Having a dominant netminder can be the difference between winning a Stanley Cup and missing the playoffs completely.

Just ask the Tampa Bay Lightining what it’s like to have struggling goalies right now. The Lightning have given up 156 goals already, compared to the 90 goals given up by the first-place team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers.

Not every team has a premier goalie, but some are blessed enough to be in perfect position for a Stanley Cup run with an elite netminder.

Ryan Miller and Roberto Luongo have been the biggest names at the goalie position in recent years, but they have both fallen off lately and are no longer among the top three goalies in the NHL. With Tim Thomas excelling at 37 years of age and Jonathan Quick becoming a rising star, find out which goalies rank in Bleacher Report’s Matt Faulconer’s top seven.

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