NHL's 10 Best Bargain Starting Goaltenders

Christmas has come around. Throughout North America people are shopping; looking for bargains. 

The same is true in the NHL. 

The goaltender can be the most important player on your team. He is often left on his own to win or lose the game. As such he often costs a team a huge proportion of it's cap space.  

Last year's Stanley Cup finals featured two teams who made it there with relatively inexpensive but competent goaltenders.

Antti Niemi helped lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup victory despite his $800,000 dollar a year salary. Likewise in Philadelphia the cost-effective Brian Boucher, Michael Leighton and at times even AHLer Johan Backlund helped the team get into the playoffs and the Stanley Cup finals after the injury to their original No. 1 goalie Ray Emery.

That template is being adopted by other NHL teams. Here is a look at the teams and goaltenders who are getting the most for the least in the NHL today.   

This is a look at starting goaltenders so it only covers the 32 goalies who have played the most minutes so far this season.    

The save numbers are taken from hockeyreference.com and the salary cap number is from hockeybuzz.com.

10. Tim Thomas: Boston Bruins

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BOSTON - NOVEMBER 26: Tim Thomas #30 of the Boston Bruins stops a shot in the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 26, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

$8,116.88/save

$5 million a year/588 saves

.955 sv pct (1/32)/5 SO/1.49 GAA/W-14 L-2 OT-2 

Tim Thomas started the year platooning with last year's starter Tuukka Rask. He's only been in 18 games so far. He has an incredible .955 save percentage which leads the league. His five shut-outs are a league best as well.

The $5 million dollars is the most money made by anyone on this list. Still he's the best goalie in hockey again this year and the five million makes him cheaper than nine other starters. 

9. Jonas Hiller: Anaheim Ducks

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 21: Goaltender Jonas Hiller #1 of the Anaheim Ducks defends his net against the Edmonton Oilers at the Honda Center on November 21, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

$5,434.78/save 

$4.5 million per year/758 saves

.915 sv pct (14/32)/1 SO/2.84 GAA/W-12 L-11 OT-2  

Jonas Hiller is another expensive goalie on this list. Balancing that out is the fact that he's been a work horse in Anaheim—playing 25 games. He has faced the most shots and made the most saves so far this year.

He's got a middle of the road save percentage and won/lost record. That cost per save is high but lower than anyone in the league who makes more than him and quite a few players who make less. His numbers are comparable to Kari Lehtonen's in Dallas, but Kari makes almost a million dollars more a year than Jonas does.

Jonas Hiller doesn't bring brilliance for the money, but he does provide good solid competence and the ability to play a lot of minutes. 

8. Pekka Rinne: Nashville Predators

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NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 27: Pekka Rinne #35 of the Nashville Predators and Ryan Callahan #24 of the New York Rangers watch the puck on November 27, 2010 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

$6,451.61/save

$3.4 million a year/484 saves 

.918 sv pct (9/32)/3 SO/2.86 GAA/W-8 L-7 OT-4 

Pekka Rinne for the Nashville Predators makes just below the average salary for NHL starters. Despite that he has the ninth best save percentage among them and a respectable three shut-outs.

Pekka is one of a long line of good, cost-effective Nashville Predator goalies. When he gets too expensive look for him to leave via free agency and be replaced by current back-up Anders Lindback and highly regarded prospect Chet Pickard. Then they will be two of the most cost-effective goalies in the league.  

7. Ilya Bryzgalov: Phoenix Coyotes

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GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 04: Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov #30 of the Phoenix Coyotes during the NHL game against the Florida Panthers at Jobing.com Arena on December 4, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Panthers defeated the Coyotes 2-1 in an overtime shoot out

$5,870.17/save

$4.25 million per year/667 saves

.921 sv pct (7/32)/2 SO/2.54 GAA/W-11  L-4 OT-6 

Bryzgalov costs a little less than Rinne and has a little better save percentage all while carrying a much heavier work-load. 

6. Brian Elliot: Ottawa Senators

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OTTAWA, ON - DECEMBER 04: Brian Elliott #30 of the Ottawa Senators keeps his eyes on the puck after a rebound in a game against the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Place on December 4, 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Imag

$1,486.01/save

$850,000 per year/522 saves

.913 sv pct (17/32)/3 SO/2.81 gaa/W-10 L-8 OT-1 

Brian is earning one of the lowest salaries on this list and yet has played in 20 games already for the Senators. His save percentage is middle of the pack, but still better than 15 other starters who all (except for Michael Neuvirth in Washington) make considerably more money than he does.

Elliot has won the starting job before in Ottawa and his numbers right now are better than those of the starter-designate, the often injured Pascal Leclaire. 

5. Carey Price: Montreal Canadiens

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

MONTREAL- DECEMBER 4: Ryane Clowe #29 of the San Jose Sharks digs for the loose puck in front of Carey Price #31 and Yannick Weber #68 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on December 4, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Pho

$3,530.17/save

$2.75 million a year/729 saves

.936 sv pct (3/32)/4 SO/1.92 GAA/W-17 L-7 OT-2  

The youngster Carey Price has the third best save percentage among starters in the league this year. He is a little more expensive than some of the real bargain goalies, but he is yet to earn that huge contract that would bounce him out of the Top 10.    

4. Sergei Bobrovsky: Philadelphia Flyers

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PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 08: Sergei Bobrovsky #35 of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on as Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks celebrates after scoring a game tying goal in the third period on December 8, 2010 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, P

$2,926.42/save

$1.75 million per year/553 saves

.925 sv pct (5/32)/0 SO/2.21 GAA/W-14 L-4 OT-2 

Philadelphia has written the encyclopedia on going cheap with your goalie. Young Bobrovsky is a little more expensive than the career back-ups they have relied on in the past. He has played in 21 games already this year and is 14-4 with the 5th best save percentage among starters. He's the eighth cheapest starter per save in the league this year. There are only nine starters earning less than him this year.   

3. Jonathon Quick: Los Angeles Kings

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ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Goaltender Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings corrals the puck as temmate Drew Doughty #8 defends against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on November 29, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty I

$3,696.10/save

$1.8 million per year/452 saves

.928 sv pct (4/32)/1 SO/1.92 GAA/W-13 L-5 OT-0

Jonathon Quick was just slightly more expensive than Sergei Bobrovsky in Philadelphia. Their records were almost identical and Quick's save percentage was just a little better. 

The fact that Quick has a track record and that goals against average below two makes him just a slightly better bargain than Sergei.  

2. Jimmy Howard: Detroit Red Wings

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DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 08: Jimmy Howard #35 of the Detroit Red Wings makes the stop against the Nashville Predators at the Joe Louis Arena on December 8, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

$1,207.42/save

$716,000 per year/543 saves

.916 sv pct (13/32)/2 SO/2.52 GAA/W-15 L-3 OT-2  

Jimmy Howard is the cheapest starting goalie in the league. Combine that with an above average save  percentage and 20 games under his belt and he's the second best bargain out there. 

1. Ondrej Pavelec: Atlanta Thrashers

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ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 17: Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec #31 of the Atlanta Thrashers saves a shot on goal by Radek Dvorak #14 of the Florida Panthers at Philips Arena on November 17, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

$2,178.03/save

$1.15 million per year/500 saves

.947 sv pct (2/32)/SO 2 GAA 1.71/W-9 L-5 OT-2  

Second only to Tim Thomas in goals against average and save percentage the Atlanta goalie is the most quality for the least cash so far this season.

The bargain net minder earns the fourth lowest salary among starters in the league. He has been sharing the starting job with Chris Mason so he hasn't been in as many games as most of the other starters.

Still he's faced more shots than Rinne or Quick.

Ondrej Pavalec is giving you the most goalie for the money so far this season in the NHL.