Remember when the Vegas Golden Knights had horrendous goaltending? Adin Hill was on an absolute stinker of a campaign and Carter Hart was injured. Granted, the latter went on a tear en route to the Stanley Cup Final before the team folded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Still, everyone tore into the Golden Knights' netminding during the regular season because it was, well, mediocre.
That's not the case this season because Vegas is getting some positive output from the unit. Hill has improved by leaps and bounds with a GAA of 2.47 (!) and a save percentage of .907. Meanwhile, Hart has been his usual self, providing steady goaltending for the Golden Knights. He has a GAA of 2.53 and a save percentage of .896.
Mind you, both save percentages are above the league average of .891. That's great news for the Golden Knights, considering they got to the Stanley Cup Final last season with a mediocre unit. Imagine how much damage the group can do if they stay consistent throughout the 2026-27 season.
In the meantime, let's dive deeper into the numbers that show how well the group has been. You'll see how much better Hill has been in net compared to last season. Let's also see how well Hart has done this season while keeping the Golden Knights afloat. Most importantly, can the unit carry the Golden Knights to their second Stanley Cup, a la 2023?
How the Vegas Golden Knights goaltending tandem is doing, compared to last season
First, let's start with the 2023 Stanley Cup hero, Adin Hill. He's grown by leaps and bounds since falling off a cliff and suffering more debilitating lower-body injuries. As mentioned, the surface stats show drastic improvement to the point where he's above league average. But the advanced statistics tell another story.
Season | Goals Saved Above Expected | % of Expected Goals Saved Above Average | Save % Above Expected | Save % On Unblocked Shots | Rebounds Per Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-26 | -14.2 | -22.92 | -0.0108 | .942 | 0.045 |
2026-27 | 3.6 | 12.56 | 0.0062 | .951 | 0.048 |
One thing you'll notice with Hill's improvement is how much better he's doing on unblocked shots. When shots are coming his way, he's used his size better and swallowed the puck. Sure, there's the occasional softie that squirts by him that infuriates fans. But the Stanley Cup hero has been reliable for Vegas by going back to his strengths and staying composed when called upon.
One can look at Friday's game against the Nashville Predators as a prime example. Hill had the dubious task of going up against Juuse Saros, which is a tall order. But Hill endured a late third-period barrage to steal a point and get the Golden Knights to the shootout. But what about Carter Hart, you ask?
Season | Goals Saved Above Expected | % of Expected Goals Saved Above Average | Save % Above Expected | Save % On Unblocked Shots | Rebounds Per Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-26 | -4.2 | -10.05 | -0.0047 | .949 | 0.066 |
2026-27 | 0.9 | 3.15 | 0.0015 | .952 | 0.074 |
Here's where Hart's improvement differs from Hill's. While the former Flyers netminder has marginally improved on unblocked shots, he's done better when rebounds come his way. Hart has handled the pressure of loose pucks much better, stealing points for Vegas in the process. One shining example is last Monday's game against the Boston Bruins, when Hart dealt with a similar late-game barrage.
Can Carter Hart and Adin Hill lead the Vegas Golden Knights to another Stanley Cup?
Remember when the Golden Knights dealt with a wave of goaltender injuries that left them to rely on Jonathan Quick in 2022-23 at one point? They still won the Stanley Cup, despite the setbacks. Currently, the netminding situation is better than that season, giving Vegas plenty of hope. However, the name of the game will be consistency.
The Golden Knights will need Hill to continue leaning on his size for stealing games. They'll also need Hart's quickness and affinity for taking solid angles to come through during the season. If both netminders can hang on and get help from the Golden Knights' defensive structure, they'll get another Stanley Cup in 2026-27.
Goaltender | Career Postseason GAA | Career Postseason Save Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Adin Hill | 2.41 | .917 |
Carter Hart | 2.44 | .915 |
Personally, I think it can happen (stay with me for a minute). Hill has shown that he can step in and carry the team when called upon. The goaltender does have a career GAA of 2.41 and a career save percentage of .917. That's especially true with the Stanley Cup run, when he posted a GAA of 2.17 and a save percentage of .932.
Hart can do the same for the Golden Knights since he carried the team to the Stanley Cup Final last season. Again, it comes down to health and consistency. But if there's a duo that can make it happen, it's Hill and Hart.
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