Name some notable backups who you believe were never given a fair shake to become full-time starters and, conversely, starters who were given seemingly endless chances to keep the crease despite questionable play.
Well, interesting question, premise for a thread.... couple of different era's here, pre-1965 & the institution of the 2 goalie roster, what that brought about with respect to Starter's playing time & rotations etc, age of various mainstays through the 50's & 60's at the NHL & Minor-Pro levels (Henry, Maniago, Binkley, Wakely etc) & who they were signed with. Lack of freedom of movement during the Sponsorship Era & so on & so forth. A lot of variables, conditions & circumstances that one needs to consider. Requires some second guessing of Coaching & Management decisions made at whatever time in question with respect to whichever Goaltenders be they seasoned Vets' or guys like Bernie Parent, Dave Dryden, Phil Myre or whomever, promising Rookies who in some cases did go on to carve out HHOF careers, others having a few excellent seasons but still pretty much up & down. Doug Favell for example. Goalies need to play, they need to Start every game, get into a groove. Builds confidence, you get better obviously with the more you play, being a Backup a pretty thankless job. Better you should go play in the Minors as a Starter however with contracts being what they are, if your on a 2 way maybe not so much uh? Depends.
But sure, if we go back to the Golden Era the WHL, AHL, Central Hockey League & others absolutely chock-full of excellent Goaltenders who had they been given the opportunity & support could have replaced any of the Top 6 at the NHL level. Barely a hiccup. Thats not to take anything away from the likes of a Plante, Hall, Sawchuk, Johnston, Worsley, Broda & later on Bower in Toronto but sure, loads of talent at the Minor-Pro level who when given the chance when called up due to injury did in fact displace some of these Giants of the game. Crozier in Detroit for example displacing Terry Sawchuk, who the Wings then lost to Toronto thinking they were set. Chicago thinking Dejordy was their future who as Hall's Backup did play extremely well but for a variety of reasons eventually found himself displaced as well. Vachon in Montreal. Bruce Gamble in Toronto. Those 3 (and others) coulda been Superheros' in Chicago, Montreal & Toronto respectively had they been given the Starts & full backing of the Coaching & Mgmnt of their respective teams. But history happened the way it did, and would Bruce Gamble for example have been able to have almost single handedly shutdown Bobby Hull & the Chicago Blackhawks in the Semi's the way Sawchuk did (Bowers Backup) in 67, or for that matter would Bower had he not been injured been capable of it? Gamble technically, innately, terrific reflexes, aggressive, I believe he probably could have & would have had he gotten more Starts, was ensconced as the #1... and no slight on Bower or Sawchuk.
Then theres others.... guys who got sent down, no longer the Favored Son for sometimes petty, spurious, idiotic reasons. Maybe had a few bad games. From Hero to Zero at the NHL level yet at the AHL level or wherever found their games again. Lumley, Ed Chadwick, the aforementioned Johnny Bower. Some late in life getting a Last Call & standing on their heads, stopping everything thrown at them. Some let go, sold or traded at young ages, victims of depth at the NHL level.