Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

This is the final weekend of the '09-10 regular season and the post-season festivities will get underway on Wednesday. On Monday you can look for a comprehensive playoff pool stats pack, followed by team picks and then hopefully a few Share Your Fantasy blogs where you've got a chance to detail how your fantasy campaign ended with fellow readers. chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

In the meantime, the playoffs almost always come down to who gets the phenomenal goaltending performances. So let's see how the netminding situations are shaping up going into next week, which also includes a look at seasonal stats and post-Olympic numbers.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Washington Capitals: Tell me it's not at least a little bit hilarious that the team with the best record in the entire league has not named a starter for the playoffs yet. Jose Theodore (29-7-7 with 2.83/ .910 splits and one shutout) will start tonight's game, but beyond that he's still relatively even money with Semyon Varlamov (15-4-5 with 2.54/ .909 splits and two shutouts) in terms of who'll start the team's first game of the first playoff series.

Theodore is 9-0-1 with 2.49/ .921 splits and one shutout since the Olympics. Varlamov is 3-2-3 with 2.76/ .892 splits in that same period.

"I haven't discussed anything with anybody," coach Bruce Boudreau told The Washington Post. "I'm still evaluating. Nothing has been etched in stone."

Theodore began the playoffs last spring, but was quickly replaced by Varlamov.

New Jersey Devils: Martin Brodeur (43-25-6 with 2.27/ .915 splits and nine shutouts). Duh. Next! He's 9-5-3 with 2.14/ .918 splits and two shutouts since the Olympics. Yann Danis (3-2-1 with 2.05/ .923 splits) has started all of six games this season.

Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Miller (40-18-8 with 2.23/ .928 splits and five shutouts) is getting a little rest before the post-season begins, but he's clearly the go-to guy between the pipes here. He's 10-4-1 with 2.44/ .921 splits since the Olympics and all five of his shutouts came before that point. Patrick Lalime (4-7-2 with 2.87/ .905 splits) is the back-up.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Marc-Andre Fleury (37-20-6 with 2.68/ .905 splits and one shutout) is the franchise goalie for the defending Cup champs. He's 8-4-2 with 2.80/ .894 splits and one shutout since the Olympics. Brent Johnson (9-6-1 with 2.64/ .909 splits) is the back-up plan.

Ottawa Senators: Brian Elliott (29-18-4 with 2.57/ .909 splits and five shutouts) would certainly seem to have a tight hold on the starter's job heading into the playoffs and he just recently had a six-game winning steak stopped. He's 7-5-1 with 2.51/ .906 splits and two shutouts since the Olympics. Pascal Leclaire (12-13-2 with 3.13/ .889 splits) has had his usual struggles with injuries and consistency, although he did win his most recent start. He's 1-3-1 with 3.49/ .887 splits since the Olympic break.

Boston Bruins: Tuukka Rask (21-12-5 with 1.97/ .931 splits and five shutouts) has posted stellar numbers in unseating reigning Vezina holder Tim Thomas (16-18-8 with 2.55/ .915 splits and five shutouts) and assuming the Bruins hang on for a playoff spot in the East, Rask has earned that starting nod against the veteran that could still deliver in a pinch if called upon. He's made a career of getting back up when everyone counted him out. Rask is 7-5-1 with 1.75/ .936 splits and two shutouts since the Olympics, while Thomas is 3-3-1 with 2.72/ .914 splits and one shutout.

Montreal Canadiens: Jaroslav Halak (26-13-4 with 2.36/ .926 splits and five shutouts) has been more consistent than Carey Price (13-20-5 with 2.77/ .912 splits) this season, without a doubt. Who'll be the better choice for this franchise in the long run is debateable and the issue may or may not be resolved this summer with both men becoming restricted free agents, but Halak deserves the starting playoff nod - if the Habs make it. Halak is 9-3-2 with 1.94/ .931 splits and two shutouts since the Olympic break, while Price is 1-2-1 with 2.52/ .924 splits.

Philadelphia Flyers: Instead of having Ray Emery or Michael Leighton between the pipes, this team is relying on Brian Boucher (8-17-3 with 2.78/ .899 splits and one shutout) to come up big this weekend in the home-and-home with the New York Rangers. He's 4-6-2 with 2.71/ .904 splits and one shutout since the Olympics, although he has a respectable 2-2-0 mark with a 2.45 GAA and 913 SV% with a shutout in April. Johan Backlund (0-1-0 with two goals against on 24 SOG in 40 minutes of action this season) has been fighting a nagging groin issue and hopes to be ready to back-up if the team can claim two points from the Rangers this weekend and make the playoffs.

New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist (34-27-9 with 2.40/ .920 splits and four shutouts) is not only the clear choice as starter on this team, he's the only reason New York even has a chance to make the playoffs in the first place. Without him, it's honestly not even a stretch to say the Rangers could be battling it out for last in the East with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lundqvist is 9-5-3 with 2.36/ .920 splits and two shutouts since Team Sweden's Olympic disappointment. Alex Auld (0-1-0 with 2.53/ .904 splits) has only started once for this team since being acquired on waivers.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose Sharks: This team will rise or fall with Evgeni Nabokov (43-16-10 with 2.44/ .921 splits and three shutouts), who is also due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's 9-7-1 with 3.04/ .900 splits and one shutout since the Olympics. Thomas Greiss (7-4-1 with 2.68/ .912 splits) is Plan B in case of an injury.

Chicago Blackhawks: Coach Joel Quenneville has been somewhat non-committal, but it seems pretty clear that the Hawks will open the post-season with Antti Niemi (25-7-3 with 2.23/ .913 splits and seven shutouts) manning the net. Should he falter or get hurt, then veteran Cristobal Huet (26-14-4 with 2.50/ .895 splits and four shutouts) could get an opportunity to become a hero in the Windy City.

Huet has been around this game long enough to know anything can happen.

"If you want to go all the way there are going to be some ups and downs," Huet recently told The Chicago Tribune. "I don't want to say it's going to happen but in case it happens I just need to work and know eventually my time may come. I must be ready for that."

Niemi is 8-3-2 with 2.36/ .912 splits and three shutouts since the Olympics, while Huet is 2-3-0 with ugly 4.21/ .833 peripherals.

Vancouver Canucks: Roberto Luongo (39-22-4 with 2.56/ .912 splits and four shutouts) has surrendered at least three goals in six of his past seven starts and that stretch includes the eight-spot @LOS that did not leave poolies with a very good taste in their mouths. He's 8-5-2 with 3.32/ .889 splits since winning gold for his nation, but you can bet he'll be both ready and hungry to take this team as far as possible this spring when the puck drops next week. Aside from an injury to Luongo, Andrew Raycroft (9-5-1 with 2.42/ .911 splits and one shutout) will only see a sniff of playoff action if the Canucks are getting blown out in a game and they want to rest the big man for the next game.

Phoenix Coyotes: If one were to rank the players who vastly out-produced fantasy expectations when drafted in the fall, Ilya Bryzgalov (42-20-5 with 2.30/ .920 splits and eight shutouts) would fare quite well on the list. It wasn't that he wasn't regarded as a goalie with a good talent level, but this team had a lot of question marks surrounding it headed into the season. Six months later and Bryzgalov has been a rock in net for his teammates. He's 10-3-1 with 2.28/ .922 splits and two shutouts since the break. Jason LaBarbera (8-5-1 with 2.13/ .928 splits) has been surprisingly steady; albeit behind a good team.

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick (39-24-6 with 2.53/ .907 splits and four shutouts) is winless in his past seven starts, but the starting job is his headed into the playoffs. He's 4-7-3 with 2.56/ .908 splits and two shutouts. Erik Ersberg (3-3-2 with 2.57/ .896 splits) has barely seen any action this season and the really interesting thing for the Kings and Quick's fantasy value will be whether or not Jonathan Bernier (3-0-0 with 1.30/ .957 splits and one shutout) can overtake Quick for the starting job in '10-11.

Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard (35-15-10 with 2.31/ .923 splits and two shutouts) finally received the chance for which he had waited years to get with the big club and he seized it. Man, did he seize it. This late-season push by the Wings ensures Howard's work will be recognized enough to cement one of the three Calder Trophy nominations and he will be this team's starting goalie headed into the playoffs. It has been said ad nauseam in recent weeks, but truly NOBODY wants to face the Wings in the post-season this year. Chris Osgood (7-9-4 with 3.02/ .888 splits and one shutout) has barely played lately, but should be invaluable counsel for Howard at this time of year. And never say never with Osgood if he gets a shot to start for some reason. Say what you will about him, but count me among the fans of his mental fortitude and "bite me" attitude.

My favourite Osgood quote in recent memory came after that 4-3 loss to Philly: "I was actually surprised at how I felt after not playing for two months, especially the second and third periods. I was moving better and doing things that you guys (media) wouldn't notice, different things than just stopping pucks. I was moving around, tracking pucks in traffic. To me, this was a step in the right direction as far as getting ready for the playoffs."

Ignorant media guys. You wouldn't notice stuff like that. Love it!

Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne (31-16-5 with 2.57/ .910 splits and seven shutouts) has played some pretty good hockey since the Olympic break with an 11-4-1 mark and a 2.03 GAA and .928 SV%, including four shutouts. He'll be the go-to guy for this franchise into the playoffs with Dan Ellis (15-13-1 with 2.69/ .909 splits and one shutout) around just in case things go south for Rinne. Rinne signed that two-year extension in late February, while Ellis will become a UFA and will probably attempt to get more playing time elsewhere.

Colorado Avalanche: Craig Anderson (38-25-6 with 2.65/ .916 splits and seven shutouts) has been a revelation for the Avs this season since signing on as a UFA last summer. He has taken hold of the starting job and hasn't let go since, so he'll clearly be the main man as the Avs head into the playoffs. His stats have definitely fallen off though, with a 7-9-1 record and 3.37/ .893 splits with one shutout since the Olympic break. Peter Budaj (5-4-2 with 2.51/ .920 splits and one shutout) has only started a handful of games this season.