World Cup of Hockey: Carey Price, Jonathan Quick headline likely goalie class
Henrik Lundqvist, Tuukka Rask, Matt Murray among others to watch
Kristers Gudlevskis, a little-known fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, briefly turned the hockey world upside down in Sochi with an unbelievable 55-save performance that nearly pushed Latvia past Canada in the quarter-finals at the 2014 Olympics.
Goaltending can shake a short tournament like the Olympics or upcoming World Cup of Hockey. A look at the names likely to draw the bulk of starts in Toronto:
CANADA
Starter: Carey Price
Almost unbeatable at the 2014 Olympics (three goals against on 106 shots) and the undisputed top goaltender in the world before a knee injury last season, Price is expected to be ready to carry the load for Canada at the World Cup.
The 2015 Vezina Trophy winner will have gone nearly 10 months between games by that point. Price doesn't believe he'll need much time, but the Canadians are covered regardless.
Braden Holtby just won the Vezina Trophy, matching Martin Brodeur's record of 48 wins last season. Corey Crawford, meanwhile, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago and a consistently excellent option.
UNITED STATES
Likely Starter: Jonathan Quick
Like Crawford, Quick has captured two Stanley Cups and is coming off one of his finer NHL seasons, setting a career-high with 40 wins while landing a Vezina Trophy nomination.
Ben Bishop was probably the best American goaltender in the NHL last season, second in save percentage (.926), first in goals against average (2.06), and superb in the playoffs for Tampa (.939 save percentage).
Beyond Bishop is the underrated Cory Schneider, who was second only to Price in save percentage (.924) since he became a full-time starter with the Devils in 2013.
SWEDEN
Starter: Henrik Lundqvist
Lundqvist is Sweden's unquestioned No. 1 regardless of performance in Toronto. He's backed up by Jacob Markstrom and Jhonas Enroth, neither of whom is likely to play at the World Cup.
Last season the 34-year-old Lundqvist posted his seventh straight season with a save percentage of at least .920. His fine performance at the 2014 Olympics helped Sweden to a silver medal (1.50 GAA).
EUROPE
Likely Starter: Jaroslav Halak
With Frederik Andersen pulling out of the tournament earlier this month due to injury, Team Europe's crease almost certainly belongs to Jaroslav Halak.
The 31-year-old was bothered by injuries last season, but played reasonably well when he managed to take the ice (.919 save percentage).
The backup role falls to Thomas Greiss, the German goaltender that fills the same role alongside Halak with the New York Islanders.
RUSSIA
Likely Starter: Sergei Bobrovsky
Bobrovsky, 27, rebounded from a poor start last season but had a mostly wobbly fourth season with the Blue Jackets. Still, he's Russia's only Vezina Trophy winner and likely its top option at the World Cup.
Bobrovsky split the goaltending duties with Semyon Varlamov at the last Olympics and indeed it's the Colorado Avalanche goalie pushing for top duties again at the World Cup. Young Lightning goaltender Sergei Vasilevskiy rounds out the trio.
FINLAND
Likely Starter: Tuukka Rask
The lynchpin of a bronze medal winner from the last Olympics still remains in 29-year-old Tuukka Rask and he should be the nation's starter in Toronto.
The 2015 Vezina finalist is coming off an inconsistent campaign for Boston which saw him post a .915 percentage, his worst since joining the Bruins for good in 2009. He was strong for the Finns in Sochi, though, with a .938 save percentage.
Rask's primary competition for the gig is Pekka Rinne, who also had his stumbles last season in Nashville.
NORTH AMERICA
Likely Starter: Matt Murray
The race comes down to Pittsburgh's Murray or John Gibson, the present and future in Anaheim's crease.
A Thunder Bay, Ont., native, Murray emerged as the unlikely starter for the Stanley Cup champion Penguins, overcoming any stumbles with coolness and composure.
Gibson is the more experienced option, at least in NHL terms. The 23-year-old is coming off a strong second season with the Ducks and he also boasts a gold medal and MVP for the Americans at the 2013 world junior championship.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Likely Starter: Petr Mrazek
Detroit's Mrazek was probably the best goaltender in the NHL in the first half last season (.932 save percentage) before unravelling.
He has moderate competition for the role in Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec and Michal Neuvirth of the Flyers, neither of whom offers the same upside.