Goaltender performance is notoriously difficult to predict year over year in the NHL. The margin for error is razor-thin, and it seems like even the most competent goalies can become unplayable overnight.

Part of the evaluation process is not just determining a goaltender's ceiling, but also if they play a sustainable style that can carry over to different teams and across different environments. Evaluating a goalie based on their past performance is fine, but teams can find real value if they are able to predict which goaltender will rise out of the mushy middle.

The top goaltenders on this list come with as few red flags as possible and have the technical foundation to overcome a lot of the issues in their game that have been highlighted. Every goalie in the NHL is skilled, but who has the ability to rise above tough situations and become a difference-maker for their team? Let’s find out.