Best 3 backup goalies in the NHL??

[Shoeless]

Great point; he is definitely top 3 IMO

For what's it's worth from Shoeless' closet of hunches - Elliott had his day in the sun and now he's done.

[ericdaoust]

I think of great backups not necessarily as the most talented guys but as guys who play their reduced role well and can come in and carry the load when the starter goes down. Three that come to mind:

Brian Elliott
Johan Hedberg
Scott Clemmensen

[metaldude26]

Not a backup technically but I would like to throw a vote for Matt Hackett. With the injury woes of Harding/Backstrom, we've already seen Hackett get some NHL action and I expect more in the future. Backstrom has one year remaining and unless he is lights out this year I don't see him getting extended. Meanwhile, Harding is on one of those cost effective deals where you wouldn't kick yourself if you kept him as the backup.

Now I wouldn't toss Hackett into the top three because he's still not a backup yet and frankly he's far from being a lights out, slam dunk future star between the pipes but he looks really good and the guys ahead look shaky. By the time the Wild are ready to take the reigns of the Northwest Division, Hackett is going to be in the mix to start.

[dmvincent]

Well let's take a look at the legitimate options:

Loungo, Bernier, Fasth, Bachman, Griess, Irving, Harding, Scrivens, Bobrovsky, Gustavsson, maybe Frazee and Poulin.

My top 3 would be Loungo, Bernier and Harding in that order. I would put a close watch on Scrivens, Bobber and Gus.

Great list, I'd add Thomas Greiss to it as well.

He's really starting to come into his own with San Jose.

[DuklaNation]

Not a backup technically but I would like to throw a vote for Matt Hackett. With the injury woes of Harding/Backstrom, we've already seen Hackett get some NHL action and I expect more in the future. Backstrom has one year remaining and unless he is lights out this year I don't see him getting extended. Meanwhile, Harding is on one of those cost effective deals where you wouldn't kick yourself if you kept him as the backup.

Now I wouldn't toss Hackett into the top three because he's still not a backup yet and frankly he's far from being a lights out, slam dunk future star between the pipes but he looks really good and the guys ahead look shaky. By the time the Wild are ready to take the reigns of the Northwest Division, Hackett is going to be in the mix to start.

+1. He could be the closest to getting the #1 job even ahead of the names in the OP.

[smoothfun]

Guigere could be included in this group.
The "Wall" could be included as well as Hedberg.
Just a few to considerr imo.

[Zorro]

Great lists guys.. I really like the list of: Bernier, Harding, and Montoya..

But I do also like the potential of Greiss and Hackett..

[Gramps]

Another goalie to think of is Victor Fasth in Ana

[tgraveline]

Bernier
Enroth
Neuvirth
Montoya

Glad to see someone mention Enroth. I think this kid is a stud.

Luongo has to be the top one based on skill. Then Vokoun and I'll end with Enroth as he's done more than Bernier at this point.

If something happens to Clemmenson or Theodore then Markstrom becomes the number 1 backup in my mind with a shot at stealing the starting role.