Former star goaltender Martin Brodeur has his own ideas about the men who currently form the elite of his former profession in the National Hockey League (NHL), and some decisions are already causing debate.
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As the Bettman Tour (New York Islanders) makes clear, Adin Hill (Vegas Golden Knights) and Jacob Markstrom (Calgary Flames) are in his top five.
For many observers, the presence of the first two people in this nomenclature is hardly surprising, as they each have a career Vezina trophy. The other three, however, are likely to be the subject of more extensive discussion among fans, even though Hill helped his team win the Stanley Cup last year. The 27-year-old is still doing very well in 2023/24 but has only played 23 games. Additionally, he should surpass his personal record of 27 from last season.
Sorokin and Markstrom are veterans who have proven themselves as regular goalies. However, they both represent teams that are excluded from the playoffs. Additionally, Sorokin has maintained a save percentage of .909 so far, which is lower than his performance in the previous two seasons when he topped .920. In Alberta, Markstrom has had a rollercoaster performance at times: this year he boasts a .914 save percentage and he has the credit of rebounding after finishing the 2022-2023 season with a .892 record.
Any absentees?
Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks) and Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) were ignored by Brodeur in his identification of the goaltenders at the front of the field, but have excelled in front of goal since the start of the regular season, helping their respective clubs thrive to assert themselves in the race for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Demko went 31-12-1 with five shutouts. With his percentage of 0.917 and a goals-against average of 2.47, he helped his team rise to the top of the standings. Hellebuyck, for his part, may have a less meaningful record in terms of wins earned (with a record of 28-11-3), except that his .925 save percentage and 2.21 average put him right in the thick of the Vézina battle.