There have been a few exceptions (like Marc-Andre Fleury and the infamous Rick Dipietro), but goalies are usually not taken extremely high in the draft. Normally, one or two will go in the mid-to-late stages of the first round of the draft, and that appears to be what will happen in this year's draft as well.
Here are the top five goalies on the board in the 2013 Entry Draft.
1. Zachary Fucale - Halifax (QMJHL)
It has been pretty much undisputed that Fucale is the top keeper available in this year's draft, and he will likely be taken in the middle or late stages of the first round.
Fucale led his Halifax team to a QMJHL Memorial Cup Championship, posting an unbelievable 16-1-0 record throught the league's playoffs. He had a .902 save percentage in the playoffs, tied for the highest among all QMJHL goalies.
In the regular season, Fucale posted a 45-5-2-1 record with a 2.14 Goals Against Average and a .909 save percentage.
If a goaltender goes in the first round of the draft, Fucale will almost certainly be the first to come off the board. The Buffalo Sabres, who have the sixteenth overall pick and have been rumored to be shopping Ryan Miller, could be a prime candidate to take Fucale. If he drops low enough, the Calgary Flames could select him with the 22nd pick as a replacement for the retiring Miikka Kiprusoff.
2. Eric Comrie - Tri-City (WHL)
There is a slight chance Comrie could be taken in the first round, but he will most likely fall to the early stages of the second round of the draft. This young native of Edmonton, Alberta will only be seventeen years old at the time of the draft, and will have a lot of time to build on his already impressive game.
Comrie played with Tri-City in 2011-12 and 2012-13, posting a 2.67 Goals Against Average and a .900 save percentage in his rookie season and following up with a 2.62 Goals Against Average and a .915 save percentage the next season.
3. Tristan Jarry - Edmonton (WHL)
Jarry was terrific this year with Edmonton, as he collected six shutouts in 27 games. After a 2011-12 campaign that saw him struggle a little bit, he picked up his game big-time by posting only a 1.61 Goals Against Average and a very impressive .936 save percentage.
Jarry seemed to adjust his game in order to be a much more effective player in the WHL, and he could someday prove to be a productive NHL goalie if he continues to find ways to improve.
4. Juuse Saros - HPK JR. (Finland Jr.)
Saros is clearly the top European goaltender on the board in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. In his two seasons in the Finland Junior League, he posted .910 and .933 save percentages, respectively.
He had a 2.53 Goals Against Average in 2011-12, and while that is not a bad number by any means, he improved it to a 1.86 mark in 2012-13. He also recorded four shutouts in 37 games this past season.
The only thing that could turn teams away from selecting Saros is his size. He is only 5'9, and we seem to be entering an era in which giant goaltenders like Pekka Rinne, Ben Bishop, and Anders Lindback are the norm.
5. Calvin Petersen - Waterloo (USHL)
2012-13 was Petersen's first full year in of junior hockey, but he did not disappoint as he recorded three shutouts in 35 games and had a .906 save percentage while playing for his hometown junior team in Waterloo, Iowa.
His Goals Against Average was 2.97; higher than those of the aforementioned goaltenders, but still not a bad number especially when coupled with his save percentage.
Petersen stands 6'1 and is clearly regarded as the best American-born goalie in the draft.