If there is one position in professional sports, not just hockey, that is scrutinized to no end, it's the goaltender. Most people will tell you that the quarterback position in football is, but quarterbacks don't play on both sides. The goaltender plays the entire game and at any time can affect the outcome.

In Philadelphia, the scrutiny of the Flyers starting goaltender has been as constant as death and taxes over the past 40 years. All three things are inevitable to happen and no one dares to stop any of them.

In their history, only three goaltenders have made there mark on the franchise, two of them were drafted by the team: Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh (1979), and Ron Hextall (1982). Pete Peters (1977) took the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals, as well as Lindbergh and Hextall, but only Parent won a Stanley Cup with the team in back to back years ('74 and '75). The Flyers have repeatedly tried to draft another up and coming goaltender, as well as through the free agency and trade routes to help bring the Stanley Cup back home to Philadelphia.

While Martin Biron appears to be the man in the net for at least the next season and a half, the Flyers must look ahead to another goaltender one day. Is that player already in their system or is he still out there somewhere?

Here is a look at the Flyers top five goaltending prospects.

1) Scott Munroe (AHL)

When the Flyers signed Munroe as a rookie free agent out of that college hockey hotbed of the University of Alabama-Huntsville, you can bet the last thing on anyone’s mind was that Scott Munroe might one day become the Flyers top goaltending prospect, but that is exactly what he has become.

Because of his age (25), Munroe won’t be on this list next season, but you can bet that the Flyers will have to consider Munroe as a potential number one starter one day if Martin Biron or Antero Niittymaki doesn’t make the cut. So far it looks as though Niittymaki will have to look for another team to be the starter when he hits the open market in the summer. That will leave the door open for Munroe or another prospect to fill the void as Biron’s backup one day.

Munro has the resume to show he is a viable candidate these days. Playing for the Flyers AHL affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, Munroe is having an impressive season leading league in goals-against-average (2.05), is fourth in save percentage (0.925), and is tied for seventh in shutouts with three. He spent four seasons at UAH, and had his best season in 2004-05 where he had a GAA of 2.29, had a save percentage of 0.930, and had a record of 16-10-4.

Outlook – The Flyers have some up and coming prospects, but Munroe is the closest to being NHL ready. If the Flyers want to give Niittymaki the opportunity to be a starter somewhere else next season, Munroe is the most likely candidate to replace him.

2) Martin Houle (AHL)

Houle, an eighth round pick in 2004, has a couple of things against him. Being drafted in that round doesn’t help, and neither does being 5’ 11” tall. Munroe is three inches taller and uses his size well. Houle is a solid goaltender that on any other franchise might get a long look, but on a team like the Flyers, where the pressure to win it all every season is always present, Houle might find himself on the outside looking in soon.

Houle spent four seasons in the QMJHL playing for Cape Breton and got better as his career went along. Is first pro season, he went between the ECHL with the Trenton Titans (now known as the Devils), and the Phantoms and had a very good year between the two teams.

Unfortunately for Houle, last season in 2006-07 did not go as planned and things haven’t gotten better since. Houle played in 37 games splitting time with Munroe last season, easily his worst season since his first full season as a starter with Cape Breton back in 2002-03.

His setback, for whatever the reason, had Houle start in the ECHL again this season, this time with the Wheeling Nailers, the Flyers ECHL affiliate, and is having another rough season, but with Brian Boucher moving on, Houle is back behind Munroe with the Phantoms.

Outlook – Unless he can go on a run and impress Flyers brass, Houle will no longer be a Flyers prospects, but he does have an outside shot at winning hearts and minds come training camp time in the fall.

3) Rejean Beauchemin (ECHL)

A sixth round pick in 2003, Beauchemin has spent most of his time in the ECHL with three different teams, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t being considered for the starters job one day. So far Beauchemin has not had the success he had in the WHL for the Prince Albert Raiders, but Beauchemin is having his best season since playing for the Dayton Bombers alongside another Flyers prospect, Jeremy Duchesne.

In 31 games, Beauchemin has a respectable record of 14-11-5 with a solid save percentage of 0.913 and a GAA of 2.84. If Munroe or Houle moves on from the Phantoms next season, Beauchemin should replace at least one of them. A good year in the AHL will go a long way to determine of Beauchemin is the Flyers goalie of the future.

Outlook – Beauchemin still needs to work on making the key save late in the game but he is a solid goaltender that could work his way into the Flyers plans in the future.

4) Jeremy Duchesne (ECHL)

Last season, Duchesne was the only Flyers goaltender who had a save percentage over 90 percent. In fact, Duchesne’s own save percentage was not over 90 during the regular season playing in the QMJHL, but he had a very good run in the playoffs while playing for Val-d’Or Foreurs.

In 18 playoff games, his save percentage was 0.905. When you consider that number was the best of any Flyers' goaltender last season, that tells you just how bad things were for them overall.

Duchesne is having a very good season splitting time with Beauchemin at Dayton. In fact his 0.910 save percentage is a career best for him, and his GAA is a second best career average of 2.68. Although Beauchemin is a tad older, Duchesne is, in some circles, considered the better goalie, and depending on who you talk to, could be the Flyers' starting goaltender once Biron’s days are over.

Outlook – Duchesne could once again be tag-teamed with Beauchemin next season in the AHL, but one more season in the ECHL as the full time starter wouldn’t hurt his development. He is definitely one to watch along with Beauchemin.

5) Brad Phillips (NCAA)

If it were not for Notre Dame's starting goaltender Jordan Pearce, Brad Phillips might be getting the call for the Fighting Irish. It might take a transfer for Phillips to see the light of day as a starter since Pearce is a junior and Phillips is a freshman.

Still, despite being a seventh round pick in last seasons draft, Phillips is going to get a long look by Flyers' brass. Phillips got their attention as part of USA hockey’s under-18 program and played for the NAHL’s Brampton Capitals. Last season, he had a stellar goals-against-average of 2.18 with a SAV % of 0.917. Phillips seems to have picked up where he left off and is playing very well for Notre Dame.

In only five games, Phillips has a record of 4-1-0 and has a GAA of 1.52, and a save percentage of 0.923. Both numbers are better than Pearce's, but he has played in 29 more games. With Notre Dame having a solid college hockey program, you could see
Phillips leading the Irish to an NCAA title one day.

Outlook – Phillips could turn out to be the best of the five netminders on this list. He has size at 6’ 2”, but he needs to put on a little weight. Currently, he is listed at 171 pounds, so nine or ten more pounds would be perfect. Still, his skill, not his size will get him noticed by the Flyers as they continue on their yearly quest to find the goaltender who will finally bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back to Philly.

Other notables

Jakub Kovar (OHL)

Kovar, a native of the Czech Republic, and currently playing for the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL, was stellar in Europe, but so far is having an ordinary season for Windsor. If his style translates to the North American game, he could become a dark horse. Some publications think he is the Flyers' top rated goaltending prospect, but until his game reflects that, he is on the outside looking in for now.

Well, there you have it fans, the team’s top five goaltending prospects. Do you agree or disagree with the lists? Send me an email and let me know, I'd love to hear from you, not only about the prospects, but about the Flyers in general.

Contact the author at Bjennings@insidehockey.com