The puck will drop on a brand new sheet of ice for all 30 clubs when the NHL opens up on Oct. 7.
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The importance of having a skilled goalie in the crease is never overlooked, but one thing that often goes under appreciated is a quality back-up netminder between the pipes.
Every year with injuries and subpar play, the importance of a solid goalie tandem becomes even greater, and here's a look at the five best duos in the blue paint throughout the league. To view this article in slideshow form, CLICK START at the top right of this page.
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Stars: Kari Lehtonen & Antti Niemi
Lehtonen had some bumpy stretches in 2014-15, but the offseason addition of Niemi, who brings a Stanley Cup championship with him to Dallas, should light a fire under the incumbent netminder. Lehtonen allowed nearly three goals per game, but he also put up five shutouts. Niemi won 31 games for the Sharks last season and had a 2.59 GAA. Dallas hopes Niemi's arrival will light a spark and help it approve upon its 3.13 goals allowed per game last season, which was fourth-worst in the NHL.
Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist & Antti Raanta
Lundqvist bounced back from a serious vascular injury late last season and led the Rangers to within one game of returning to the Stanley Cup Final. "King Henrik" still managed to finish tied for sixth in the league with a 2.25 GAA and had five shutouts. If he gets hurt this year, he won't have Cam Talbot (Oilers) to spell him anymore as Raanta came over in a trade with the Blackhawks. Raanta said some questionable things this offseason, but is a solid No. 2 (1.89 GAA in 14 games last season). New York allowed just 187 goals all of last season, third best mark in the league.
Canadiens: Carey Price & Dustin Tokarski
You can pair Pope Francis with Price, and Montreal would still have one of the best duos by default. Price led the NHL in wins (44), GAA (1.96) and save percentage (.933) while pitching nine shutouts en route to the Vezina and Hart Trophies last year. Tokarski has just 27 games of experience under his belt in the regular season, but don't forget that he played admirably against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final two springs ago. Last season, Montreal led the NHL with a stingy 2.24 goals per game allowed.
Blues: Brian Elliott & Jake Allen
The Blues always seem to have a surplus in net, but no one ever seems to take the reins. Still, they enter with one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. Brian Elliott is coming off of a solid campaign (2.33 GAA, .917 save percentage), but it's Jake Allen who fans are clamoring to breakout as a No. 1 star. Allen went 32-22-7 last season, posting a 2.28 GAA and .913 save percentage. St. Louis finished fifth with 2.40 goals allowed per game.
Blackhawks: Corey Crawford & Scott Darling
Chicago may have the most formidable duo in the crease as Crawford has won two Stanley Cups and Darling showed what he could do when the No. 1 backstop struggled early in the postseason. Crawford was sixth in the league with a 2.24 GAA last season and helped lead the Blackhawks to their third Stanley Cup in six years. Darling showed how important a backup goalie can be in Round 1 of the playoffs against the Predators. With Crawford struggling, Chicago thrust Darling into the spotlight and he won three of four games, giving up just 11 goals. As for Crawford, he returned and eventually blanked the Lightning, 2-0, in the deciding game of the Stanley Cup Final.
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