This National Hockey League season is not similar to last year for many goaltenders. Patrick Roy retired, goalkeepers meticulously measured various pads in case the Pad Police showed up, and no goaltender, other than Roberto Luongo, has had a sensational year.

Instead we've been treated to confusion, injuries, and poor play of the spectacular variety.

Florida's Luongo faces roughly 35 shots each game and plays 86% of the Panthers' games. Can't remember any slumps and soft goals are a rare event. He's played behind a lousy team, coached by a couple of lousy bosses, and has a general manager who has sand in stead of brains in his head. He has played hard every night and been a credit to his profession.

Colorado's David Aebischer could be forgiven for thinking he was being stitched up. He was the fill-in when the great Patrick Roy retired. Aebischer's demise was predicted for early December. He stormed out of the gate and even became the number one goaltender one week. A hue and cry was raised concerning his lack of play-off experience. General manager Pierre Lacroix would surely trade for a veteran net minder on trade-deadline day. And he did. Except Lacroix brought in Edmonton flop Tommy Salo. Aebischer had won over the only man who mattered.

The best soap opera was in Detroit. Retired mega-bucks 'keeper Dominik Hasek decided he wanted to oust mega-bucks starter Curtis Joseph. General manager Ken Holland hadn't a clue how to solve his 16-million dollar dilemma however his indecision came in handy later on. Hasek played poorly, then Joseph was hauled out of the minors to play road games, then Hasek was injured, and on and on, so on and so forth. Through it all loyal Manny Legace kept his mouth shut and played when asked. Legace has been a career back-up but when Joseph and Hasek were out of the line-up he turned in a performance which put both those two meatheads to shame. Hasek then quit on the Wings which had the advantage of simplifying matters for everyone else. Joseph is back and is splitting games with Legace. I hope Legace turns on the jets and buries Joseph.

Holland may have bungled his crease crisis but for shear goaltender ignorance it is hard to overlook Philadelphia general manager Bobby Clarke. He thought Roman Cechmanek was good, Jeff Hackett better, and Sean Burke best. Hackett retired having played poorly, Burke arrived and looked horrendous, and Antero Niittymaki one three games, conceding three goals and was then banished to the minors. Robert Esche returned from injury and coach Ken Hitchcock blew a sigh of relief louder than a humpbacked whale.

Burke was available in Phoenix because former head-case Brian Boucher, traded from the Flyers to the desert, had an inexplicable shutout string causing Wayne Gretzky and gm Mike Barnett to fall in love. Burke was ejected faster than a naked drunk at a wedding. Boucher was showered with praise then fell on his duff. In the space of about five weeks he plummeted from a high ranking netminder to one of the worst. Tough luck, Wayne. You're in over your head.

Chicago Blackhawks have the distinction of using the most goalkeepers - 6. Starter Jocelyn Thibault was hurt early and five of the scruffiest replacements stood in the nets while pretending to not be there. None of the fruitless five had a save percentage over 900, save for Craig Anderson. He was sent to the minors for awhile. Three had goals against averages over three/game and the other two weren't far behind. Blackhawks are a ratty team at the best of times but didn't anyone think of making a trade?

The NHL headshed haltingly introduced new equipment rules for goaltenders. Islanders' Garth Snow immediately moaned the directive was unfair. Anaheim's J-S Giguere hinted at retribution if he was hurt using those new unsafe pads. Last season Snow had a 918 save percentage, this year 902. Giguere erupted in the second half last year and finished the regular season with a 2.30 goals against average and 920 save percentage. In the play-offs he bettered both: GAA was 1.62 and save percentage 945. This season he's 2.62 and 913

No-one in Carolina liked Arturs Irbe so he was kicked out and stranded in the ECHL - a league so obscure most of us aren't sure if they even have franchises. Irbe has a fat contract and may have been annoying team-mates in the dressing room. Back-up Jamie Storr was useless and was dropped by the Hurricanes but the club had no other prospect except good old Arturs. So he's back and by all accounts happy.

Pittsburgh Penguins nearly ruined rookie Marc-Andre Fleury. He was falling apart in Pittsburgh and eventually sent back to junior hockey. Then began a cavalcade of the inept. Aubin, Chiodo (wasn't ready), and Caron (never was ready) took fearsome bashings. Caron was such a slug he was rated by Statman as #30 with a -65 grade. Mario could have used Arturs Irbe.

On the whole 2003/04 hasn't been good for goaltenders. As many as seven teams could be in the play-offs carrying shaky goaltenders. Could be fun for the rest of us, though. Also, which 'keeper will be this post-season's Cinderella come June?

You can visit Ron Steel at www.bookiekiller.com