If you can bring your bike inside a garage or your home to dry without freezing solid, it REALLY helps to wash the salt and crud off your drive-train. You don't need a garden hose, just a pump sprayer like this:
RL Flo-Master 1 Gal. Economy Sprayer-1401P - The Home Depot

A quick spray-down in the garage takes about 30 secs. I try to do this nightly when there is a lot of salt or slush on the roads, and I just aim a box-fan at it for about 20 mins to dry it off quickly, and then a quick lube. I got 2.5 years and over 10,000 kms out of a new drive train on my year-round commuter.

If your bike will freeze, then a good compromise is to use a soft-bristled brush to brush off as much crud as you can each day.

Some prefer to just let the drive train "rot out" each winter, but I just can't bring myself to it! :-D