Applying realistic percentages to these two goalies is tough. Desjardins has struggled to stay healthy, and that's the only reason he's not an NHL backup right now. I do think he has a good season in Hamilton, stays healthy, and becomes Carey Price's backup next season. I don't think the Canadiens would have brought him back into the fold after last season's injuries in Lake Erie without realizing he could get injured again...but they want to see him succeed, they know he works hard, they know he's a very good goalie with a bit of starter upside, and they probably want Carey Price to at least see some type of competition behind him...so Desjardins has the door opening in front of him ... he just HAS to stay healthy this season...and through the summer.

Stalock is a stud for a 5-11/6-0 goalie and he's back to being 100% healthy again, and he's playing very well in Worcester right now after a bit of a slow start the first few games. He is definitely an NHL backup in a few more seasons, depending on what happens with Niemi and Greiss. I'm hesitant to say he's a definite NHL starter because he's small and highly athletic, so he doesn't have the frame or play the style that you see with most prototypical starters right now. Very few "smaller and highly athletic" goalies are starters right now ... Quick might be the only one, but his positional game has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few seasons.

But Stalock is definitely going to be an NHL backup in my mind. He's a really skilled and confident goalie, and he has a great trait that will really help his value -- he can move and handle the puck like a boss.

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