Part 1
1. Tom Barrasso and Curtis Joseph
The Oilers and the Racers are lucky teams this year in the goaltending department. Tom Barrasso and Curtis Joseph have played exceptionally well and its evident in the team standings. Currently the Oilers are tied for first in the NHL and the Racers are tied for first in the WHA conference. Both goalies hold a .916 save percentage and have contributed assists to team offense. The only difference between the two of them are the 2 shutouts of Joseph. Ultimately, however, these two are going to be going head-to-head for the Vezina Trophy down the stretch.
2. Chris Osgood
A great goalie, Chris Osgood is playing better than ever on a strong detroit team. His .915 save percentage is near the top and he sports 4 shutouts. His only negatives are his penalty minutes and the fact that he plays with a very soild defensive team, unlike Joseph and is protected by superpower Lidstrom. The fact of the matter is he could easily grab the Vezina at the end of the year since there are plenty of games left and an inevitably long playoff run ahead of him.
3. Martin Brodeur
He is one of the best goalies in the league and will always be a force in the Vezina race. A .907 save percentage, 2 shutouts and 4 assists are near the top of the league. The main flaw I see with Martin is that while he has played well, he does have Stevens and Neidermayer defending him and he has not single-handedly shouldered the team to the top of the league like the other candidates.
4. Byron Dafoe
A workhorse, Dafoe has played 2047 minutes this season and has stepped up his play. He boasts a .907 save percentage and 2 shutouts, facing a league high 893 shots. He is definitely going to make a splash this year for the top goaltending award, especially backstopping a less skilled Boston squad. We'll see how many games he can steal for the team. Unfortunately however, he becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the year and the better he plays, the larger his paycheck.
5. Sean Burke
At 30, Burke has been around for a while and the Flyers have been happy to have him in net. He hasn't played that many games but he has shone brightly in the ones he has tended. Bringing home a .907 save percentage, 2 shutouts and 3 assists, he has helped his team reach the top of the NHL. Also, due to his experience he will be vital to a Philly playoff run for the cup. Much to the happiness of the flyers he is locked up with a four year contract and should provide great goaltending for years to come.