Quote:
Originally Posted by colbym72
Is there data to support goalies numbers dropping after playing a set number of games?
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I would say that the point cited in GioforPM's post above provides good evidence which shows that teams are more inclined to carefully manage the workload of their starting goalies. It was more true a decade ago and before then that goalies could play multiple rounds in the playoffs on top of a heavy workload during the regular season, but the fact that it happens very rarely now would suggest that the mindset has dramatically changed.
I crunched some numbers and included them in a post about a month ago, and they basically boil down to this: The most successful playoff goalies tend to play no more than 80–85 games in a season. Ideally, it seems that most teams prefer to limit their starters to under 65 games, and I would argue that this is by careful design with a view to ensuring that they continue to play to the same level in the Stanley Cup Finals.