Top 10 Greatest NHL Goalies Of All Time

October 19, 2021 By Admin


Top 10 Greatest NHL Goalies Of All Time

No doubt NHL is the sport of legends. The league has produced the many superstars of their time. All the player positions in hockey are worthy, but the goalie is the most crucial position in the game. The outstanding performances and stopping efforts of goalies can change the scenario of any game. Here we have listed the greatest NHL goalies of all time. These goalies proved that they the all-time NHL legends with their performances.

 

Greatest NHL Goalies | All Time Ranking

 

10. Tony Esposito (1967–1984)
9. Martin Brodeur (1991–2015)
8. Jacques Plante (1952–1975)
7. Patrick Roy (1984–2003)
6. Glenn Hall (1951–1971)
5. Bernie Parent (1965–1979)
4. Johnny Bower (1945–1969)
3. Terry Sawchuk (1949–1970)
2. Ken Dryden (1970–1979)
1. Dominik Hašek (1980–2011)

 

Ice hockey is not just one of the most popular sports around the globe but also among the highest-played sports in the USA. And goaltenders are an integral part of this sport. Here are the greatest goalies in the history of the NHL.

 

10. Tony Esposito | NHL Career: 1967–1984

 

Anthony James, better known as Tony O Esposito, is a former American and Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played for the Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League. In addition to his many accomplishments, he introduced the butterfly style to the world for the first time.

The youngest brother of Phil Esposito, a center, Tony Esposito, comes from Brooklyn. They played exceptional hockey during their careers, and they are enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Esposito is known as one of the greatest NHL goalies because of his outstanding performances and career. He and his brother spent every spare minute they could practice hockey with one another.

The Blackhawks retired Esposito's #35 in his honor. A factory worker, his father, was an Esposito whose family came from a working-class family. Donning from that background, Tony played for some of the richest NHL teams the tournament has ever seen.

 

9. Martin Brodeur | NHL Career: 1991–2015

 

Brodeur is a former professional goalie for the New York Rangers and an executive for the team. As a member of the New Jersey Devils, he won three Stanley Cup championships and five Eastern Conference championships during his 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). 

Among ice hockey's best goalies, Brodeur holds the NHL and many franchise records. He ranks among the league's all-time leaders in wins (691), losses (397), shutouts (125), and games played (1266).

From 1995–96 to 2007–08, he won 30 or more games a year for 12 consecutive seasons, and he was the only goaltender to do that eight times in NHL history. Brinkdeur has won the Vezina Trophy four times, the William M. Jennings Trophy five times, 10 NHL All-Star appearances, and the Calder Memorial Trophy twice.

During the latter part of Brodeur's career, he adopted more modern goaltending techniques but adapted to a hybrid style of goaltending by standing up while making saves.

 

8. Jacques Plante | NHL Career: 1952–1975

 

Joseph Jacques Omer Plante, known as Jacques Plante, was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. His hockey career spanned from 1947 to 1975, and he was noted as one of the most notable sports innovators and greatest NHL goalies.

In his tenure with the Canadians, he helped the team win six Stanley Cups, including five in a row. As of 2021, Plante has been named one of the greatest ice-hockey players of all time.

For the first time in NHL history, Plante regularly wore a goaltender mask when playing in regulation. Along with the assistance of other experts, he developed and tested many versions of the mask (including the precursor to today's mask/helmet combination).

Plante is regarded as one of the greatest NHL goalies because of his exceptional hockey career.

 

7. Patrick Roy | NHL Career: 1984–2003

 

Quebec was the dominant training ground for goalkeepers after Patrick Roy was one of the first goaltenders from that province. Known for his boldness and quirky style, Patrick became the most successful goaltender to grace the National Hockey League.

Roy also won five Jennings Trophies in addition to the Stanley Cup, Vezina, and Conn Smythe Trophies. Patrick Roy became the first goaltender in NHL history to play 1,000 games in the 2002-03 season.

The NHL's all-time winningest goaltender with 551 career victories, Patrick Roy retired from playing in May 2003. Patrick eventually became the owner of the Quebec Remparts after a successful playing career.

The competitive veteran served as a coach and led the organization to victory in the 2006 Memorial Cup. As of May 2013, Patrick worked as the Head Coach and Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Colorado Avalanche, having worked for the Remparts.

 

6. Glenn Hall | NHL Career: 1951–1971

 

Glenn Henry Hall (born October 3, 1931) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. Hall never missed a game while playing in the National Hockey League, winning his first Vezina Trophy, which was given out to the team's goaltender at the time, allowing the fewest goals against the opponents.

He has also received seven First-Team All-Star honors and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie goalie. Besides, he is considered one of the richest ice hockey players in history.

He is the first goalkeeper to develop the butterfly style of goalkeeping and apply it effectively. It was announced in 2017 that Hall is among the 100 most influential hockey players of all time.

As a player, Hall played in 11 All-Star Games, recorded 407 victories, 84 shutouts, and had a career GAA of 2.59. In addition, Hall mastered the butterfly style of goaltending before any other NHL goalie. Many regard him as one of the best goaltenders in history.

 

5. Bernie Parent | NHL Career: 1965–1979

 

Bernard Marcel Parent is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 13 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs and one season with the Philadelphia Blazers of the World Hockey Association (WHA).

A universally acclaimed goaltender, Parent is widely considered one of the best of all time. When it comes to the best consecutive seasons by a goalie, the 1973-1974 and 1974-1975 campaigns are regarded as the greatest NHL goalies.

Parent and veteran Gerry Cheevers were the two excellent Boston goaltenders that the Flyers had their pick between. The Bruins protected Cheevers, but Parent was left unprotected, and Philadelphia picked him up. As the youngest sibling of seven, their parent is the eldest.

Originally from Rosemont, Quebec, he lives in Montreal. When they were both young boys, Jacques Plante, goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, was their hero.

 

4. Johnny Bower | NHL Career: 1945–1969

 

The former Johnny Bower grew up in Prince Albert, Canada (age 92), and was born on November 8, 1924. An NHL celebrity, he plays hockey. John William Kiszka is his full name.

The Canadian national is a member of the British Commonwealth. John Bower is best known for his book The China Wall - The Timeless Legend of Johnny Bower. Besides, he is also known for delivering one of the biggest ice hockey hits the history of the NHL has ever witnessed.

Bower is well known as one of the greatest NHL goalies because of his impressive performances. Bower became a full-fledged member of the NHL only when he was 30 years old, which is hard to believe considering he is in the Hall of Fame.

As backup goalies weren't that common in the Original Six era, Kelley spent nearly a decade in the minors before receiving a full-time contract from the Leafs after a brief stint with the New York Rangers.

 

3. Terry Sawchuk | NHL Career: 1949–1970

 

Stanley Sawchuk, born November 24, 1929, on Hudson River, New York, played goaltending for 21 years in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings and five others. In addition to winning the Calder Trophy and the Vezina Trophy, he won four Stanley Cups.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame the year after his final season, making him one of only ten players who waived the three-year waiting period.

Sawchuk racked up 447 victories and 103 shutouts before his death, which ranked him at the top of the NHL goaltender rankings. The only goaltenders to surpass his wins record during the decade following his death are five, and one is the only goaltender to surpass his shutouts record.

Yet Sawchuk will always be the top goaltender in the Original Six era regarding wins and shutouts. And he was known as one of the greatest NHL goalies of all time.

 

2.Ken Dryden | NHL Career: 1970–1979

 

Montreal Canadians underperformers were not welcome on their team in the late 1960s and early 1970s. A large number of talented and experienced players were on the roster of the famous club. Over the years, every top team has slowly lost its old guard, and younger players have taken their place.

The rookies spent more time in the press box than they did on the ice. In spring 1971, Dryden, who had previously been a part of a farm club, received an honorable call-up. A promising player on a farm team gets a chance to play more pro matches. Throughout Dryden's six games, he was a surprise performer and helped his team win six games in a row.

In truth, no one was expecting to see the young goalkeeper in the playoffs. Ahead of their first-round matchup, the Montreal Canadians faced the Boston Bruins, who had set multiple NHL records that past season. Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Wayne Cashman, Ken Hodge, and Johnny Bucyk were all part of the Boston Bruins. In addition to playing at home, they had another advantage.

Ken almost entirely defeated the Bruins. Although his team missed several chances to score goals, Dryden saved his team by leading his team to the championship. This goalie should not have been in the playoffs, which frustrated Boston's players repeatedly. Dryden is regarded as one of the greatest NHL goalies because of his exceptional career and performances.

 

1.Dominik Hašek | NHL Career: 1980–2011

 

The sportswriters routinely rank Dominik Hasek among the half-dozen best goalies in the history of hockey. He racked up an impressive string of awards during his twelve seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), despite his unconventional goaltending style, where his arms and legs were splayed outwards to prevent his opponents from scoring.

As the league's best goaltender five times, Hasek also won two Hart Trophies for the league's most valuable player. After his final season in the NHL in 2002, Hasek helped the Detroit Red Wings become NHL champions but failed to win the most prestigious award in sports. But still, he remains one of the most important athletes right now.

The outstanding performances and overall career of Hasek make him top to be on the greatest NHL goalies list of all time. Hasek has also won an Olympic gold medal for the Czech Republic as part of the team at the Nagano Olympic Games.

In addition to his accomplishments, Hasek earned the nickname "The Dominator," referring to his dominating presence on the ice. As one of the league's most successful goalkeepers during the 1990s and 2000s, Hasek enjoyed great success. He has won six Vezina Trophies in his storied career, the most under the current voting system for the award's best goalies.

 

Greatest NHL Goalies - Infographics

 

Final Words

We hope you liked the list of our greatest NHL goalies of all time if you want to say something regarding this list. Feel free to tell us in the comment section. We appreciate the reader's valuable feedback.

 

FAQs Regarding Greatest NHL Goalies Of All Time

 

Q. Who is the oldest active NHL goalie?

Roberto Luongo is widely known as the oldest active NHL goalie in the world. He is not just one of the most senior players in hockey, but he is also the oldest hard worker goaltender currently in the game.

Q. Who is the best goalie in the NHL in 2021?

In terms of goalies, Vasilevskiy is the finest in the world. With 1,282 shots faced, he finished fourth in save percentage, fifth in GAA, second in goals held above average (20.82), and third in high-danger save percentage (.850).

Q. Who is the toughest guy in the NHL?

A hockey player's toughness is much more than simply fighting. In addition to his 25 minutes of ice time per game, Chara has plenty of other ways to punish Boston's opponents. Zdeno Chara, who is 36 years old, remains the toughest of them all.

Q. Who scored the fastest three goals in NHL history?

The record for the fastest three goals by one player belongs to Ukrainian-Canadian right-winger Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks. Against the Rangers on March 23, 1952, he had a hat trick in just 21 seconds.

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