Crashing the Crease: Who's Hot, Who's Not

Marc-Andre Fleury is on pace to make 70 appearances this season, a throwback to the days when backups barely played. That's a big workload but there has been precedent; Martin Brodeur, Evgeni Nabokov and Miikka Kiprusoff played 70 games in their age-34 seasons, with Brodeur even winning the Vezina Trophy in 2007. With a league-leading 43 appearances and 27 wins, Fleury is on pace for a historic season.

Here are goalies who have been brick walls or sieves, and a young foursome who've taken the league by storm.

HOT

Marc-Andre Fleury, Golden Knights - Even if the Knights have a firm foothold on a playoff spot, Gerard Gallant likely will continue to lean on Fleury heavily. The Knights aren't as good as they were last season, and Gallant doesn't seem to trust Malcolm Subban or Maxime Lagace.

Robin Lehner, Islanders - His 2.11 GAA is the lowest in the league among goalies with at least 20 appearances, shaving last year's GAA by almost one full goal. He's excelling in Barry Trotz's tried-and-true defensive style and his comeback story after struggling with mental illness has been one of the best stories of the season. Thomas Greiss has a .982 save percentage in his last two games and will continue to figure into the mix, but Trotz likely won't stray far from starting the hotter goalie and Lehner's earned the lion's share of the starts.

Matt Murray, Penguins - He's 10-1 with just 20 goals allowed since December, again pushing aside any doubt about the Penguins' decision to part with Fleury. With Casey DeSmith getting pelted with six goals on 34 shots Saturday night, Murray's definitely not losing his job anytime soon. The high-flying Pens play the Lightning twice in two weeks but also play the Sens, Panthers, Flyers, Oilers and Rangers, giving them a chance for Murray to notch some easy wins.

Anders Nilsson, Senators - He was 3-8-1 with a .895 save percentage with the Canucks but 4-3-0 with a .931 save percentage with the Sens. Even though Nilsson faced some really good teams as a Canuck, it doesn't completely explain his turnaround. The wrench: Craig Anderson returned from injury and made 35 saves against the Blues. Nilsson's numbers aren't sustainable, but he should get at least one more game with a back-to-back coming up Feb. 1, giving him a chance to maintain his hot streak.

Carey Price, Canadiens - Price is saving Marc Bergevin's job. Since Dec. 1, Price has a .931 save percentage and two shutouts, turning the Habs' season around and making them playoff hopefuls once more. Of course, Shea Weber's return helps immensely, but Price is a proven elite goalie and there's no reason to doubt his ability to sustain performances like these.

David Rittich, Flames - Big Save Dave got the coveted start on national TV in the Battle of Alberta and came away victorious, making 22 saves in a 5-2 win. That's now five wins in six games for Rittich, who has clearly earned the No. 1 job. He won't post eye-popping numbers, but he gets a lot of goal support and clearly the Flames' best option. Rittich is worth owning in all standard leagues and has a chance to win 30 games this season.

COLD

Jaroslav Halak, Bruins - Halak and Tuukka Rask were headed toward an even split of the starts, but with just one win in his last five starts, Halak's poor play is affecting his playing time. His save percentage has dipped every month this season, from .947 in October to .928 to .910 to .857 in January. However, Halak has already exceed expectations overall and still worth a handcuff to Rask when Rask invariably goes through another tough stretch.

Carter Hutton, Sabres - He's 1-7-2 since December, forcing Phil Housley to start Linus Ullmark in their last two games. But this is a good development for the Sabres long-term because Ullmark has always been their guy, and Hutton's midseason collapse could help the team net a better draft pick. For Hutton owners, however, it looks like his value peaked with the Sabres' improbable winning streak and the chance to sell high has passed.

Pekka Rinne, Predators - Despite their best efforts to watch his playing time, the veteran goalie hasn't been immune from the winter lulls. Rinne's 2-2-2 with a .880 save percentage and 3.75 GAA in January, though there's still a little breathing room with an eight-point lead over the Avalanche in the division. The Preds have a capable backup in Juuse Saros, but there's no reason to believe Rinne's slump will continue for long given his excellent track record.

UP AND COMING

Jordan Binnington, Blues - The forgotten third-round pick making his first NHL appearance in four seasons, Binnington has backstopped the Blues to within four points of a playoff spot. This was inconceivable just a few weeks ago when Vladimir Tarasenko was rumored to be available in trades and Jake Allen looked like he might need to get a second job. Binnington, a former AHL All-Star, is a fair bet to run away with the Blues' No. 1 job for now and beyond.

Collin Delia, Blackhawks - After going 3-0 in December he's 0-2-3 in January, and his save percentage has dropped from .957 to .914. That's clearly a regression – and it's perfectly normal. The truth about Delia is that he's probably somewhere in between, but it still makes him a better option than anybody in Chicago this season other than a healthy Corey Crawford. Jeremy Colliton continues to stick with him despite losing five in a row, but remember Delia was Colliton's guy with AHL Rockford and the Blackhawks are better served in the long-term giving Delia as playing time as possible.

Thatcher Demko, Canucks - He looked very good in a 36-save win against the Sabres on Saturday, wowing the Vancouver crowd with his frame and athleticism. Jacob Markstrom still has the net, but at some point Markstrom's going to allow a soft goal, and if Demko continues to impress there's no way Travis Green doesn't think about giving him more playing time. It's conceivable Demko forces a 50/50 split down the stretch this season, making him an intriguing handcuff for Markstrom owners.

Carter Hart, Flyers - He's still owned in less than 40 percent of Yahoo leagues despite winning four of his last five games and looking very much like the goaltender of whom the Flyers have long dreamed. He limited the Habs to just two goals on 35 shots Saturday night, including a strong first period when the Flyers were outshot 12-1. With no immediate pressure to make the playoffs, the Flyers are free to keep giving Hart as much playing time as he can handle, but in all honesty he's their best option anyway.