After ranking the top 20 NHL defensemen and wingers earlier in August, the NHL Network next released its list of the league’s 10 best goaltenders on Sunday night.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning), Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets), and Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers) claimed the top three spots, with fellow high-end netminders Ilya Sorokin (New York Islanders), Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins), Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals), and Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) rounding out an astute top seven.
The final three spots are where the list warranted the heaviest scrutiny, with Dan Vladar (Philadelphia Flyers), Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild), and Jakub Dobes (Montreal Canadiens) completing the top 10.
Introducing NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now!
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 17, 2026
What do you think of the list? #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/bblvaYkKmq
Chicago Blackhawks No. 1 netminder Spencer Knight was omitted from the NHL Network’s goalie rankings, but his exclusion isn’t quite as surprising as others. Sergei Bobrovsky and Scott Wedgewood were widely regarded as the two most substantial snubs. Bobrovsky backstopped the Florida Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cups before having one down year in 2025-26 behind an injury-depleted squad. Wedgewood led the NHL in both goals-against average and save percentage this past season, while also finishing tied for fourth in wins.
Knight wasn’t slighted quite like Bobrovsky and Wedgewood were, with both certainly having the credentials and recent success to deserve a top-10 position. However, while Knight’s final numbers from last year — his first full season as an NHL starter — might not jump off the page, he performed and handled himself remarkably well, given his situation.
In securing the net for one of the league’s youngest and most inexperienced clubs, Knight was tremendous in the early portion of the 2025-26 campaign, ranking near the NHL’s best in save percentage and goals-saved above expected through the opening two months. But once Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar suffered significant injuries in December, the season quickly turned south for both Knight and the Blackhawks.
Ultimately, Knight posted a 19-25-11 record with a 2.82 GAA, .902 save percentage, and three shutouts in 55 starts for the Blackhawks last year. Nothing too remarkable there, but for a first-time starter who faced 30-plus shots per night, he gave his team a chance to win more times than not. Knight impressively finished ninth in goals-saved above expected among all NHL goaltenders with at least 50 appearances, despite a less-than-ideal second half.
It’s also worth mentioning the Blackhawks’ moves at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline didn’t do Knight any favors. After the team’s entire leadership group was shipped out, including captain Nick Foligno and alternates Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson, the remaining roster was younger than some collegiate programs, and that’s not a metaphor. To no fault of his own, Knight won just three of his final 14 starts after the calendar flipped to March, giving up four or more goals seven times.
In hindsight, had Bedard and Nazar avoided those midseason injuries, there could have been a chance for Knight to play his way onto the NHL Network’s top-10 goalies list. Admittedly, it would still have been an outside chance, but he flashed comparable upside and promise to both Wallstedt and Dobes, two fellow up-and-coming netminders. Sadly, Knight’s sample size was cut short by what transpired around him, and he didn’t get to prove himself for a playoff-contending team down the stretch, as Wallstedt and Dobes did.
Looking ahead, Knight doesn’t appear too far from being considered a top-10 caliber goaltender, and an improved (fingers crossed) team around him in 2026-27 should only help his cause. The 2019 first-round pick solidified himself as one of the league’s top young netminders last season. Now, it’s time to continue making strides of his own and become one of the league’s top goaltenders, period.
Hopefully, with a more competitive and experienced supporting cast in front of him, Knight cracks the NHL Network’s list in the 2027 edition.
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