The early portion of the campaign has already witnessed its share of turbulence across the crease. New York Rangers star Igor Shesterkin initially roared out of the gate with vintage, dominant performances, only to suffer a devastating, season-ending injury that has prematurely halted what looked to be another elite campaign. Meanwhile, defending narrative shifts are also taking place; last year’s Vezina Trophy recipient, Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy—who secured the prestigious honor for the second time in his illustrious career—has struggled to find his usual dominant rhythm out of the gates. His uncharacteristic statistical start opens the door wide for a fresh face to capture the hardware if the reigning champion cannot rapidly course-correct.
With the fourth week of the 2026-27 regular season officially underway, the early-season front-runners have separated themselves from the pack. Here is a closer look at the five goaltenders leading the conversation for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder.
5. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
Ilya Sorokin enters the current campaign with a chip on his shoulder after coming agonizingly close to capturing the Vezina Trophy last season, ultimately finishing as the runner-up in award voting. During the 2025-26 campaign, Sorokin dragged a struggling New York Islanders roster into competitive territory, single-handedly keeping them on the periphery of the playoff race thanks to a sparkling .906 save percentage and an incredible seven shutouts.
This year, however, the star Russian netminder has elevated his game to an entirely different stratosphere. Through his first six appearances of the new season, the 31-year-old has compiled a 4-2-0 record while anchoring himself with a stellar .940 save percentage and an eye-popping 1.68 goals-against average. In a testament to just how competitive the league-wide goaltending landscape is right now, Sorokin’s remarkable save percentage currently ranks fourth-best across the entire NHL, highlighting the sheer brilliance required to stand out in the modern crease. Sorokin continues to give the Islanders a fighting chance on a nightly basis, having stood between the pipes for every single victory the team has secured to open the year.
4. Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
The crease in the State of Hockey has officially transitioned to a new era. Last season, the Minnesota Wild utilized a tandem approach, splitting duties more evenly between young phenom Jesper Wallstedt and fellow countryman Filip Gustavsson. While Wallstedt made 33 solid starts during the 2025-26 campaign—finishing with a .916 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average to announce his arrival as a legitimate NHL-caliber starter—this year has seen him seize the undisputed reins as the team’s unquestioned number-one option.
With Gustavsson currently working his way back from off-season hip surgery, Wallstedt has been thrust into a heavy workload. He has answered the bell emphatically, starting eight of Minnesota’s first nine games to lead the entire league in starts. Despite shouldering this immense early-season burden, his consistency has been nothing short of extraordinary. Wallstedt has rewarded the Wild’s faith by posting a .922 save percentage and a stingy 1.99 goals-against average, establishing himself early on as one of the league’s emerging elite stars.
3. Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have soared to the upper echelon of the league standings, sitting comfortably at the summit of the Atlantic Division and fourth overall in the NHL. That impressive team success is owed in large part to the phenomenal play of Jeremy Swayman, who has provided rock-solid stability for the black and gold.
Swayman has been nothing short of sensational between the pipes, suffering just a single regulation loss across his first seven starts of the campaign. He is currently tied for the most victories of any goaltender in the NHL with six, while comfortably sitting inside the top five in save percentage with a magnificent .934 mark alongside a sparkling 1.85 goals-against average. Notably, Swayman set the tone for his campaign right out of the gate by pitching a shutout in his very first start of the year. If Boston maintains its grip on the division lead and Swayman’s stellar numbers hold steady, his name will inevitably begin to surface in broader Hart Trophy conversations as the league’s most valuable player.
2. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
While raw win totals do not always tell the entire story of a goaltender’s early impact, Jake Oettinger’s statistics place him right at the absolute pinnacle of the Vezina Trophy conversation. The Dallas Stars star has compiled a respectable 3-2-1 record through six appearances, but the manner in which he has secured those victories is truly historic.
Remarkably, every single win Oettinger has earned for the Stars this season has come via a shutout. While maintaining a shutout in half of his appearances is an inherently unsustainable pace over an 82-game schedule, the sheer dominance of the 20-something American netminder cannot be overstated. Oettinger is currently averaging a shutout in every other game he plays, driving his numbers to a league-best .952 save percentage and an astonishing 1.00 goals-against average, leading all starting goaltenders in both major categories.
1. Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators
The narrative surrounding Linus Ullmark since his arrival in the Canadian capital has taken several dramatic twists. Last season with the Ottawa Senators was undeniably difficult for the veteran goaltender; he struggled to find his footing, posting an uncharacteristic .891 save percentage and even stepping away from the team for a brief period to reset.
However, the tide began to turn during the spring. In last year’s playoffs, Ullmark was a revelation, standing on his head and giving the Senators every possible opportunity to pull off an upset, even though the team ultimately fell short. Entering the current campaign, expectations in Ottawa were remarkably muted. The departure of captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers via free agency in the off-season led most pundits to pencil the Senators in for a lottery pick rather than a playoff berth.
Instead, fueled by Ullmark’s sensational resurgence, the Senators have defied the doubters. Ottawa sits comfortably in third place in the Atlantic Division and ninth overall in the NHL standings, a surprise ascent that is inextricably linked to Ullmark reclaiming his elite form and anchoring the franchise’s improbable early-season success.