from Travis Yost of TSN,

One of the curious observations about this year’s pool of Stanley Cup hopefuls is that the goaltending position isn’t exactly set in stone for a number of clubs. Yes, everyone knows that the best goaltender entering the field of 16 plays in Manhattan, but beyond that there’s a fair bit of uncertainty. Some teams (Anaheim) are unsure of how a younger goaltender or two will hold up; other teams (San Jose) are preparing to rely on a platoon of talent to try to get them to the Promised Land.

I think the best example of this ambiguity is, well, the entire Western Conference. Think about how you individually would power rank the available goaltenders from the likely playoff teams. It’s not easy. Who is number one? Maybe you think it’s Jonathan Quick of the Kings - he’s got the hardware, but then again, he’s been outplayed by guys like Michal Neuvirth and James Reimer in recent years. Maybe you think it’s Corey Crawford of the Blackhawks. He’s had an outstanding regular season, but it hasn't always gone smoothly - less than a year ago he was benched in a playoff game for journeyman Scott Darling. Maybe you think it’s Brian Elliott. He’s been exceptional in St. Louis despite having to do it on prove-it contracts after being discarded Ottawa and Colorado, all while battling the likes of Jake Allen for playing time.

I think you start to see my point. The group as a whole is very talented, but ranking one ahead of another is extremely difficult.

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