I’m sure you’re sick of ranking lists just like me, but I think we’re nearing the end, because September is almost here. We’ve got one final list (I think?) that takes a look at the best goalies in the NHL.
In his one year with the Colorado Avalanche, did Alexandar Georgiev do enough to crack the top 10?
According to the NHL Network…yes!
They released their list of the top 10 goalies in the NHL, and Georgiev came in at #8, sandwiched between Filip Gustavsson and Jake Oettinger. It’s a nice recognition for Georgiev, who tied for the league lead in wins with 40, and excelled in his first full season as a starter.
I’m a big believer in Georgiev, but here’s the thing – there have been a lot of goalies that have come and gone, never replicating their one big season. The reason why there are so few “elite” goalies in the NHL is because only a handful of them are consistent. You have the Vaslievsky’s, Shesterkin’s, and Sorokin’s of the world, but beyond that, there’s not a lot of goalies you can trust on a year to year basis.
Take a look at last year’s top 10 list. They had Jakob Markstrom all the way up at #4 because of how well he played for Calgary, but he fell apart in a big way this past season. In his last four seasons, he’s alternated between being really good, and pretty bad. He’s not the first goalie ever to struggle with consistency. The NHL Network still put Thatcher Demko in the top 10 this year, but he’s coming off an awful season. I have faith he’ll bounce back, but with goalies, it’s always a crapshoot.
So much of it has to do with the situation a goalie is in. Would anyone have put Linus Ullmark in their top 10 list prior to last season? I know I wouldn’t have. Flash forward to today, and he’s on nearly every list. Ilya Samsonov wasn’t even qualified by the Capitals, then went to Toronto and had the best season of his career. Which version of Samsonov will we see next season? Your guess is as good as mine.
That’s why Georgiev will be fascinating to watch this upcoming season. The blueline and overall team defense for the Avalanche tends to make life pretty easy for their goalies, but he’ll need to show last year was not a fluke. I’ve mentioned it several times before, but I love his game. He’s athletic, quick, and can cover a lot of the net. On top of what you see on the ice, he also has the mental make-up (in my opinion) to be a great goalie in the league for a long time. He just has to show it.
After last season, I think a top 10 ranking is justified for Georgiev, but he’ll need another strong season to stay on the list next summer. After the top 5, it’s all up for debate, in my opinion.
Where would you rank Georgiev?
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