Swayman might not be at the top of this list yet, but he’s certainly in the conversation when it comes to the game’s handful of elite goalies. The scary part, at least for opposing shooters: he’s only 25 and hasn’t reached his prime. Considering his impressive ascension, who knows how high his ceiling can be, given that he’s at least three years younger than Shesterkin (28), Demko (28), Saros (29), Vasilevskiy (30), Hellebuyck (31) and Bobrovsky (35). With a 49-16-12 record in 81 games the past two seasons, he’s now the No. 1 goalie for the Bruins after partner Linus Ullmark, the 2023 winner of the Vezina Trophy, was traded to the Ottawa Senators on June 24. If Swayman’s career path doesn’t encounter any speed bumps, don’t be surprised if he’s the United States’ starter at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He’s worked his way into the mix with Demko and Hellebuyck. — Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Vasilevskiy has been in the conversation for the League’s best goaltenders for years now, and he absolutely should still be in it. A four-time finalist and 2019 winner of the Vezina Trophy, Vasilevskiy, who turned 30 on July 25, was 30-20-2 with a 2.90 GAA, .900 save percentage and two shutouts in 52 games (all starts) last season. That’s the highest GAA of his 10-season NHL career, but for a goalie who had a microdiscectomy to address a lumbar disk herniation in his back last September, I’d stay that’s still pretty darn good. Vasilevskiy returned from that surgery Nov. 24 and still had more than 50 starts. He remained a workhorse following surgery and he’s still among the best in the League. — Tracey Myers, staff writer
