The NHL offseason is heating up, and teams are shaping their rosters for the 2025 season. Fans have made their voices heard in one of the most debated areas in hockey: goaltending.
JFresh Hockey’s recently released fan-voted 2025 Goalie Rankings brought some expected results at the top but also sparked serious conversations, especially around who didn’t make the list.
And for the Edmonton Oilers’ Stuart Skinner, the silence spoke volumes. While the likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Igor Shesterkin dominated the top spots, Skinner’s absence from the top 32 entirely has Oilers fans and analysts alike wondering what this means for the team’s immediate future in the net.
Fan Vote Rankings Reveal Stark Opinions on NHL’s Top Goaltenders for 2025
The latest fan-driven ranking of NHL goaltenders heading into the 2025 season has sparked strong reactions across the hockey community, and it’s not good news for Edmonton Oilers’ netminder Stuart Skinner.
According to a poll conducted by JFresh Hockey, featuring 193,417 head-to-head votes from 2,337 fans, Skinner failed to crack the top 32 entirely. The ranking, which reflects how fans view goalie talent and reliability league-wide, sent a clear message: fans simply don’t trust Skinner among the NHL’s elite.
His absence from the list, while other names with far less consistent ice time are cut, has fueled conversations about his future between the pipes in Edmonton.
In contrast, Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets’ goalie, took the top spot, followed by Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Shesterkin of the New York Rangers. These three goalies have consistently demonstrated dominance, poise under pressure, and the ability to steal games when needed.
Who are the top goaltenders in the NHL?
You voted.
Here is the 2025 offseason ranking of the top 32 goalies in hockey. pic.twitter.com/0ptPZuz7XM
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 6, 2025
Here’s a quick look at the top 10 goaltenders in the fan vote:
- Connor Hellebuyck (Jets)
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning)
- Igor Shesterkin (Rangers)
- Sergei Bobrovsky (Panthers)
- Jake Oettinger (Stars)
- Ilya Sorokin (Islanders)
- Juuse Saros (Predators)
- Linus Ullmark (Senators)
- Jeremy Swayman (Bruins)
- Thatcher Demko (Canucks)
Meanwhile, players like Spencer Knight, who placed 28th and is coming off limited NHL action, still managed to earn more confidence from fans than Skinner. Knight’s inclusion ahead of several veterans speaks to both optimism around his potential and a lack of faith in some regular starters.
Among the notable names toward the bottom of the list were:
29. Jake Allen
30. Pyotr Kochetkov
31. Charlie Lindgren
32. Kevin Lankinen
“There is a lot of upside still with Stuart Skinner, and he is going to continue to improve, there’s no reason to think he won’t.”
Ask Dubey Presented by @WilhaukJerky pic.twitter.com/NU0v6fG5SI
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) July 7, 2025
Even Kevin Lankinen of Vancouver or Seattle’s Joey Daccord (26) were ranked, an especially sharp indictment of Skinner, who started nearly all of Edmonton’s playoff games in their recent Stanley Cup run and has been the club’s go-to starter.
Though Skinner posted respectable numbers at times, his inconsistency, particularly in high-stakes moments, has left a lingering doubt among fans. The Oilers’ goaltending situation has been one of their biggest question marks, and this ranking adds to the growing pressure on GM Stan Bowman to address it before next season begins.
The lack of fan trust could act as motivation for Skinner heading into training camp. With Edmonton expected to be in Stanley Cup contention again, his performance will be under a microscope. If he can’t rise to the occasion early, don’t be surprised if the Oilers explore trade options or go shopping for a veteran presence in the net.
The Oilers GM is Stan Bowman, not Ken Holland. Plus, Ullmark plays for Ottawa!!