Power Ranking the Starting Goaltenders for the 2013 NHL Season

The 2013 NHL season is under way and there has been ton of exciting action, but who are the league's top netminders heading into the 2013 season?

Henrik Lundqvist, the 2011-12 Vezina winner, and Jonathan Quick, the 2011-12 Conn Smythe winner, have both had rough starts but they are still two of the league's top goaltenders.

The league is full of many different types of goaltenders, but here is a power ranking of each starting netminder in the NHL.

Variables like tenure, consistency and last year's performance all factored into this ranking.

No. 30: James Reimer (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Last Year's Stats: 14-14-4, 3.10 GAA, .900 SV percentage

James Reimer is ranked at No. 30 because of a mediocre performance in 2011-12, and that has a huge impact on his ranking for 2013.

Although he didn't appear in many games, Reimer needed to perform better than he did to move from the bottom spot.

"Optimus Reim" could have a stellar 2013 season, but right now he is the worst starter in the league.

No. 29: Devan Dubnyk (Edmonton Oilers)

Last Year's Stats: 20-20-3, 2.67 GAA, .914 SV percentage

Devan Dubnyk has a lot of potential, and he really impressed during the Edmonton Oilers' win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

Dubnyk appears to have really improved his positioning, and that will help him throughout the season.

The youngster had an average season in 2011-12, but this year could be a great one fot the Oilers' top netminder.

No. 28: Corey Crawford (Chicago Blackhawks)

Last Year's Stats:  30-17-7, 2.72 GAA, .902 SV percentage

It is very peculiar that a legitimate contender like the Chicago Blackhawks failed to upgrade their goaltending over the offseason. Crawford may have won 30 games in 2011-12, but he was a sieve in the playoffs.

He is one of the league's worst starting goaltenders, and if he has another bad year in 2013 he could be out of a job.

No. 27: Jose Theodore (Florida Panthers)

Last Year's Stats: 22-16-11, 2.46 GAA, .917 SV percentage

Jose Theodore could be playing his last year with the Florida Panthers considering that Jacob Markstrom is waiting in the wings to become the team's next starter.

The Panthers are a young team, and the older Theodore is no longer the Hart Trophy-quality netminder he used to be.

He will serve the Panthers OK in 2013, but he is in the lower third of the league's netminders.

No. 26: Ondrej Pavelec (Winnipeg Jets)

Last Year's Stats: 29-28-9, 2.91 GAA, .906 SV percentage

The Winnipeg Jets are a team that has a lot of potential, but Ondrej Pavelec needs to be better as a netminder.

The youngster had a winning record in 2011-12, but his off-the-ice antics have drawn a lot of attention that downplay the skill he has.

If Pavelec can step his game up in 2013, he can show that he can be one of the league's better netminders.

No. 25: Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Last Year's Stats: 14-10-2, 3.02 GAA, .899 SV percentage

Sergei Bobrovsky is a talented goaltender who didn't get a fair chance in Philadelphia, but he falls far down the list because of his numbers when compared to the rest of the league.

Throughout his career, "Bob" has put up great numbers, but he will need to prove himself as full-time starter.

He could be a difference-maker in Columbus in 2013, but right now he is the bottom third of the NHL's starting goaltenders.

No. 24: Anders Lindback (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Last Year's Stats: 5-8-0, 2.42 GAA, .912 SV percentage

Anders Lindback is the new starting netminder in Tampa Bay, and the Nashville Predators' former backup is a youngster with a lot of potential.

He has looked good with the Lightning so far, and he could prove to make the most of his new opportunity.

Lindback's potential and abilities put him ahead of other netminders on the list despite his small sample size of games.

No. 23: Evgeni Nabokov (New York Islanders)

Last Year's Stats: 19-18-3, 2.55 GAA, .914 SV percentage

Evgeni Nabokov used to be one of the NHL's top netminders, but his game fell off after leaving the San Jose Sharks and journeying to the KHL.

He came back to the NHL and last year Nabokov posted an average record for the Islanders, but he is no longer the goalie he was.

In a shortened season the veteran goaltender may be able to steal some games for the Islanders as they attempt to make the playoffs.

No. 22: Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche)

Last Year's Stats: 26-24-3, 2.59 GAA, .913 SV percentage

Last year was Semyon Varlamov's first as a full-time starter in the NHL, and it was a solid season for the youngster. Varlamov helped steal a few games for the Colorado Avalanche and if he does the same in 2013, he will definitely move up in next year's ranking.

He is a talented goalie, but ne needs to show repeat success to establish himself as a top starter in the NHL.

No. 21: Ilya Bryzgalov (Philadelphia Flyers)

Last Year's Stats: 33-16-7, 2.48 GAA, .909 SV percentage

Ilya Bryzgalov is a talented starting goaltender who had a rough first year with the Philadelphia Flyers. His success from Phoenix did not translate immediately in 2011-12, but he should be able to bounce back in 2013.

In the first two games for the Flyers, Bryzgalov is winless but he has been one of their best players.

Nonetheless, Bryzgalov will still need to prove himself with the Flyers going forward.

No. 20: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)

Last Year's Stats: 31-21-4, 2.41 GAA, .908 SV percentage

Martin Brodeur is a future Hall of Fame goaltender and he is one of the greatest goaltenders in the league's history.

However, his time as the league's best netminder is behind him. He is still a goalie that can steal a victory when needed, and his experience gives him an advantage over a ton of netminders throughout the league.

No. 19: Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks)

Last Year's Stats: 29-30-12, 2.57 GAA, .910 SV percentage

Jonas Hiller is coming off a down year and for that reason he falls down a bit in the overall power ranking of starting goaltenders.

With Bruce Boudreau behind the bench to start the season, Hiller and the Ducks should have an overall improvement, but he definitely needs to bounce back in 2013.

No. 18: Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild)

Last Year's Stats: 19-18-7, 2.43 GAA, .919 SV percentage

Niklas Backstrom is a talented goaltender that is an underrated one because injuries have limited his playing time over the past few seasons.

This year Backstrom should have the potential to lead a very talented Wild team to the playoffs, and he will prove that he is a talented goaltender.

No. 17: Antti Niemi (San Jose Sharks)

Last Year's Stats: 34-22-9, 2.42 GAA, .915 SV percentage

Antti Niemi is a goaltender that is one of the league's best and he has a Stanley Cup championship on his resume. However, the Sharks have not done anything of note while Niemi has been in goal.

Although the Sharks netminder had a talented 2011-12 season, he will need to lead the Sharks to meaningful playoff success in order to be considered one of the league's best.

No. 16: Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals)

Last Year's Stats: 4-2-1, 2.49 GAA, .922 SV percentage

Braden Holtby is one of the NHL's top young goaltenders, and his performance during the playoffs and potential puts him near the middle of the pack of starters in the league.

Any goalie can be successful during the regular season, but Holtby's ability to turn things on in the playoffs should give him and the Caps an edge going forward.

No. 15: Craig Anderson (Ottawa Senators)

Last Year's Stats: 33-22-6, 2.84 GAA, .914 SV percentage

Craig Anderson is a goaltender that has bounced between a few teams in the NHL, but he has found a nice spot with the Ottawa Senators.

Anderson was a rock for the Senators during the playoffs and he helped during the regular season, and he has the ability to carry the team going forward.

No. 14: Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens)

Last Year's Stats: 26-28-11, 2.43 GAA, .916 SV percentage

Carey Price is a talented goaltender who could be a franchise netminder for the Montreal Canadiens, but up to this point he has not been a consistent goaltender.

He has shown signs of promise and talent, but going forward he will have to be better.

Nonetheless, the young netminder has the talent and it should be only a matter of time before the Canadiens and Price turn it around.

No. 13: Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames)

Last Year's Stats: 35-22-11, 2.35 GAA, .921 SV percentage

Miikka Kiprusoff is a talented netminder for the Calgary Flames, but he has not led them to the playoffs since the 2008-09 season.

He is a veteran goaltender with a lot of skill but he needs to lead the Flames back to the playoffs.

He had a solid 2011-12 campaign and if he can help the Flames capitalize during a 48-game season, he can re-establish himself as a top-10 netminder in the NHL.

No. 12: Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins)

Last Year's Stats: 11-8-3, 2.05 GAA, .929 SV percentage

This is not Tuukka Rask's first go-round as the starter of the Boston Bruins, but this is the first time he is sans two time-Vezina winner Tim Thomas as his tandem mate in goal.

Rask has not held the starting role in quite sometime, but he is still a talented and motivated netminder.

He has a great roster in front of him and he has the potential to have an amazing shortened season.

No. 11: Kari Lehtonen (Dallas Stars)

Last Year's Stats: 32-22-4, 2.33 GAA, .922 SV percentage

Had Kari Lehtonen not been injured last season, there is a good chance he would have had an even better 2011-12 campaign.

The Stars added some experienced firepower to their roster for the 2013 season, and the shortened season should benefit the Stars' top netminder.

Lehtonen has the tools to prove that he is one of the best in the league and he will do that in 2013.

No. 10: Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)

Last Year's Stats: 31-14-8, 2.41 GAA, .919 SV percentage

Cory Schneider was expected to be the Vancouver Canucks' starting goaltender but after being pulled in the season opener and benched for the second game of the season, Luongo is currently the team's starting netminder.

Luongo is a talented netminder who has been one of the league's best netminders year after year. 

However, in the playoffs Luongo has fallen short multiple times and that is what keeps him outside the top echelon of netminders in the league.

No. 9: Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres)

Last Year's Stats: 31-21-7, 2.55 GAA, .916 SV percentage

Ryan Miller is a goaltender who should bounce back in a big way during the 2013 season, and he falls in the rankings because of the Buffalo Sabres' inability to make the playoffs during the last two seasons.

When you combine that and his down play over the past few years, Miller falls into the the lower end of the top tier of goalies in the NHL.

No. 8: Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes)

Last Year's Stats: 30-23-13, 2.74 GAA, .915 SV percentage

Last season the Carolina Hurricanes had a down year because of various slumps and injuries, but Cam Ward was still a solid netminder who was a backbone for the team.

Ward is an underrated netminder, and many forget that as a rookie he led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

With increased goal support and an improved roster, Ward won't have to be the be-all, end-all for the Hurricanes and he will have a monster year.

No. 7: Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Last Year's Stats: 42-17-4, 2.36 GAA, .913 SV percentage

Marc-Andre Fleury is a talented goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but over the past few years he has come up short in the playoffs.

Since winning the Stanley Cup, Fleury and the Penguins have come up short in the past three playoffs, including two first-round exits.

Fleury may come up big in the regular season, but he needs to show more consistency and come up when it matters most.

No. 6: Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)

Last Year's Stats: 35-17-4, 2.13 GAA, .920 SV percentage

Jimmy Howard is a very talented goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings and he is a goaltender that is going to need to step up in a huge way this season.

The 2013 season will give the young netminder a chance to prove that he is more than a byproduct of the Red Wings' defensive system that used to feature Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart and Nicklas Lidstrom.

Howard is a very talented netminder and he will prove his worth to Detroit in 2013.

No. 5: Jaroslav Halak (St. Louis Blues)

Last Year's Stats: 26-12-7, 1.97 GAA, .926 SV percentage

Jaroslav Halak had an impressive 2011-12 season despite splitting time with Brian Elliott in net.

Halak is an amazing netminder who made a name for himself after taking the Montreal Canadiens on a magical run back in 2008-09 and he will make the Blues a Stanley Cup contender in 2013.

No. 4: Mike Smith (Phoenix Coyotes)

Last Year's Stats: 38-18-10, 2.21 GAA, .930 SV percentage

Mike Smith finished fourth in the Vezina Trophy vote last season, and his overall athletic ability makes him one of the league's top netminders heading into 2013.

Smith has fit well into the Phoenix Coyotes system run by bench boss Dave Tippett, and he makes the team a threat to be a playoff contender in a shortened season.

No. 3: Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)

Last Year's Stats: 43-18-8, 2.39 GAA, .923 SV percentage

Pekka Rinne is one of the Western Conference's top netminders, and 2013 could be a big year for the Nashville Predators.

The Predators may have lost Ryan Suter, but with Rinne in net, the sky is the limit for Nashville in 2013.

No. 2: Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)

Last Year's Stats: 35-21-13, 1.95 GAA, .929 SV percentage

Jonathan Quick had an amazing season that included a Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup win, so it was an amazing year for the 26-year-old.

You may think he should be ranked No. 1 but he wasn't as dominant and consistent as a goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings for the entire season like Henrik Lundqvist was for the New York Rangers.

He is the league's second-best goaltender, but in order to be No. 1, consistency and dominance needs to be shown all year long.

No. 1: Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers)

Last Year's Stats: 39-18-5, 1.97 GAA, .930 SV percentage.

Henrik Lundqvist has been the league's most consistent goaltender since the 2005-06 lockout, and that is reflected in his NHL record of recording seven consecutive 30-win seasons to start his career.

He was a multi-Vezina finalist before winning in 2011-12, and the Blueshirts netminder hasn't had his save percentage dip below .920 since the 2008-09 season.

Lundqvist is a gamer and he was dominant during the regular season for the Blueshirts. In terms of head-to-head competition with Jonathan Quick, he had four more wins in seven fewer games played, and the GAA between the two was separated by a mere 0.02 points.

The general manager voters from the Western and Eastern Conferences spoke when they named him the overwhelming victor of the Vezina Trophy last season, cementing his title as the league's top goaltender.