If you are wondering how the Ottawa Senators goalies stack up against the rest of the NHL’s Atlantic Division, you’re in luck, we have all your answers. The Atlantic Division is the toughest in the NHL and no doubt has a superior crop of goaltenders to back it up.
Ottawa Senators Goaltending Situation within the Atlantic Division
It is not overwhelming by any means. However, if you include Sergei Bobrovsky‘s Vezina Trophy wins because he is currently playing for the defending Stanley Cup champions who happen to play in the Atlantic Division, the Florida Panthers, maybe it is overwhelming. The Atlantic has five of the wins and plus Bobrovsky’s two wins, that is seven of the past 14 Vezina Trophy wins. The reverse logic of other goalies playing in other divisions doesn’t apply simply due to the fact that since most of the goalies in the group were only predominantly tied to one team throughout their career. As unusual as that may seem, it is true.
Vezina Trophy Winners’ Division Since 2010-11
With the current crop of Atlantic Division goaltenders, it is easy to see why the division is so difficult. In a division with such names as Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Sergei Bobrovsky, the group is littered with individual and team award winners. In terms of our discussion here, the Ottawa Senators do technically find themselves in a position of advantage. Case in point, they have the second most recent Vezina winner in Linus Ullmark. He only came over in this offseason via trade with the Boston Bruins and another goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo, went the other way.
Comparing the Best of the Rest against the Ottawa Senators Goalies
It’s time to get down to specifics and identify exactly which teams would actually compete with the Ottawa Senators between the pipes. The Buffalo Sabres are oozing with talent and have a ton of potential in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with Devon Levi as a backup. Moreover, the club has brought in James Reimer to help shore up the situation. Really the only thing holding the Sabres back is that their young goalies are still unproven. However, Luukkonen is making his case for it. As good as the club is, they do fall short of the top-three rankings in our list.
Perhaps one surprise on the list is that you would assume the Tampa Bay Lightning would be in the running. Alternatively, Tampa has struggled in recent times with backup goalies. Jonas Johansson has provided stability in that role, but the Lightning aren’t as tight defensively as they were during their Stanley Cup victories. Furthermore, the Toronto Maple Leafs have Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll. It is tough to predict what the Leafs do with their goaltending situation. Currently, the two goalies earn $2.5M and $767K, respectively. They may also be victim of not being proven but are, without question, talented. Finally, the Florida Panthers are the Stanley Cup champions. Sergei Bobrovsky turns 36 during training camp in 2024, but was and continues to be the club’s number one goaltender. Even if Spencer Knight were to come back and regain his fine form, the Panthers goaltending would be a source of a strength, thus, clearly not a weakness.
Judging the Best Atlantic Division Goaltending
In order to determine the best goaltending in the Atlantic Division we took a weighted-average approach. Without giving away our exact formula, we used weights based on player and team’s 2023-24 stats and also the player’s career stats. It varied based on player’s performance based on the team they played on in 2023-24 and also, weighted for their 2024-25 team’s statistics from last year. (Not the team the player actually played on in 2023-24). Anyway, it turns out that the Ottawa Senators and their goalies do have reason for optimism. Yes, Ullmark’s numbers may have been slightly inflated by playing on the Bruins, but overall they are competitive by our rating system.
Officially Ranking the 2024-25 Atlantic Division Teams in Net
Sergei Bobrovsky continues to be an elite NHL goalie, and his 2023-24 save percentage matching his career value shows why (.915 SV%). The Bruins and their defensive system, despite swapping a Vezina-winner in Ullmark for Korpisalo, still remain a force to be reckoned with in this regard. The Leafs may land at third, but with only a games played average of their two goalies from 2023-24 of 26, the possibility of variability is high. It may surprise some to find out that the Sabres are clearly next, but with some consistent, young goaltending and the addition of a veteran, they are a strong team. Finally, we arrive at the Ottawa Senators and analyzing their goalies, the next level of Atlantic Division netminding supremacy. Their goaltenders exhibit many similar attributes as those with the Montreal Canadiens. Hopefully for the Sens their veteran defencemen will be a difference-maker. For completeness, the Lightning and Red Wings round out our rating list.
Therefore, one observation from our study was that there are clear, tangible differences between the goaltenders. Furthermore, they seem to back up the results that are the actual outcomes we see play out. The Sens will have to play hard if they want their goaltending to make a difference, but given they current state, they definitely are within striking distance.
Main photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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