Ranking every starting goalie in the NHL

There is no getting around it or sugarcoating it. Varlamov was very bad last year, posting an .898 save percentage and an abysmal 3.38 GAA before surgery ended his 2016-17 season. His save percentage has gone down each season since his stellar 2013, and Colorado's weak roster suggests that this year, there won't be much in the way of help. 

Neuvirth and newly acquired Brian Elliott will split time in net for the Flyers, and like many of the goalies on this list, any situation where the starting spot is a job share doesn't figure to be a particularly bright one. Neuvirth followed up a strong 2015 with a woeful 2016 campaign, posting an .891 save percentage. He'll have to be much better, lest he surrender the bulk of the playing time to Elliott, who is only two seasons removed from leading the league in save percentage.

Smith was a steady, if unspectacular presence for the Coyotes for six seasons, but now he has a change of scenery and a beefed-up Calgary defense playing in front of him. Smith hasn't notched a save percentage higher than .916 since 2011-12, and at 34, it's hard to believe that he is the answer to the Flames' well documented woes in net.

The job in Winnipeg is Hellebuyck's, but he'll have to fight off Steve Mason to keep it. Given Mason's mediocre numbers in Philadelphia last year, Jets fans will have to hope that the youthful Hellebuyck hangs on to his spot. There is obvious exciting talent Winnipeg, led by Patrik Laine, but Hellebuyck's play will be key in determining how much noise the Jets make.

It is no longer Cam Ward's net in Carolina. Scott Darling was brought in during the offseason, and the expectation is that he will supplant Ward and command the bulk of the playing time in net. Given Ward's status as something of an institution in Carolina, albeit a creaky one for several years now, this should be an interesting dynamic to watch play out.

Howard missed three months with a knee injury last season, but when he did play, he was very good, posting a .924 save percentage. He seems to have wrested control of the net back from Petr Mrazek, whose time as the starter was a disappointment, but at 33 years old, it's fair to wonder how much great hockey Howard has left in him. If he can replicate last season--no guarantee, given his overall body of work the last half decade--the Red Wings could be on the fringes of playoff contention.

Markstrom is an intriguing case. The situation around him in Vancouver may not be conducive for him to post great numbers, but he certainly has plenty of potential, and merely needs to prove that he can harness that potential as the starter. He'll have to fight off Anders Nilsson to keep his job, but the assumption should be that if he plays well enough to do that, he'll stand out as a pleasant surprise.

There is no guarantee Luongo will get the majority of the starts in Florida, given that he and James Reimer split the workload last year. Either way, between Reimer's overall injury history and Luongo's nagging hip issues, finding consistent, high-level play between the pipes looks like it will be a tall order for the Panthers. 

Raanta slides in to fill the void left by Mike Smith's departure, and there's no way to be sure what the Coyotes will get. His numbers were good last year, led by a .922 save percentage, but he did have a playoff-caliber team in front of him. If the Raanta who outperformed Henrik Lundqvist shows up, the Coyotes might be in for a pleasant surprise.

Halak is yet another goalie dealing with uncertainty as to whether or not he'll get the bulk of the action in net. Thomas Greiss is also in the mix, though his play slipped as the season went on. Halak was much better after returning from his stint in the AHL last year, and the talented Isles are doubtless hoping one of the two steps forward and takes command of the job. A sharp Halak would make New York a very interesting team in the Metropolitan Division.

Bishop had a bumpy 2016, seeing his save percentage dip nearly 20 points from the previous season, while splitting time between Tampa and Los Angeles. He'll need to hold off Kari Lehtonen, who struggled in his own right last season, and try to do all of this while the Stars look to get more experience and consistency out of a young, unproven defense.

Allen wasn't exceptional last year, his first as the clear-cut number one in St. Louis, but he's entering his prime years, age-wise, and if 2015 was any indication, is plenty capable of playing very good to at times excellent hockey. It will be interesting to see if having one head coach all season helps Allen's numbers at all.

Without Fleury, the Penguins would not have successfully defended the Stanley Cup. However, the Expansion Draft necessitated the Pens protecting Matt Murray, clearly their future in net. Pittsburgh's loss was Las Vegas' gain, as Fleury should step right in and immediately give the Golden Knights some credibility. Fleury isn't a top 10 goalie in the league anymore, but he's still solid. His major issue will be a weak Golden Knights lineup in front of him.

Jones has been a steady, workmanlike figure in net his first two seasons with the Sharks. He's played 65 games each year, and while his numbers last season tailed off from his 2015 campaign, there is reason to believe that his relative youth and track record will lead to a bounce back season. Having Brent Burns, among others, around to ease the burden should help.

Vasilevskiy was solid, if unspectacular in his first season with an increased workload last year. His youth, coupled with the fact that he alone nearly stole the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016 against the Penguins should have Bolts fans excited about their future in net. Tampa Bay's talented forwards and contender status should also ease some of the burden on Vasilevskiy.

Schneider is one of the most intriguing names on this list. After posting six straight seasons with a save percentage of .921 or better, he fell off dramatically last year, dipping all the way to a very pedestrian .908. If the Devils are to rebound from last year's last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division, it will be because Schneider regained his form. 

Is the monarchy finally disintegrating? Is King Henrik finally slowing down? At 35, and with plenty of games under his belt, Lundqvist saw his save percentage dip to a decidedly average .910 last season, ending a run of seven straight seasons at .920 or better. Even if he rebounds this year, it's hard to look at Lundqvist as the dominant, game-stealing force he was for so many seasons.

Crawford certainly wasn't bad last season, but anything good that happened for the Blackhawks came crashing down in a shocking first-round exit at the hands of eventual Western Conference champion Nashville. If Crawford regains the form he showed in 2014 and 2015, the Blackhawks should once again be on the short list of legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

Rumors of Rinne's demise entering last season were greatly exaggerated, as he rebounded from a sub-par 2015 season to post solid regular season numbers. He was spectacular in the playoffs, carrying the Preds to within two wins of a Stanley Cup, and playing spectacular hockey almost the entire way. The main question with Rinne, however, is age. 

Lehner was a major bright spot on an often over-matched Sabres team last season. If the Sabres can find more consistency, and if Phil Housley's new direction is an improvement on the Dan Bylsma model, it isn't out of the question that Lehner could have a save percentage in the mid to upper .920s.

After an injury-shortened 2016, Quick will be expected to carry the load for the Kings yet again. Los Angeles' style has long lent itself to low-scoring affairs, and low GAA's for goalies playing behind that kind of defensive posture, but Quick is the kind of difference-maker who could once again vault L.A. into the league's upper echelon. 

Gibson cuts the profile of one of the game's best young netminders. His .924 save percentage last year was excellent, and while he wasn't quite up to that same level in the post-season, he wasn't far off, either. At only 24 years old, he figures to be a stalwart between the pipes for some time to come. 

At an age when most goalies are slowing down, Anderson keeps chugging along. The Senators' conservative system helped insulate him at times, but his .926 save percentage last year stands tall on its own. He has had a pattern in Ottawa of being very good to excellent every other year, so maybe that and age will eventually catch up to him, but he is still in the upper echelon at his position.

Andersen was worked hard in his first season in Toronto, starting 66 games, and posting a more than respectable .918 save percentage. He figures to benefit from a talented team in front of him, one that is still very much on the rise. If Auston Matthews and the Leafs continue their exciting upward trajectory, there is no reason to think Andersen won't post strong numbers in kind.

You would be excused if, around 2013, you thought that Rask was the NHL's next dominant goalie. The numbers certainly suggested it, and Boston's defensive prowess and stylistic preference only aided the notion. Rask has fallen off the last two seasons, but at only 30, there is plenty of reason to believe that he will regain the form that had him considered one of the two or three best goalies in the league not long ago.

The Oilers bet big on Talbot, and for the most part he has delivered, leading the league with 73 starts last season, and playing very well, especially considering his workload. The best thing he has going for him is the young, fast, extremely talented team playing ahead of him. His numbers should be even better this year as Edmonton continues to improve.

Dubnyk was the driving force behind Minnesota's excellent regular season in 2016, and he's still young enough to expect several more seasons of top-end play. Dubnyk's three seasons in Minnesota have revealed him to be the kind of player who can be expected to win games all by himself for his team at times, and to register a save percentage north of .920.

Murray's career has gotten off to a nice start, to say the least. Two Stanley Cups while still technically a rookie have laid the groundwork for a spectacular career. Durability is a question, but a career .925 save percentage in 62 career regular season games is nothing to sniff at. Playing behind the most talented roster in the league helps, too.

The defending Vezina Trophy winner, Bobrovsky's regular season work is beyond reproach. He led the league in both save percentage and GAA last year, and was a big reason why the Blue Jackets showed they belonged in the mix at the top of the brutal Metropolitan Division. The playoffs, however, are another story, and a big reason why many Columbus fans are still nervous about him.

The runner-up in last year's Vezina race, Holtby led the league in shutouts and was the backbone of a loaded Capitals team. Only a championship effort in Game 7 by Marc-Andre Fleury and the Penguins kept Holtby and the Capitals from finally vanquishing Pittsburgh. This year, the Capitals are in a semi-rebuild, and while playoff caliber, won't be the force of nature they have been of late. Things will be considerably more challenging for Holtby.

No goalie is more integral to his team's success than Price, and no goalie's run of play has been more impressive over the last several seasons. Price is the engine that makes Montreal go, and the most crucial element to their success. He is also recognized by most observers as the unquestioned best at a position that tends to always inspire debate. No further analysis needed.