Stock Up/Stock Down for NHL's Starting Goaltenders

The 2013 NHL season has been very interesting for goaltenders to date, and there have been surprises like Corey Crawford's play and the emergence of goalies like Jacob Markstrom and Ben Bishop.

Injuries have resulted in Cam Ward, Craig Anderson, Jose Theodore and assorted others to miss an extended period of time, and backups have stepped in to answer the call of duty.

At this point of the season it is crunch time, so here is a stock up or stock down ranking for each starting goaltender going forward.

Anaheim Ducks: Jonas Hiller

Stock Up

Jonas Hiller has reclaimed the starting role in Anaheim after Viktor Fasth took his job earlier in the season.

Hiller has played solid hockey to date on one of the league's top teams, and having Fasth as his backup will allow him to stay fresh heading into the playoffs.

Injuries, primarily dealing with vertigo, have impacted Hiller's career over the past few years and it is great to see him healthy and playing great.

Boston Bruins: Tuukka Rask

Stock Up

Although Tuukka Rask is 1-2-1 in his last four games, the Boston Bruins' netminder is having a Vezina-caliber season.

Rask is in the top 10 for all major statistical categories, and he is going to be the backbone of the Bruins heading into the playoffs.

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller

Stock Down

Ryan Miller is not having a very good season for the Buffalo Sabres, and he is a player for has been linked to trade rumors recently.

Miller has shown that he can be an elite goaltender, but he hasn't done that for the Sabres in 2013. It doesn't help that he hasn't had the greatest defense in front of him, but Miller's game still looks off.

Calgary Flames: Miikka Kiprusoff

Stock Down

Miikka Kiprusoff has not played well this season, and there is no sign that him and the Calgary Flames will improve going forward this season.

Kiprusoff's game has really dropped off over the past few years and it is a shame to see him struggling this year.

Carolina Hurricanes: Justin Peters

Stock Down

Justin Peters is the Carolina Hurricanes third-string goaltender, and the team has not played that well with him at the helm.

The team is really missing Cam Ward and Dan Ellis right now, and they all hope that Ellis will be back soon.

Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford

Stock Up

Corey Crawford has had an amazing season to date, and he has been playing some of the best hockey in his career.

When you look at the Chicago Blackhawks' roster of talent, they are already a playoff favorite and Crawford's play only gives them a bigger edge.

Colorado Avalanche: Seymon Varlamov

Stock Down

Seymon Varlamov has had a horrendous year for the Colorado Avalanche, and it is hard to imagine to him turning it around anytime soon. 

Varlamov has potential, but he just hasn't had a lot of success this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sergei Bobrovsky

Stock Up

Sergei Bobrovsky has played exceptional hockey this season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he is the reason why the team has a chance to make the playoffs.

After watching "Bob"'s play in net, you have to imagine that Paul Holmgren wishes he had held onto the young netminder.

Dallas Stars: Kari Lehtonen

Stock Up

Kari Lehtonen has played generally well in 2013 for the Dallas Stars, and he is a goalie who is one of the more underrated netminders in the league.

Lehtonen has the potential to carry the Stars into the playoffs, and look for him to play well down the stretch.

Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard

Stock Up

The Detroit Red Wings have played well this season and Jimmy Howard has been a backbone for the team to lean on. 

Howard has continued to improve his game as his career has continued, and the Wings will need him to be on the top of his game down the stretch leading to the playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers: Devan Dubnyk

Stock Down

Devan Dubnyk has not played well this season, and with the talent on Edmonton's roster, it should be playing better hockey.

Dubnyk may not get the chance to turn it around next season, and having him as the backup may not be the worst thing in the world.

Florida Panthers: Jacob Markstrom

Stock Up

Jacob Markstrom has stepped in in the absence of Jose Theodore, but the Florida Panthers are still one of the league's worst teams. 

Markstrom has a bright future, and he is giving the fans a reason to be optimistic for the future.

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick

Stock Up

Jonathan Quick has played well as of late after a tough start, and he is showing why he is one of the league's top netminders.

Quick is a consummate pro, and he has the skill and experience to step up his game for a playoff run like he did last season.

Minnesota Wild: Niklas Backstrom

Stock Up

Niklas Backstrom has had an amazing season to date with the Minnesota Wild, and he has really been a rock in goal.

The Wild are one of the league's biggest surprises of 2013, and expect Backstrom to keep his play up for the rest of the regular season.

Backstrom is a veteran with experience, and he is a goalie ready for a playoff run.

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price

Stock Up

Carey Price is having a great year on a Montreal Canadiens team that has had some tremendous success in 2013.

The team has really played some of their best hockey is years, and Price is starting to prove himself as one of the NHL's top young goaltenders.

Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne

Stock Down

Pekka Rinne has been very good or very bad this season, and when you look at his performance against the Phoenix Coyotes, you are just left scratching your head.

Rinne is a great goalie, but his Jekyll and Hyde play thus far is so uncharacteristic of Rinne.

New Jersey Devils: Martin Brodeur

Stock Up

Martin Brodeur has played very well this year for the New Jersey Devils, and he is going to need to keep his game up as the team prepares for the playoffs.

Brodeur had a great run last year, and his play has been solid again in 2013.

New York Islanders: Evgeni Nabokov

Stock Up

Evgeni Nabokov has played very well for the Islanders this season, and you almost wonder where the team would be if it had some more talent. 

Nabokov's play has been underrated thus far, and if the Isles make the playoffs it will be because of him.

New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist

Stock Up

Henrik Lundqvist has played very well for the New York Rangers as of late, and he should have more wins than he does currently.

Lundqvist is still having a solid statistical year, and he is a player that the team will have to lean on during the final weeks of the season.

Ottawa Senators: Ben Bishop

Stock Up

Ben Bishop has played exceptionally well this year in the absence of Craig Anderson, and he is a big reason why the Senators have continued to pick up the points in the standings.

Bishop will likely go back to being a backup once Anderson is back, but he has been great for the Sens thus far.

Philadelphia Flyers: Ilya Bryzgalov

Stock Down

Ilya Bryzgalov has not played well this season, and it is starting to take a toll on him. After a 5-2 loss against the New York Rangers, Bryzgalov sat in his locker stall looking very disappointed with himself.

With his huge contract continuing for multiple years, you wonder if the Flyers may use a buyout on him in the next two summers.

Phoenix Coyotes: Mike Smith

Stock Down

Mike Smith has not played as well as he did last season, and it appears he is currently trending downward.

Although Smith is a goalie who has proven he can have success, he is having an off year.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury

Stock Up

Marc-Andre Fleury has played well for the Penguins this season, and the team is the clear favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season.

Fleury's play this year has been spectacular and he is going to keep his game up as the playoffs approach. 

St.Louis Blues: Jaroslav Halak

Stock Up

Jaroslav Halak was injured earlier in the season, but he has played well since returning from injury. Halak is a goaltender with a ton of experience, and he has the skill set to carry the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs.

Look for the Blues and Halak to play well as the season enters the final stretch.

San Jose Sharks: Antti Niemi

Stock Up

Antti Niemi has played well this year, and he could be a Vezina candidate because of his superb play. Although the Sharks have been up and down, Niemi has been exceptional.

Look for Niemi to continue his clutch play as he keeps the Sharks and their playoff dreams alive.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Anders Lindback

Stock Down

Anders Lindback has not played well for the Lightning this year, and there is a reason why they are currently interested in Ryan Miller.

With a better goalie Tampa would be a better team, but they are currently stuck with Lindback.

Toronto Maple Leafs: James Reimer

Stock Up

James Reimer has been great for Toronto this season, and his play is a big reason why the Leafs are a playoff contender.

Reimer has shown that he can be a good goalie in the past, but he is really starting to play more consistently this season.

Vancouver Canucks: Cory Schneider

Stock Up

Cory Schneider is official the No. 1 goalie for the Vancouver Canucks, and he has started to get his game going at an elite level.

Schneider has been huge for the Canucks, and he is currently among the leaders in major statistical categories.

Washington Capitals: Braden Holtby

Stock Down

The Washington Capitals have played better hockey as of late, but Holtby has been up and down all season.

The Capitals can continue to win games by generating more offense, but Holtby doesn't look like the goalie he was last season. He has appeared to have turned the corner with his most recent stretch of game, but then again fans thought that earlier in the season as well.

Winnipeg Jets: Ondrej Pavelec

Stock Down

The Winnipeg Jets are leading the Southeast Division, but Ondrej Pavelec has not been that good.

He is second in total goals allowed among starters, and he is near the bottom of the league in GAA, save percentage and other stats.

The Jets may continue to win games, but to have success in the playoffs he will need to be better.