Welcome to our second installment of the 5th Annual Top 30 goaltenders. Today, we will be discussing the 20-11 ranked tenders in the NHL. If you missed last week’s rankings, be sure to check them out here. That post covers rankings 30-21 and all the introductory/housekeeping considerations, so make sure you get up to speed.

Without further adieu, goaltenders 20-11…

  1. Brian Elliott- Calgary Flames (last year’s ranking: N/A)
cbcsports.com- Elliott

cbcsports.com- Elliott

I have always been hesitant to rank Elliott on this list, due to his long-standing status as more of a platoon goalie than a traditional starter. Well, this is his year. He will be the man between the pipes for a young Flames team, and if he can approximate 75% of his value over a 60+ game workload, he should still be league average at worst. I’m not the biggest Elliott believer, but color me intrigued this year.

  1. Sergei Bobrovsky- Columbus Blue Jackets (last year’s ranking: 15)
todaysslapshot.com- Bobrovsky

todaysslapshot.com- Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky has been steadily sliding down this list since his Vezina winning, lockout shorted season. “Bob” plays a style that is heavily reliant on his athleticism, and a combination of undisciplined technique and lower body injuries have conspired to erode his game substantially. At 27, his still has youth on his side, but he needs to start adapting his game to a more mature style, or he will begin to decline quickly. He is still a good bet for this season to rebound, but he is a land mine going forward.

  1. Matt Murray- Pittsburgh Penguins (last year’s ranking: N/A)

Justin K. Aller- Murray

The newly minted Stanley Cup Champion is a curious case. I am always hesitant to anoint goaltenders as high-end in the sample size that Murray has accumulated in his career. However, he has the top prospect pedigree and has shown that he can get hot enough to carry a team through the playoffs. I personally like Murray’s game quite a bit and think he has a very bright future. I do wonder if I have ranked him a little aggressively based on hardware. Time will tell…

  1. Frederik Andersen- Toronto Maple Leafs (last year’s ranking : 24)
usatoday.com- Andersen

usatoday.com- Andersen

The Leafs gambled on Andersen being their goaltender of, at least, the near future when they acquired him from Anaheim and gave him a five year deal. For me, he doesn’t necessarily have the track record to feel confident in a lengthy commitment, but I think he is compensated fairly as a slightly above average goaltender. He might be the most boring goaltender in the NHL to watch, but he is solid and should give a young Toronto roster some stability.

  1. Jake Allen- St. Louis Blues (last year’s ranking: 28)

stltoday.com- Allen

Allen showed enough to the St. Louis brass that they felt confident handing him the keys to crease for this coming season. Allen had a strong tandem partner in Elliott if he faltered, but he is the man now. Allen has all the talent necessary to excel in this role, and has served as an understudy long enough for me to feel confident he seizes it. Allen has a tremendous amount of talent, and I expect him to be very good for the Blues this season.

  1. Semyon Varlamov- Colorado Avalanche (last year’s ranking: 8)

avalanche.nhl.com- Varlamov

I’m going out on a little bit of a limb here for Varlamov after a rough season in Denver. He is still one of the toolsiest goaltenders in the league, who happened to play for a terrible team. His underlying metrics were pretty decent under the circumstances (above average AdjGSAA/60), he just needs to stay disciplined in the face of a mediocre squad. He has come along way in this department since his days in Washington, I just hope he doesn’t regress as he gets hung out to dry with the Avalanche.

  1. Petr Mrazek- Detroit Red Wings (last yeaar’s ranking: N/A)

zimbio.com- Mrazek

Mrazek is another interesting case. He has shown that he can perform under a starter’s workload, but he has had some trouble handling it physically. I think this has been part of the reason Detroit has hung onto Jimmy Howard at his current cap hit (either that, or no one will take it, who’s to know?), but either way, Mrazek’s performance has been rock solid. At age 24, there is still plenty of upside there to develop into an elite level goaltender.

  1. Martin Jones- San Jose Sharks (last year’s ranking: 29)

nhl.com- Jones

What a wild year for Jones. Traded twice in the offseason, then immediately hit with a 65 game workload for the Sharks. The underlying performance was solid, if unspectacular in his first year as a number one, but the postseason showed what he is truly capable of. I expect a big step forward for Jones, personally, if not the Sharks themselves, but he is a very talented young goalie on the rise. He has been ranked very aggressively this offseason by a multitude of outlets due to his SC Final appearance, but I feel like I may be being too aggressive, myself. I love the talent, but it’s important not to get too seduced by hot postseason performances.

  1. Marc-Andre Fleury- Pittsburgh Penguins (last year’s ranking: 16)

usatoday.com- Fleury

Over the past few seasons, Fleury’s performance has varied so widely, he’s been all over this list. As he has entered his 30’s, though, he has really settled in as a well above average goaltender. Although I am surprised that he is still a Penguin after the emergence of Matt Murray, his continued presence in the Pittsburgh crease gives the Pens arguable the best tandem in the entire NHL. Whether he continues to share time for the defending champs or moves on elsewhere, Fleury appears to be very good value for the remainder of his contract.

  1. Devan Dubnyk- Minnesota Wild (last year’s ranking: 17)
1500espn.com- Dubnyk

1500espn.com- Dubnyk

I wasn’t completely sold on Dubnyk’s rebound last year, but after a second straight campaign of very solid production, I think the performance has begun to match the talent. The strange story of the implementation of a new puck tracking technique has taken the former Oiler from almost out of the NHL to consistent Vezina contender. It makes Dubnyk very easy to root for, but his complete stabilization of the Minnesota crease has given him his highest ranking yet on this list.

Well, that’s it for me this week. Make sure to stay tuned next Friday for our final section of the list. Let me know your thoughts on the rankings in the comments below. Enjoy your weekend.

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