Some of the league's top snipers are putting up pretty good numbers. Still, the drag on overall offense is inching ever-closer to the levels of the Dead Puck Era that preceded the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
Experts are offering suggestions to increase scoring, but one thing's for sure—there are plenty of outstanding goaltenders working in the NHL these days, and the list of the league's best remains fluid from year to year. New names surface near the top of the statistical charts every season, keeping pressure on the veterans who are locked into their long-term contracts.
Some backup goalies appear on this list, but none have played in fewer than seven games so far this season.