You don’t have to be a Vezina Trophy front-runner to be an effective NHL netminder.
If you know your role and can thrive at it, you can get a decent amount of time and money out of teams who need an understudy for their starting goalie.
It’s time to look at some of the best clear-cut backups in the NHL right now.
To qualify, the goalie had to make 32 appearances or fewer last season, not because of an injury but because they’re a bona fide backup. Goalies who played more than that are more 1B netminders in a tandem than true backups, which is why one of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll in Toronto isn’t here.
Other goalies, such as Pyotr Kochetkov and Kevin Lankinen, played more than half of last season due to injuries to the starter, but even when that No. 1 netminder returned, the duos shared the crease. They could return to clear-cut backup duties this year.
Here are three current backup goalies who have shown they can put up some stellar performances.
Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils
Allen was one of the top goalies on the UFA market this summer, for good reason.
His .908 SP and 2.66 goals-against average aren’t Vezina-worthy, but what stands out more is his 18.4 goals saved above expected last season, according to moneypuck.com. The rate of 0.635 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes was tied with Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Allen was a dependable second option in 31 appearances for New Jersey last season, and his new salary of $1.8 million is one of the better numbers for a veteran with his experience.
And it was clear that when Jacob Markstrom was healthy, he was the starter, and Allen was the backup. Markstrom played more than double the number of starts that Allen had by Jan. 22 before suffering an injury, and when he returned on March 2, he had 13 starts to Allen’s eight for the rest of the season. That said, Allen stepped up admirably during Markstrom’s absence.
Allen knows he’s not there to supplant Jacob Markstrom as the Devils’ starter. That should give both goalies peace of mind as they try to backstop New Jersey to a long playoff run. But Allen is coming off a career renaissance last season, and at 35 years old, he’s got every motivation to win now
Anton Forsberg, Los Angeles Kings
Look, we’re not going to tell you Forsberg hasn’t seen better days in his NHL career.
Back in 2021-22, his individual statistics were great – most notably, his .917 SP and 2.82 GAA, which he posted in 46 appearances for the Ottawa Senators.
Last season, Forsberg had a 11-12-3 record with a .901 SP and 2.72 GAA. He took a pay cut of $500,000 this summer to sign with the Kings, and he’ll be the backup to Darcy Kuemper for the next two seasons.
That said, Forsberg had 2.2 goals saved above expected last season, which suggests he cancelled out some stinkers with some standout games. For example, he had three shutouts, one of which was a 39-save performance against the eventual Cup-champion Florida Panthers. In two of his losses, he had a save percentage of .960 or better and only allowed one goal.
Away from the harsh glare of a Canadian market, Forsberg can settle in and settle down in L.A. He’s still only 32, so Forsberg has some good hockey left in him, and with less usage, you can make the argument he’ll be strong once again after a couple of years lost in the wilderness of sky-high expectations.
Joel Hofer, St. Louis Blues
The Blues have been in a long-term relationship with Jordan Binnington for a long time now, so it was always going to be an understudy situation for anyone tasked with competing with Binnington for playing time in recent years.
But St. Louis has found a strong backup in 24-year-old Hofer, who, like Allen, made 31 appearances last season and posted a .904 SP and 2.65 GAA that were serious bargains at his pay rate of $775,000.
Now 25, Hofer signed a contract extension that will pay him $3.4 million in 2025-26, but he’s someone Blues management trusts to maintain his numbers, if not improve on them. Hofer’s best years should be ahead, but right now, he’s already doing a bang-up job in the No. 2 role.
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