Vezina Trophy Power Rankings: Can anyone dethrone Shesterkin?

Welcome to the first edition of theScore's 2022-23 Vezina Trophy Power Rankings. New rankings will be published once a month throughout the season.

Note: All stats from 2021-22
HDSV% = High-danger save percentage
GSAA = Goals saved above average

5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Vasilevskiy has led the NHL in wins for five straight seasons. He was a Vezina finalist in each of those campaigns - except 2021-22 when he finished fifth in voting. The 28-year-old has as strong a claim as any to the mantle of "best goalie in the world," and he's proven to be the most clutch netminder in the league through three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Vasilevskiy has set his bar so high that another season among league leaders probably won't be enough to sway voters and earn hardware. Narrative often plays a major role in determining award winners, so Vasilevskiy will have to blow his peers out of the water to claim a second Vezina.

4. Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks

Demko is something of a dark horse on this list, but we believe he has a legitimate shot to be a Vezina candidate this season. He's immensely talented and equipped with the ability to take over games on his own - as evidenced by his epic showing in the postseason bubble two seasons ago and his solid numbers since that breakout showing. He could also have an award-winning narrative if all goes right.

The Canucks are looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs by five points last year. Vancouver looked like a new team after hiring Bruce Boudreau, posting a .649 points percentage - the sixth-best clip in the Western Conference - after the veteran head coach took over in December. It's clear the team developed some chemistry, and if it's still there when the new campaign begins, the Canucks can surely compete in a weak Pacific Division. If they make the playoffs, Demko will be a massive factor; a postseason berth for Vancouver will give him a big boost in the Vezina race by season's end.

3. Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames

A disappointing playoff showing in the playoff Battle of Alberta spoiled Markstrom's dynamite regular season, but the Flames backstop is in a terrific position to be a Vezina finalist again after finishing second this past season. Calgary was the league's top team in several defensive categories last season - and then it added MacKenzie Weegar on the blue line to make Markstrom's life even easier. That's not to say the Swedish netminder isn't one of the league's best on his own merit, but Markstrom may have a more favorable situation than any other Vezina threat.

2. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Saros has arrived as one of the NHL's top goalies. He led the league with 67 appearances last season - by far the largest workload of his career - and finished third in Vezina voting after guiding the Predators to the playoffs and posting some phenomenal numbers along the way. Nashville's core is aging, and its star forwards have been prone to inconsistency in the past. But with a talent like Saros between the pipes, the Predators are a threat to win night in and night out.

1. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

The separation between the first four candidates on this list is marginal. And while each of the aforementioned netminders is worthy of consideration, there's a chasm between them and Shesterkin until the 2022-23 race takes proper shape. The Rangers netminder is coming off one of the most dominant goaltending seasons in recent memory, posting Herculean stats for a New York team that consistently leaked scoring chances against. He received all but three first-place Vezina votes, was a finalist for league MVP honors, and - until a serious threat emerges - is the goaltender to bank on. No netminder has won back-to-back Vezina trophies since Martin Brodeur in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Don't be surprised if Shesterkin bucks that trend.

Honorable mentions: Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes), Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars), Ilya Sorokin (New York Islanders)

(Advanced stats source: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)