It's been trending down for a while.
In
2009-2010: 6 goalies topped 70 games, with another four over 65 games.
In
2010-2011: 3 goalies topped 70 games, with another four over 65 games.
In
2011-2012: 2 goalies topped 70 games, with another seven over 65 games.
6... 3... 2...
This is three seasons of information... enough to suggest a "trend" of decreasing in full seasons prior to the lockout.
Then you've got a lock-out shortened
2012-2013 season... where goalies only played a maximum of 44 regular season games.
Now... let's talk about "lock-outs".
It's like a period where you are not getting as much exercise.
A jogger could run 5K every day.
Then... perhaps he sit on the couch for 6 months...
It'll take you a while to get back to running 5K every day.
Let's zoom back to the 2004-2005 lockout.
Season after that:
2005-2006... where only three workhorse goalies played over 70 games and only another two played over 65 games.
And then the season after that...
2006-2007, as goalies increasing their stamina again... now you've got four goalies playing over 70 games and another 6 over 65 games.
And then the season after that...
2007-2008 where there were six goalies playing over 70 games.
3... 4... 6...
Another trend.
Low after the lockout.
Then increasing.
Two sources of goalie trending evidence:
1. The rate of starting goalie games per year has been decreasing in full years based on statistical evidence that workhorse goalies (& their teams) aren't exceling in Stanley Cup playoffs.
2. Following a lock-out, goalie long-term stamina is down and they play less games in a full season.
Combine those two statistical pieces of evidence/trending...
Result: Lowest starting goalie GP in recent history.