The goalie tandem is the NHL's answer to the two-headed monster. When it works, it provides two quality puck stoppers and, when not, it often leaves the coach scratching his head.
The NHL has seen some impressive duos over the years, from Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk with the Leafs in the 1960s, Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour with the Blackhawks in the 1990s, to Roberto Luongo and Corey Schneider with Vancouver (sorry, Canucks fans) in recent years.
We've outlined our top 5 picks of who will be the most interesting tandems to follow this coming season:
1. Thomas Greiss & Jaroslav Halak - Islanders
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greiss | 41 | 23-11-4 | 1 | 2.36 | .925 |
| Halak | 36 | 18-13-4 | 3 | 2.30 | .919 |
Following an early-March groin injury to starter Jaroslav Halak, backup Thomas Greiss was left to carry the load. The 30-year-old Greiss played in all but six games down the stretch, making the most of his opportunity on Long Island, after showing glimpses of strong play in previous stops in San Jose, Arizona, and Pittsburgh.
Greiss' strong play continued in the postseason, appearing in all 11 games and leading New York to its first series win since 1993. As for Halak, he underwent sports hernia surgery this offseason, though he plans to play for Team Europe at the World Cup. Halak, 31, has two years left on his deal, carrying a $4.5-million cap hit.
2. Antti Niemi & Kari Lehtonen - Stars
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niemi | 48 | 25-13-7 | 3 | 2.67 | .905 |
| Lehtonen | 43 | 25-10-2 | 2 | 2.76 | .906 |
No two goalies split the net more last season than Dallas' Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen. And it didn't look half bad until that pesky elimination game versus the St. Louis Blues, in which the two combined to allow five goals on 18 shots.
Lehtonen saw the bulk of the work in the playoffs (555 minutes), compared to Niemi (237 minutes), despite the latter being a key piece in Chicago's 2010 Stanley Cup win. Nevertheless, the duo's body of work appears to be good enough for the Stars, as GM Jim Nill is in no rush to make a change in the crease.
3. Steve Mason & Michal Neuvirth - Flyers
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | 54 | 23-19-10 | 4 | 2.51 | .918 |
| Neuvirth | 32 | 18-8-4 | 3 | 2.27 | .924 |
What's a goalie list without the Philadelphia Flyers? The Flyers have used seven different goalies (10 or more games) since 2010, and after shuffling through its latest round of netminders, Philly settled on Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth last season.
While Mason saw the majority of regular-season duty, the goaltenders took three games a piece in the playoffs, with wildly different outcomes. While Mason's numbers bloated to a 4.09 GAA and an abysmal .852 save percentage, Neuvirth showed some of the promise that Washington saw in him years ago, sporting a .981 save percentage and a minuscule 0.67 GAA.
4. Ryan Miller & Jacob Markstrom - Canucks
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller | 51 | 17-24-9 | 1 | 2.70 | .916 |
| Markstrom | 33 | 13-14-4 | 0 | 2.73 | .915 |
It's no Luongo/Schneider pairing, but the Canucks' biggest issue last season wasn't between the pipes. Signing veteran Ryan Miller as a free agent in 2014, the 36-year-old hasn't provided the same level of support he did in his prime with Buffalo, but he doesn't appear ready to give up the starter's job just yet.
Meanwhile, the Canucks recently re-signed Jacob Markstrom to a three-year contract, further complicating their crease. Last year's 33 games was a career high for Markstrom, as he began to show the potential that the Florida Panthers saw in him before dealing him to the Canucks in March 2014.
5. Roberto Luongo & James Reimer - Panthers
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luongo | 62 | 35-19-6 | 4 | 2.35 | .922 |
| Reimer | 40 | 17-14-7 | 3 | 2.31 | .922 |
On July 1, the Panthers signed James Reimer to a 5-year, $17-million deal. While not the starter's role he desired, the expectation is that Reimer will get regular work, especially early, with Luongo not available until early November after undergoing offseason hip surgery.
In any event, it's too much to expect the 37-year-old Luongo to keep up his 60-plus-game pace. Reimer will have the chance to transition into the No. 1 role in the future. Reimer, 28, played 40 games last year (32 with Toronto, eight with San Jose), posting a 1.62 GAA and .938 save percentage with the Sharks.
Honorable Mention: Marc-Andre Fleury & Matt Murray - Penguins
| Goalie | GP | Record | SO | GAA | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleury | 58 | 35-17-6 | 5 | 2.29 | .921 |
| Murray | 13 | 9-2-1 | 1 | 2.00 | .930 |
How can this list be complete without last year's playoff hero? Simple. We need a bigger sample size. Is Matt Murray the next Andrew Hammond or the next Cam Ward?
Despite only appearing in 13 regular-season games, Murray got the nod in the playoffs, posting a 2.08 GAA alongside a .923 save percentage, leading Pittsburgh to its fourth Cup in franchise history. But, we also can't forget about Marc-Andre Fleury, who put up top regular-season numbers and aims to win back the starter's role.
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