Will Backup Goalies Become the Leading Men in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs?

In 2008, Dominik Hasek, perhaps the greatest goaltender in NHL history, entered the playoffs as the No. 1 goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings. When the playoffs ended, it was Chris Osgood, the backup for the team's first four games of the opening round, winning Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final for the champion Red Wings.

The past six Stanley Cup champions have won the Cup with the same goaltender in net throughout the postseason. 

A quick glance at this year's playoff teams says there's a good chance that the Osgood-Hasek scenario could repeat itself this year.

There are a handful of sure things, mostly in the Eastern Conference: Carey Price, Henrik Lundqvist, Braden Holtby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Pekka Rinne, Jaroslav Halak and Devan Dubnyk would likely have to suffer an injury to relinquish their net. 

The rest of the playoff field, however, is loaded with potential for goaltending shakeups. And in just about every situation, the backup is plenty good enough to pull an Osgood and help a team to a championship.

Here's a look at those situations and the chances for a change in net at some point.

All statistics via NHL.com.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Ben Bishop vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy

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Game 1 starter, Ben Bishop: This one seems far-fetched on the surface, but you come here for analysis that goes deep, like The Abyss or Jose Abreu. Bishop won 40 games in 60 starts and was the unquestioned No. 1 in Tampa all season. But what about that the .916 save percentage? It ranks 22nd among goaltenders eligible for league-leader status. And Bishop has played as many NHL playoff games as Abreu and Ed Harris. A few poor outings and coach Jon Cooper could be compelled to make a change.

The backup, Andrei Vasilevskiy: The 20-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiy is a first-round pick in his first NHL season. In limited playing time, he has a better save percentage (.918) but also lacks postseason experience.  A shift to Vasilevskiy could create issues, as Bishop just signed a two-year, $11.9 million extension through 2017. If the Lightning drop their first two games and Bishop looks bad in doing so, Cooper may turn to his rookie.

Detroit Red Wings: Petr Mrazek vs. Jimmy Howard

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Game 1 starter, Petr Mrazek: In a bit of a surprise, coach Mike Babcock named rookie Petr Mrazek his starting goaltender against the Lightning. He went 16-9-2 with a .918 save percentage 29 games, many of which occurred later in the season. But with zero playoff experience and a seasoned veteran behind him, the leash could be short. Mrazek's save percentage over his last seven games is .928, which includes a 23-save shutout against Tampa.

The backup, Jimmy Howard: The 31-year-old lost his net thanks to a .910 save percentage in 53 games, but for his career, Howard is at .916. In the playoffs, he has been even better, posting a .919 save percentage in 45 career games. In his past 17 playoff games, he's at .925. But in 21 games since the All-Star break, Howard is 7-6-4 with an .896 save percentage. That decline cost him his job, but Babcock won't hesitate to make the switch if the playoff stage proves too big for Mrazek.

St. Louis Blues: Brian Elliott vs. Jake Allen

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Game 1 starter, Jake Allen (maybe): According to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Blues are not announcing their Game 1 starter until Wednesday, which isn't conducive to a piece like this, so let's guess that Allen starts. He played well over the final month, going 5-1-1 with a .950 save percentage in his final eight appearances. He has all of 67 seconds of postseason experience, but coach Ken Hitchcock may choose to ride the hot hand as the playoffs get started.

The backup, Brian Elliott (maybe): No matter who starts Game 1, there's a good chance the other guy gets a start at some point. Elliott has been very solid for the Blues, posting a .917 save percentage in 46 games. His problems have come in the postseason, however, and his career .898 in the playoffs may be why Hitchcock isn't announcing his starter until the day before Game 1 with Minnesota.

Ottawa Senators: Andrew Hammond vs. Craig Anderson

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Game 1 starter, Andrew Hammond: The burglar of ham, the rookie sensation who has made a splash during his two months in the NHL, has the net to start the playoffs. And why wouldn't he? He's 20-1-2 and the biggest reason the Senators are in the playoffs. But he's also an undrafted 27-year-old who had a .910 save percentage in the AHL last season. Should he flounder during the first two games against Montreal, coach Dave Cameron could make a change.

The backup, Craig Anderson: Remember this guy? He was playing really well during the first half but then suffered an injury. He has a .923 save percentage this season and has a career .926 mark in 23 career postseason games. Anderson is plenty capable of picking up the slack if the clock strikes midnight on Hammond.

Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford vs. Scott Darling

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Game 1 starter, Corey Crawford: It would probably take a lot for coach Joel Quenneville to replace a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, albeit one who won his Cup in a shortened season. Crawford makes $6 million per season through 2020, so yanking him at any point in the postseason would also have long-term ramifications. Crawford's .924 save percentage says the Blackhawks shouldn't have worries, but a repeat of his performance against the Kings in the conference finals last year (.866 in Games 2-7) may not be tolerated again.

The backup, Scott Darling: While Crawford has nice regular-season numbers, Darling posted a .936 save percentage in 14 games. The 26-year-old sixth-round pick is a rookie with zero playoff experience at the NHL, AHL or ECHL levels, so handing the reins to him would be an incredible leap of faith. Darling stopped 31 of 32 shots in a crucial game with the Kings on March 30, although the one goal he allowed was a woofer. Darling is a great unknown, so Crawford would really have to flounder for a few games for a change to be made.

Anaheim Ducks: Frederik Andersen vs. John Gibson

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Game 1 starter, Frederik Andersen: The No. 1 job is Andersen's to start the postseason, but if not for an injury to John Gibson, that may have been in doubt. Andersen's 35-12-5 record is impressive, but not his .914 save percentage. In his first taste of the playoffs last year, Andersen had an .899 mark in seven games before an injury and Gibson's solid play resulted in the rookie taking over the net. Could it happen again this year?

The backup, John Gibson: Gibson has been out since April 3 with an upper-body injury and did not practice Monday, so if this change happens again, it may not be for a while. Gibson showed flashes in the postseason last year but ended up being pulled in Game 7 of a second-round series with the Kings. He posted a .914 save percentage in the regular season, so it's not as though he's breathing down Andersen's neck, but you never know with the Ducks.

Vancouver Canucks: Eddie Lack vs. Ryan Miller

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Game 1 starter, Ryan Miller: A knee injury cost Ryan Miller significant time down the stretch, as he only returned for the Canucks' regular-season finale. Even when he was healthy, he wasn't all that great; he went 29-15-1 but had a below-average .911 save percentage in 45 games. If he looks lost to start the series with the Calgary Flames, the Canucks may have no choice but to shelve the veteran for the goaltender who played so well in his place.

The backup, Eddie Lack: Lack played 41 games and, despite a .921 save percentage, had a far worse record than Miller: 18-13-4. The only number that should matter is how frequently Lack stops pucks, and he does so more frequently than Miller. Lack posted a .925 save percentage over 25 games after the All-Star break, making him a viable option for Vancouver if Miller stumbles.

Calgary Flames: Karri Ramo vs. Jonas Hiller

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Game 1 starter, Jonas Hiller: It was a shared net for most of the season in Calgary, but a late-season injury to Karri Ramo solidified Hiller's place. Hiller went 26-19-4 with a .918 save percentage and turned it on late, posting a .943 save percentage while going 5-1 in his final six starts. Hiller has never ventured past the second round of the playoffs, however, but his .932 mark in 26 career postseason games says he's up for the challenge in Calgary.

The backup, Karri Ramo: Ramo has zero playoff experience, but coach Bob Hartley showed during the season his propensity for riding the goaltender with the hot hand. Ramo has been out since April 4 with a lower-body injury, so he may not even be available for the first round. But if he is and Hiller looks bad, Ramo may get a chance to take command.

Winnipeg Jets: Ondrej Pavelec vs. Michael Hutchinson

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Game 1 starter, Ondrej Pavelec: Ondrej Pavelec...FINALLY...delivered a season good enough to get the Jets to the playoffs. He posted a career-best .920 save percentage in 50 games, and with a playoff berth on the line in the final week, he posted three consecutive shutouts. Of course, this is the same Pavelec who has only reached above .906 in his career once and has never played in the postseason. It can all unravel quickly.

The backup, Michael Hutchinson: The rookie fell apart during the second half of the season, posting an .885 save percentage in 17 starts after the All-Star break. Discounting his days in junior, Hutchinson does have 23 games of AHL playoff experience under his belt. And this is Pavelec we're talking about, and Hutchinson was really good (.935) before the break. If things fall apart quickly against Anaheim, Hutchinson could be there to pick up the pieces.