While Columbus Blue Jackets starter Sergei Bobrovsky was for all intents and purposes erroneously named to the All-Star Game, having posted some pretty mediocre numbers this season, the fact remains he is a Vezina Trophy winner.

Playing in his shadow is a pretty tough task as a result, but Curtis McElhinney has been up to the challenge since Bobrovsky went down in late January with a groin injury. Since then, McElhinney has gone 6-4, which is all you can really ask for on one of the few teams below .500 in the league (admittedly as a direct result of a boatload of injuries to other players as well, not just Bobrovsky).

Overall, McElhinney is 10-10-1 with a 2.68 goals-against average and .918 save percentage, which are pretty decent numbers, all things considered. READ MORE

4. Cam Talbot (New York Rangers)

If backing up Bobrovsky, who has won a single Vezina, is hard, backing up a perennial contender for the trophy in Henrik Lundqvist must be that much more so, but New York Rangers goalie Cam Talbot is doing okay.

An undrafted free agent, Talbot is following up a spectacular rookie season last year (12-6 with a .941 save percentage and 1.64 GAA) with clutch goaltending this one. He may only have a .912 save percentage and 2.58 GAA, but, since Lundqvist went down with a neck injury in early February, Talbot has gone 5-1-2, including a four-game win streak.

His numbers over this latest stretch have admittedly been underwhelming (25 goals against in eight games), but you can’t argue with the results. He’s paid to win games when Lundqvist can’t play. He doesn’t necessarily need to do it in style. That’s Lundqvist’s job, which is undeniably safe for the time being. READ MORE

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Arguably the only reason Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has only played nine games this season is because the team had to mitigate the whole Evgeni Nabokov signing from this past offseason. Who knew inking a 39-year-old with a consistently dwindling save percentage over the last half-decade was bad idea?

It’s clear it was a mistake on general manager Steve Yzerman’s part, with Nabokov ultimately posting a 3-6-2 record, 3.15 GAA, and .882 save percentage this year in relief of Ben Bishop. Drafting Vasilevskiy 19th overall in 2012? Much less of one, as he has a 4-2-1 record, .927 save percentage, and 2.13 GAA this season.

He actually has better numbers than Bishop in what is undeniably a small sample size of starts. No worries there, though. After Nabokov was traded to the San Jose Sharks (to retire as one), Vasilevskiy is clearly here to stay. READ MORE

2. Antti Raanta (Chicago Blackhawks)

Goalie Antti Raanta’s numbers have arguably been inflated because he plays for the Chicago Blackhawks. He nonetheless has the highest save percentage among all goalies with 12 or more starts.

Overall, he is 7-4-1 with a .938 save percentage and a 1.80 GAA. For the sake of comparison, Chicago’s Scott Darling, who also got in a few games this year when starter Corey Crawford was injured, is 5-2 with a .937 save percentage and 1.97 GAA.

Now, NHL teams don’t really tend to get goalies capable of stopping 94% of all pucks under contract in bunches. It’s kind of impossible. So consider it an organizational phenomenon. On the other hand, Raanta did only have an .897 one last season through 25 games, meaning it could just be him developing into a great goalie in front of our very eyes, albeit in the span of just one season, as unlikely as that is.

Whatever the reasoning, there’s little denying Raanta’s success in 2014-15. He won all five games he played in Crawford’s absence in December (Darling was 3-1, for the record), allowing just eight goals on 166 shots in that span (.952 save percentage). That’s just plain impressive, even if Chicago tends to win no matter who’s in nets. READ MORE

1. Jake Allen (St. Louis Blues)

This selection may surprise some in that St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen has played nearly as many games as teammate Brian Elliott (31 starts vs. 23). However any debate over who is the actual No. 1 there was put to bed the instant the NHL decided to call on Elliott as a replacement for the All-Star Game.

Of course, it might just be a coincidence, but, following the January 25th mid-season classic, Elliott’s game has fallen off somewhat. He’s 5-4 with 26 goals against and a .896 save percentage. Allen on the other hand? He’s 4-0, which doesn’t include two relief appearances over that same span.

The four starts are consistent with his backup label. However, his one shutout, eight goals against, and .942 save percentage since the All-Star break? Anything but.

Allen has the most wins among backups this season (17-5-2). And, while his .909 overall save percentage leaves something to be desired, he is clearly on the verge of taking his game to the next level.

He is officially the Blues’ No. 1 goalie of the future, but it is probably a lot closer than many might think for the Aldege Bastien Memorial Award winner as the American Hockey League’s best goalie last season. READ MORE