New York Islanders Don’t Forget About Thomas Greiss

New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner is getting a ton of deserved credit but let’s not forget about the season that Thomas Greiss just had.

Robin Lehner deserves every single ounce of credit that he’s receiving and continues to receive. He’s worked incredibly hard to get to where he is emotionally and professionally. But lost in his incredible season is the also incredible year that Thomas Greiss had for the New York Islanders.

Just remember last season. Both Greiss and Jaroslav Halak had a hard time stopping anything. By the end of the season, Greiss finished with a 3.82GAA and an 0.892SV%. That’s terrible.

The NHL average for the 2017-18 season was a 2.78GAA and a 0.912SV%. Greiss allowed more than a goal against per game and had a save percentage that was two percentage points worse than the league average. Again, terrible.

But this season, Thomas Greiss finished in the top five in both statistical categories. He was one of the better goalies in the league in 2018-19.

From the Bottom to the Top

Greiss started the year with a new goalie coach in Piero Greco and a Director of Goaltending in Mitch Korn. He also brought back his old personal goalie coach Mike Francilia.

These were significant changes in Greiss’ professional life, and he absolutely ran with it.

Again, in a single year, Thomas Greiss went from the bottom of his profession to the very top.

2017-18 stats for goalies who played at least 20 games.
2018-19 stats for goalies who played at least 30 games.

This seasons, Greiss started in 39 games holding a 23-14-2 record. He and Robin Lehner formed the best 1a-1b situation in the NHL. They won the Jennings trophy for the fewest goals allowed in the league to prove it.

Greiss wasn’t the backup or plan B. Greiss was right there starting almost half the games this season for the New York Islanders.

Robin Lehner deserves all of the accolades he’s receiving right now. But the season that Thomas Greiss had in 2017-18 shouldn’t go unnoticed. He came back from a terrible 2017-18 and put up an outstanding comeback effort in 2018-19.

Thankfully, with Greiss still under contract for another year and the likely scenario that Robin Lehner is re-signed, the New York Islanders can hold onto the best goaltending duo in the league for at least another season.