I play in two leagues, on is a Keep 5 league the other is a one year league.
Both have goalie appearance requirements of at least 3 games or you forfeit all goalie categories.
3 doesn't sound like much, but sometimes, due to wonky scheduling, it may be harder than anticipated to get in those three starts if you only have two goalies.
Thus I carry three usually.
They are usually in one of the following formats:
--Two #1 starters, plus some other team's backup (best if the backup plays more than just once a month!)
--Two #1 starters, plus one of the backups of the starters I already have (this will guarantee you get all that team's starts..EX: Rask and Halak)
--Three #1 starters....ideal, but hardest to maintain especially if in a Keep 5 league where the GM's are goalie hungry sharks!
In emergency situations, or uncertain situations (is the starting goalie being usurped, are there injury issues, etc), I may stream in, or temporarily carry a 4th goalie (it usually ends up being someone's backup), which of course, cannibalizes a skater roster spot.
But yea, three goalie system for me.
I used to run two and that is fine...…….if everyone stays healthy, the two goalies get their starts regularly, and there are no scheduling abnormalities.
For me, having a third netminder helps offset some of those things....plus it gives me options in case one of my regular starting goalies is in a bad streak of play.