Ranking the Goalies Most Likely to Make a Big Impact in the 2015 NHL Playoffs

Goaltenders are often the last to get credit for victories and the first to be blamed for losses. In the playoffs, there isn't a more important position.

The spotlight will be on the backstops, with the bigger stage and higher pressure amplifying every mistake. On the other side of the coin, good play will dominate highlight reels, and some netminders will have a shot at stealing a series or two with their performances.

Based on their play down the stretch, their trends on the season and their history in pressure situations, we take a look at some of the big names between the pipes and rank how likely they are to make a big impact in the coming playoffs.

You'll notice guys like Frederik Andersen of the Anaheim Ducks and recent streaker Andrew Hammond of the Ottawa Senators didn't make the cut. Andersen has competition internally for the starting job and plays behind one of the best lineups in the NHL—which makes what he does less important at times. Hammond isn't a lock to get into the postseason. If he does, his inexperience may finally show.

Click through to see the top-ranked potential difference-makers and feel free to add your own in the comments.

Honorable Mentions

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Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks: Because he typically only has to be decent to help his team win, as opposed to a guy playing behind a shaky lineup, Crawford is one of the more underrated netminders in the league. His numbers have been good in the regular season, and he is poised for a strong playoff. It's tough to determine his actual impact, though, based on the star-studded cast in front of him.

Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins: If there is one goalie to fear who is not on this list, it might be Rask, who won the Vezina Trophy a year ago and—based on save percentage and GAA—was the best of the goalies who advanced past the first round. He's had a down season, so there's doubt he will bounce back, but he could steals headlines and games anyway.

Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders: His save percentage of .913 is average, and he hasn't looked great the past couple of weeks. He did capture lightning in a bottle with the Canadiens in the 2010 playoffs, which put the former backup netminder onto the NHL map.

Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings: After an inconsistent first half of the season, Quick has been much stronger the last two months. But the defending champs are in danger of missing out on the playoffs. That, of course, would make Quick's impact a zero in the postseason.

7. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

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By the numbers: 40 games, 25-12-3 record, .921 save percentage, 2.21 goals-against average, five shutouts

Recent trend: Lundqvist just returned from a lengthy absence and didn't look great in his first game back. He has been solid on the season, however, with decent individual stats and strings of exceptional performances. He won 16 of his previous 20 games before being injured in early February, including a seven-game winning streak.

How far he could go: Among netminders who started at least 10 games last spring, only the Boston Bruins' Tuukka Rask had better GAA and save percentage numbers in last year's playoffs. Using the last stretch of the regular season to regain his form and shake off any rust, Lundqvist should be able to help carry the Rangers back into the second round and maybe as far as the Cup Final. The long layoff leaves doubt, however.

6. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins

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By the numbers: 59 games, 33-17-8 record, .921 save percentage, 2.26 goals-against average, nine shutouts

Recent trend: Fleury has had a mediocre second half of the season after starting as one of the top netminders for the first couple of months. He's 10-6-3 in his last 19 games and is 5-4-2 for March.

How far he could go: His impact could be as positive as it had been in the first half of the regular season or as bad as past playoff performances. The recent struggles down the stretch don't bode well for Fleury or the Penguins. He'll be a factor either way.

5. Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning

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By the numbers: 58 games, 37-13-4 record, .913 save percentage, 2.37 goals-against average, three shutouts

Recent trend: Bishop was named the NHL's third star of the week in mid-March and has 16 wins in his last 24 games with two of those losses coming in extra time. His win total is tied for third best in the league, but he's done it with fewer starts than those ahead of him.

How far he could go: Because of an injury last year, the big Lightning goaltender still has no playoff experience at the NHL level. His size (6'7", 209 lbs) and skill make him a dangerous opponent. He should get at least one series win under his belt and could be the deciding factor in getting the Bolts into the Eastern Conference Final.

4. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals

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By the numbers: 67 games, 37-19-9 record, .923 save percentage, 2.21 goals-against average, eight shutouts

Recent trend: Holtby has won five of his last six decisions and appears to have overcome a rough patch that saw him drop six of nine games in late February and early March.

How far he could go: The fact he's overcome a disappointing season for himself and the Capitals and bounced back with a year worthy of consideration for a spot on the five-person ballot for the Vezina says a lot about Holtby's character and ability to turn hardship into improvement. Goaltending has often been the missing ingredient for some good Caps clubs in the postseason, and Holtby may be the difference-maker who gets them into the later rounds.

3. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators

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By the numbers: 60 games played, 41-15-4 record, .926 save percentage, 2.10 goals-against average, four shutouts

Recent trend: After spending much of the first four months of the year at or near the top of many people's list of favorites for the Vezina Trophy, Rinne had a lengthy slump in late February and into early March. He lost five straight and dropped eight of 10 decisions before winning four straight.

How far he could go: The Predators have only won two playoff series in franchise history, and Rinne played a prime role in both of them, in 2011 and 2012. The team in front of him may be as talented collectively as any in the past, but it's Rinne who has to be the MVP for the Preds to make it through a round or two. He could take them into the third round, but his division is a tough one to escape.

2. Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild

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By the numbers: 53 games played, 35-11-3 record, .930 save percentage, 2.05 goals-against average, six shutouts

Recent trend: Since joining the Wild in mid-January, Dubnyk has lost just six games in regulation and seven overall. He's won five straight and seven of his last eight starts, allowing more than two goals against just twice.

How far he could go: The Wild are a terrifying potential first-round opponent thanks to the confident play of Dubnyk, who has been arguably the hottest goaltender over the second half of the season. The Wild are safely in a wild-card spot and actually challenging the Chicago Blackhawks for one of the Central Division seeds.

The Wild upset the Colorado Avalanche in the first round a year ago and should again be considered a dark horse this spring. Getting past the Blackhawks in a seven-game playoff series would be no easy task, but the Wild have it in them if Dubnyk continues to impress.

1. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

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By the numbers: 62 games, 41-16-5 record, .936 save percentage, 1.92 goals-against average, nine shutouts

Recent trend: Price has lost back-to-back starts in regulation just three times all season, most recently at the start of the month. Since then, he has points in seven of his last 10 starts, with three shutouts, and has allowed more than three goals in a game only twice. And yet, compared to his stunning season-long numbers, this can be considered a minor slump.

How far he could go: Price is the hands-down front-runner for the Vezina Trophy this year with first-place rankings in both save percentage and GAA. Because he is the biggest reason for his team's top ranking in the Eastern Conference and early clinching of a playoff spot, Price could earn the Hart Trophy as well.

If he stays healthy, Price might just take the Canadiens into the Stanley Cup Final—a spot some believe they deserved a year ago when injury prevented him from finishing the third-round series against the New York Rangers.