Finland far from the top! Here are the TOP 5 goaltending departments of the Olympics

The men’s ice hockey Olympic tournament starts in Milan on February 11. Before the tournament begins, SuomiKiekko anticipates the Olympics by highlighting the best countries for each position.

First up are the five countries with the best goalkeepers in the Olympics.

5. Finland

For Finland, it was a huge setback that the red-hot Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was unable to participate in the Olympics due to injury. Now, the clear number one goalkeeper for the Lions is Juuse Saros, whose season with the Nashville Predators has been difficult again. His save percentage is 89.2, and he has allowed 0.356 more goals than expected per game.

All three Finnish goalkeepers have allowed more goals than they should have. Kevin Lankinen has a figure of -0.340 goals per game, and Joonas Korpisalo is at -0.075. Still, Finland has three NHL-level goalkeepers on its roster, and Saros is one of the best goalkeepers in the NHL at his best. For these reasons, Finland’s goalkeeper department is the fifth best in the entire Olympic tournament.

4. Czech Republic

The Czech Republic’s trio of goalkeepers is one of the most even in the tournament, as the team has three NHL-level starting goalkeepers: Karel Vejmelka from Utah Mammoth, Dan Vladar from Philadelphia Flyers, and Lukas Dostal from Anaheim Ducks.

The preliminary starting goalkeeper for the Olympics is likely to be Vejmelka. His save percentage this season has been 90.3, and his goals against average is 2.58. Vejmelka has saved 0.262 more goals than expected per game. This figure is the 14th best among goalkeepers who have played over 20 NHL games. Dostal’s and Vladar’s numbers are also clearly in the positive range.

Anaheim Ducks’ top goalkeeper Lukas Dostal is also remembered from Liiga in an Ilves jersey. Photo: All Over Press

3. Canada

Canada’s goalkeeper situation has been a hot topic long before the tournament starts. However, the final strength of Canada’s goaltending will be determined by how they are utilized. The country in third place gets that expectation, provided the coaching staff understands not to play St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington, who has been the worst starting goalkeeper in the NHL this season. The fiery goalie has allowed nearly one more goal than he should have per game, and he definitely should not be part of the team.

Canada’s absolutely best goalkeeper is Logan Thompson from the Washington Capitals, who should play the majority of the short tournament’s games. Thompson’s save percentage behind the mediocre Capitals has been excellent at 91.2. He is the sixth best goalkeeper in the entire NHL when looking at saves relative to expected goals.

2. Sweden

Sweden has a notable trio of goalkeepers in the Olympics, consisting of Minnesota Wild’s duo Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, along with New Jersey Devils’ Jacob Markström. The Wild’s goalkeepers are excellent, and both have a bright future ahead. Either of them could be a future Vezina winner.

The 36-year-old Markström, on the other hand, is one of the weakest starting goalkeepers in the NHL. He was not selected for the 4 Nations tournament, and last spring’s World Championship also saw his save percentage leave much to be desired. Presumably, however, Markström will not get any games in the Olympics, so Sweden’s goalkeeper department is in excellent shape.

1. United States

The United States’ goalkeeper department is undoubtedly the overwhelming number one of the entire tournament. Connor Hellebuyck from Winnipeg Jets, Jake Oettinger from Dallas Stars, and Jeremy Swayman from Boston Bruins are all among the best in their positions in the NHL. The U.S. has a positive problem of deciding which of these superstars to put in goal.

Presumably, the U.S. number one goalie will be Hellebuyck. He has won three Vezina trophies for the best goalkeeper in the NHL during his career, and for years he has been the main reason why the Jets have performed well in the regular season and made it to the playoffs. Hellebuyck was also the U.S. number one goalie in the 4 Nations tournament, where he played three games with a save percentage of 93.2.