Here are three goalies, with stats from last year. Let me know which one you would predict would win a Top Goalie award the following season.
Goalie A - 564 TPE
Regular Season: 39-21-4, .923 SV%, 2.10 GAA, 12 SO
Playoffs: 9-5-1, .924 SV%, 2.10 GAA, 1 SO
Goalie B - 595 TPE
Regular Season: 52-8-4, .924 SV%, 1.68 GAA, 14 SO
Playoffs: 8-4-0, .917 SV%, 2.17 GAA, 1 SO
Goalie C - 515 TPE
Regular Season: 46-21-4, .922 SV%, 1.78 GAA, 13 SO
Playoffs: 2-3-1, .904 SV%, 2.83 GAA, 0 SO
What's the difference between these three goalies?
Here's your answer. Goalie A was on the trade block for part of the offseason; his name is Ariel Weinstein. Goalie B is currently a free agent and can't find a steady gig; his name is Blake Campbell. And Goalie C... well, of the current 23 Best Goalie predictions in which person picked outside of his own team, 14 went to Goalie C, Greg Clegane. Meanwhile, just two went to Weinstein, and none went to the still-unsigned Campbell. (Seven went to Hans Wingate.)
I get if people don't pick Wingate, because my player sucked last season. I am slightly confused, however, concerning the Greg Clegane bandwagon that seems to be emerging out of nowhere in relation to Weinstein and Campbell. Helsinki has won a lot with Clegane in net, sure, but that does not necessarily a best goalie make (see: my own two Shaw wins recently). Heck, considering Davos is going for it all, I'm surprised that Callum Sinclair (second in goalie TPE with 702, 72 banked for depreciation, has had dominant stretches) has not picked up a single vote either. What's up, voters?