Goaltending Killing Avalanche, Penguins and Maple Leafs

The Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs' goaltenders are under the most pressure to begin the upcoming season.

Apr 23, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (42) and goalie Alexander Georgiev (40) search for the puck against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in game two of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images / Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs are in wildly different places as organizations. Two of these teams have championship ambitions, and the Penguins have Sidney Crosby.

But what the Avalanche, Penguins, and Maple Leafs have in common is one thing: each of their starting goaltenders is under immense pressure entering the season. Despite having different season expectations, each of these teams' starters enter the 2024-2025 campaign with a set of question marks.

Alexander Georgiev - Colorado Avalanche

Let's begin with the Avalanche. They have one of the most talented netminders in the NHL with Alexander Georgiev on their roster. He's been a workhorse in Colorado since they acquired him from the New York Rangers. With over 60 games played in each of these seasons, he's become the dependable starter they can rely on.

The question has been can he be that same dependable starter in the postseason? Last year's playoff defeat is easy to look at on the surface and call a failure, but after his disastrous first start, Georgiev rebounded in an encouraging way. The key for him is consistency, and he has to show that out of the gate during the upcoming season or the Avalanche may be second guessing their unwavering faith in him.

Joseph Woll - Toronto Maple Leafs

Meanwhile in Toronto, the crease is set to be occupied by Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Stolarz arrives as the new back-up and running mate to presumptive starter Woll. The Leafs gave him a three-year deal to be their main guy after 25 games last season and an impressive showing in the playoffs.

The question for Woll is easy: can he do it for a full season? He was the back-up for the entirety of last year for the Leafs, but was thrust into a starting role in the playoffs. While he responded admirably, he's hardly shown a readiness to give you 50 quality starts in a year. Regardless, that's the expectation in Toronto, but it could go south quickly with how much pressure Woll is under to begin the season.

Tristan Jarry - Pittsburgh Penguins

When Kyle Dubas joined the Penguins, one of his first orders of business he accomplished was signing Tristan Jarry to a long-term deal. The first year of that contract went about as poorly as possible. He went 19-25-5, had a career-high goals against average of 2.91, and lost his starting job to Alex Nedeljkovic at the end of the season.

The question now for Jarry is can he re-claim his net? The Pens re-signed Nedeljkovic to a multi-year contract this summer, putting even more pressure on Jarry to return to form. If he can't, the Penguins will certainly shifts gears and ride with Nedeljkovic. And that could mean the team looks to find a way out of what seems like a regretful contract for Pittsburgh.

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