snap this skid, expect him to climb this list as the Ducks continue to hold their place in the Western Conference.
No. 10 - Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
The reigning Vezina Trophy winner will have to have an outstanding second half to reclaim his spot at the top of the list. Hellebuyck missed nearly a month of action due to a knee injury, which has limited his opportunities to bolster his stats, but he still deserves a spot on our top 10.
Through 19 games played, Hellebuyck holds a 2.48 GAA with a .912% SV%. This is a sizable defense from his incredible 2.00 GAA and .925% SV% he posted during the 2024 campaign. Before his injury, Hellebuyck held a .913% SV%, but his recent skid has put a bit of a damper on his metrics. Leading into the break, the 32-year-old posted a 1-2-2 record with a .908% SV%, which, to his standards, is quite low.
However, his 2.66 WAR and 5.9 Goals Saved Above Expected place him within the top six of netminders, according to MoneyPuck.com, which suggests he should be in store for a dominant second half. Don't be surprised if Hellebuyck is sitting near the top of the leaderboard in a few months.
No. 9- Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jake Oettinger's name is always in the Vezina discussion, and 2025 appears to be no different. Entering the Christmas break, the former 26th overall pick holds a solid .910% SV% with a 2.50 GAA. Through 24 games, Oettinger has picked up 16 victories and lost just six games in regulation.
Over his last 10 games, Oettinger has taken his level of play up a notch, carrying an impressive .926% SV% and a 2.10 GAA. However, his underlying metrics suggest his production may dip a bit after the break. According to MoneyPuck.com, Oettinger carries a 3.13 xGAA, which places him 22nd among netminders who have appeared in at least 15 games. In addition, his 2.56 WAR only places him eighth among netminders.
No. 8 - Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks
Potentially the biggest surprise on this list is Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks. Even though the Blackhawks have been one of the worst teams since the start of the new month, Knight has continued to play at a high level and should remain in the Vezina Trophy conversation in the second half.
Knight showed potential during the final stretch of the 2024 season as he began to find his footing with the Blackhawks. The former top prospect has kept his momentum rolling, carrying a 2.55 GAA with a .914% SV% through 25 games played.
He has already posted two shutouts, matching his career high. He carries some of the most impressive underlying metrics at the position, sitting third in WAR and sixth in GAA Better Than Expected (0.71), according to MoneyPuck.com. Don't let his 10-10-5 record fool you, Knight is finally showing his true potential.
No. 7 - Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Jeremy Swayman had a very disappointing 2024 campaign, falling well short of expectations in his first season as the No. 1 netminder in Boston after Linus Ullmark moved to Ottawa. However, Swayman was unable to hold the load, posting a 22-29-7 record with a .892% SV%. This was the first time in his career that he held a save percentage below .914%.
Fortunately for the Bruins, the 27-year-old has enjoyed a massive bounce-back and has played a critical role in Boston's solid start to the season. Through 26 games played, Swayman has held a 14-10-1 record with a 2.91 GAA and a .901% SV%. However, like many names on this list, his recent skid (.850% SV% over his last six outings) has diminished his statistics.
Before this brief slump, Swayman carried a .913% SV% and a 2.67 GAA, which were right in line with his 2023 production. His underlying 14.4 Goals Saved Above Expected (11th among goalies who have appeared in 15 games) suggests Boston could be poised for a postseason ticket with its netminder in prime form.
No. 6 - Mackenzie Blackwood, Colorado Avalanche
The backbone of the first-place Colorado Avalanche comes in at the next spot on our list. Blackwood boasts an incredible 11-1-1 record across 13 games with a .924% SV% and a 2.16 GAA. Blackwood has posted two shutouts and has only allowed more than four goals on occasion, during the loss to the New York Islanders on December 4.
However, since allowing five goals to the Islanders, Blackwood has quickly regained his footing, posting an elite .931% SV% and a 1.98 GAA. Given his team environment, Blackwood is well-positioned to push for the league high in wins, despite missing the first month of action due to a lower-body injury.
No. 5 - Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
While the Rangers may be sitting near the outside of the playoff picture, Igor Shesterkin has carried the load to keep them afloat. Shesterkin is the only goaltender in the sport to have played in 30 games at the Christmas break. Amid this heavy workload, the 29-year-old has posted a 16-11-1 record with a .908 SV% and a 2.55 GAA.
Shesterkin carries serious momentum into the new year, having won each of his last three outings and picking up victories in six of his last nine. He currently sits fourth in WAR among goaltenders on MoneyPuck.com and is on pace to smash his 2024 marks (2.86 GAA and .905% SV%).
Igor Shesterkin ROBS Dylan Strome.
Strome can’t believe it. pic.twitter.com/idjsa9auk5
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) December 24, 2025
No. 4 - Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
While rookie Matthew Schaefer has stolen most of the headlines on Long Island, netminder Ilya Sorokin has enjoyed a massive bounce-back season and has positioned himself near the top of the Vezina betting odds. Through 24 outings, Sorokin has posted a .910% SV% with a 2.55 GAA and an eye-catching three shutouts, which only trails Jesper Wallstedt for the top mark in the league.
While Sorokin is currently dealing with an undisclosed injury and had a bit of a rough skid before hitting the shelf, carrying a .902% SV% and a 2-2 record over his last four starts, he was nearly the top goaltender in the league during November.
From October 31 through December 6, Sorokin boasted a .936% SV% with a 1.78 GAA and was a major reason the Islanders enjoyed an impressive surge in the standings. If he can move past this injury, Sorokin could make a strong case to take home the Vezina, especially if the Islanders hold a top-3 spot in the Metropolitan Division.
No. 3 - Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
If there were an award for breakout goalie of the season, Jesper Wallstedt may have already won that award after his dominant first half. The former 20th overall pick has emerged as one of the league's top budding stars in the net and has played a massive role in the Wild's stellar start to the campaign.
After posting an .877% SV% and a 3.45 GAA over his first five NHL games in 2023 and 2024, the former first-round pick has held an impressive .933% AV% with a 2.10 GAA over 14 games this season. He has picked up 10 wins and lost just two games in regulation.
Wallstedt has only surrendered four or more goals in three games, and his four shutouts currently stand as the most in the league. While his 2.91 xGA suggests he could take a bit of a step back in the second half, he should remain comfortably at the top of the Vezina debates.
Jesper WALL-stedt 😱
My goodness, what a glove save! pic.twitter.com/d2WjKZEDAP
— NHL (@NHL) November 20, 2025
No. 2 - Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
During the first month of the season, it appeared Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay Lightning appeared to be nearing the end of their decade-plus of dominance in the Atlantic Division. From opening night through November 12, Vasilevskiy held a rough .892% SV% with a 2.92 GAA and a 5-5-2 record, and the Lightning were sitting near the bottom of the conference.
However, over the last 10, Vasilevskiy has returned to prime form, boasting an elite .938% SV% and a 1.61 GAA. During this stretch, Vasilevskiy has picked up eight victories and allowed just three or more goals twice.
His 2.20 WAR and 13.2 Goals Saved Above Expected place him 13th among netminders (who have played in at least 15 games), but his early season metrics have brought these expectations down. If he continues this pace, expect the Big Cat to sit near the top of most metrics by the spring.
No. 1 - Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
Sitting in the top spot of our ranking is Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals. After posting a stellar 31-6-6 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .910% SV%, many did not expect Thompson to have an even stronger encore performance in 2025.
Through 26 outings this season, Thompson has posted a 14-9-3 record with a 2.24 GAA and a .917% SV%. Additionally, before his recent three-game slump, where he has held a .872% SV%, the 28-year-old posted an elite 1.96 GAA with a .926% SV% over his first 22 games of the season.
According to MoneyPuck.com, he is second in WAR (3.69), trailing only Sorokin.
WHAT A SAVE LOGAN THOMPSON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rwFsvds6Ef
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 15, 2025
On the Outside Looking In:
- Darcy Kuemper - Los Angeles Kings
- Jake Allen - New Jersey Devils
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
