Ranking Goalies Part I

When it comes to ranking lists, they're always fun and subjective. You'll always get different opinions on who belongs where and why. Over the years, goalie rankings have become one of the hottest topics for puckers- emerging into great debates.

In this part, we will give our criteria for why a goalie should be where they are. Where do Henrik Lundqvist and Ryan Miller fall? And is there a place for arguably the greatest ever Martin Brodeur? If you judge off current seasons, the incumbent Miller would drop out of the top 10 while Brodeur wouldn't even crack the top 25. However, is such a reactionary way of thinking conducive to ranking our favorite goalies overall? Perhaps there needs to be a change in how we view the most important position in the game. You're seeing more goalies victimized by injuries, bad teams and sometimes slumps which allow cynics to write them off.

The question is is it fair? Not long ago, Lundqvist was struggling and some were even pondering if Martin Biron was going to get the job. About as nonsensical as when Brent Johnson got out hot while Marc-Andre Fleury couldn't stop a beach ball. Eventually, the best rise up and reclaim their status, regaining confidence of both peers, media and fans.

So, how should we rank the goalies?

1.Consistency-in any sport, the best must show that they can perform on a nightly basis. Otherwise, they wouldn't reach the pinnacle. For goalies, it's based on number of starts, winning and their history. Are they where they should be?

2.Durability-it's vital for any No.1 goalie to be able to carry the workload, meaning at least 60 starts. If they can't be depended on, what's the point?