O Canada: How the Great White North's seven NHL teams stack up in goal

No, we’re not saying that Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec is the best goalie among the netminders on Canada’s seven NHL teams. Of course not, not with Carey Price between the pipes in Montreal and Ryan Miller off and running in Vancouver … and Craig Anderson streaking in Ottawa and Jonas Hiller rebounding in Calgary.

However.

There is a statistical case to be made that Pavelec is playing the best among goalies toiling north of the 49th parallel. For starters, Pavelec entered Friday night’s action ranked sixth overall in the NHL in both goals-against average (1.99) and save percentage (.928). His win-loss record isn’t quite as starry at 7-5-2, but that’s mostly because the Jets sit 29th in the league in goals scored per game (1.82), ahead of only the woebegone Buffalo Sabres (1.22). On the defensive side, Pavelec is getting plenty of help from the players in front of him – the Jets are surrendering the seventh-fewest shots per game in the NHL, at 28.2. So it would seem Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice has his charges focusing on the ‘D’ while sacrificing on offense. It makes sense, given the team’s lack of game-breakers, and for now it’s working, with the Jets on a 7-2-1 run in their past 10 games. Winnipeg backup Michael Hutchinson is also benefitting from the team’s shutdown approach, with a 1.50 GAA and .949 SP in three starts (2-1-0).

Overall, the Jets boast the third-best GAA in the NHL at 1.95, behind only the Chicago Blackhawks (1.83) and St. Louis Blues (1.90). It would be downright shocking if Winnipeg is anywhere close to that number at the end of the season, and a huge victory if they’re in the NHL’s top 10 in GAA, never mind the top three. But for the time being, you can’t argue with the results – and you can’t deny Pavelec’s contribution.

Here is how Canada’s six other teams rank in net, in order of goals-against average (entering Friday night’s games):

Ottawa Senators: 2.37 GAA, 11th overall in the NHL

Craig Anderson has been stellar for the Sens, as attested by his league-leading .942 save percentage. It’s a good thing his SP is so sparkling, with Ottawa surrendering the third-most shots per game in the NHL (35.4). With a 2.05 GAA and 5-2-3 record, he’s clearly the No. 1 in Ottawa ahead of Robin Lehner (3-2-1, 2.96 GAA, .913 SP). Anderson can run hot and cold, he had a 3.00 GAA and .911 SP last season after a ridiculous showing in lockout-shortened 2012-13 (1.69 GAA, .941 SP). He’ll come back down to earth a bit, but his great start bodes well for the rest of the season, and Lehner’s numbers should improve, too.

Montreal Canadiens: 2.47 GAA, 12th overall in the NHL

Not only is Price the best goalie in Canada, he’s one of the very best in the NHL – maybe at the top of the pile. The Habs were tied for the second-best points percentage in the NHL despite being tied for 25th in offense, scoring 2.41 goals per game. Montreal can’t score on the power play (hello, Sergei Gonchar), scuffling along at 8.5-percent proficiency (4-for-47) – and they literally can’t score on the power play on the road, at 0-for-25 and counting. The Habs have scored four goals in the first period – while giving up 15 – through 17 contests. Add it all up and it puts a lot of pressure on Price to keep his team in games. So far, he’s passed with flying colors, with a 10-3-1 record, 2.45 GAA and .920 SP. Dustin Tokarski’s stats have been even better in limited action (2-1-0, 2.01 GAA, .929 SP). The power play can’t stay this bad forever, and the Canadiens are a good bet to bump up their offensive output. Price isn’t in the Vezina conversation at the moment, but that could easily change by the end of the season.

Calgary Flames: 2.56 GAA, 14th overall in the NHL

This must be satisfying for Jonas Hiller, the longtime starter in Anaheim who was a forgotten man by the time the playoffs rolled around last season. He’s off to a fine start with the surprising Flames, sporting an 8-4-1 record, 2.30 GAA and .922 save percentage. Calgary’s holding down a playoff position as the season approaches the one-quarter pole; there’s a long way to go and the West is stacked, but the Flames’ defense – and, apparently, goaltending – is the team’s strength. Hiller is backed up by Karri Ramo (2-2-1, 2.85 GAA, .901 SP).

Toronto Maple Leafs: 2.60 GAA, 15th overall in the NHL

The Leafs are more of a tandem in net than any other Canadian NHL team, with Jonathan Bernier the starter by a nose over James Reimer. Bernier plays a positional game, while Reimer relies on athleticism and reflexes. Different approaches, but pretty close to the same results. Bernier’s edge is rebound control, though he’s also guilty of a few more bad goals. Reimer’s a battler, kicking the puck out and hoping his teammates clear it or that he can stop the next shot, too. Their numbers are close: Bernier’s record is 5-3-2 with a 2.57 GAA and .917 SP; Reimer is 4-2-0, 2.65 GAA, .925 SP.

Vancouver Canucks: 2.72 GAA, 18th overall in the NHL

Ryan Miller is 11-2-0, and you can’t argue with a record like that. Things went off the rails for Vancouver last season and they’re back on track with 12 wins in their first 17 games, near the top of the tough Western Conference. Miller’s numbers aren’t Pavelec-esque, with a 2.46 GAA and .910 SP, but as long as the Canucks keep scoring – they’re tied for sixth in the league with Calgary at three goals per game – and the team keeps winning, nobody’s going to complain if he doesn’t win the Vezina. Eddie Lack has been slower out of the gate, 1-3-0 with 3.40 GAA and .896 SP. The good news: Lack beat the mighty Ducks in last outing, stopping 28 of 29 shots.

Edmonton Oilers: 3.33 GAA, 27th overall in the NHL

The stats aren’t great, but they’re improving – Edmonton ranked dead-last in the league in GAA for most of October. And yes, they still have a long way to go. Do the Oilers need better goaltending or better team defense? The answer, of course, is both. Ben Scrivens wants to be the guy to lead Edmonton back to respectability (as does Viktor Fasth, of course, but Scrivens is getting the chance first). ‘The Professor’ has cut his GAA to 3.01 and his record is up to 4-6-1, while Fasth is 2-3-1 with a 3.63 GAA. The real issue is save percentage, with Scrivens at .897 and Fasth .885. Those numbers are surely a condemnation of the quality of shots that the goalies are facing as much as the goalies themselves, but that’s really beside the point, isn’t it?

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