It's no secret that a weak goaltender can ruin the best teams' chances at success in the NHL. By the same token, a goalie who plays out of his mind over the course of a season can carry a team to great success.  

The thing is, no team wants a goalie who is great for just one season. They want their netminder to be consistent over the course of many seasons. The goaltenders who will be in the running for the 2016-17 Vezina Trophy have proven to be that type of goaltender.

Here are the top three contenders for this season's best goalie award.

1. Braden Holtby - Washington Capitals

Holtby has been a horse for the Capitals over the last two seasons. In 2015, he played in a league-leading 73 games, putting up a record of 41-20-10 while posting a save percentage (SP) of .923 and a goals against average (GAA) of 2.22. With that performance, he received his first votes for the Vezina, finishing in a distant fourth place.  

Last season, Holtby played in fewer games (66) but posted a better record, going 48-9-7 while his SP and GAA were almost identical at .922 and 2.20. When the Vezina votes shook out, Holtby was the runaway winner.  

If the Capitals have a good early season, Holtby's starts may be reduced to keep him fresh for a run at the Stanley Cup. But he likes to stay busy, so that's not a guarantee. Don't expect much fluctuation in his SP or GAA either, as he has been pretty consistent in those departments. At 27, Holtby looks like he will be a Vezina contender for years to come.

2. Carey Price - Montreal Canadiens

Let's make the pretty huge assumption that Price remains healthy for the majority of the 2017 season, something he failed to do last year when an injury limited him to just 12 games, 10 of which he won. With Price out, the Canadiens quickly faltered, winning just 28 more games over the rest of the season for a final record of 38-38-6. So, yes, Price is the straw that stirs the drink in Montreal.

If Price does remain healthy, expect him to pursue the stack of awards he took home at the end of the 2014 season when he won the Hart, Vezina, Lindsay, and Jennings Trophies after posting a record of 44-16-6 with a SP of .933 and a GAA of 1.96.

We'll get a glance of how Price has recovered from his injury at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

3. Cory Schneider - New Jersey Devils

Last season marked the first time in his career that Schneider received any votes for the Vezina, coming in sixth in the final tally. Expect him to improve that finish in 2017.  

Last season, Schneider went 27-25-6 with a SP of .924 and a GAA of 2.15 behind a defense that was relatively weak.

The Devils should be a little better in the scoring department this season, picking up Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Adam Larsson. Hall, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2010, joins his former OHL teammate Adam Henrique on the top line. That pickup should take some of the pressure of Schneider.

By Trent Reinsmith