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(#1) Patrick Roy
- Goaltender
Still active as a major-junior hockey coach, Patrick Roy's legacy rests on his stellar play with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche between 1985 and 2003. Like other top goaltenders, Roy holds a handful of NHL records including for playoff games played, playoff wins, playoff shutouts and Conn Smythe Trophy wins, earning the nod as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times.
Though he's also remembered for perfecting the butterfly style of goaltending, Roy is also known for his physicality on and off the ice, fighting no less than two Detroit Red Wings netminders in the 1990s.
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(#2) Dominik Hašek
- Goaltender
Representing one of many Czech goaltenders, Dominik Hasek arguably earned his nickname as "The Dominator" through strong play with the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. Hasek set the bar for European goaltenders in the NHL, becoming the first European netminder to win the Stanley Cup and lead the league in goals against average.
Compared to goaltenders of any background, his numbers were not too shabby either, including still leading the record books with a .922 career save percentage. Oh yeah, he also won the Vezina Trophy six times, the Jennings Trophy three times and both the Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award twice each.
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(#3) Martin Brodeur
- Goaltender
The definition of a modern-day great goaltender, Martin Brodeur is not only a legend in New Jersey, where he's played for roughly two decades with the Devils, but around the world as well. Marty began his 19th season in the NHL in 2010 as the record holder of numerous league goaltending records.
Five Jennings Trophies, four Vezina Trophies, three Stanley Cup rings, two Olympic gold medals and a Calder Memorial Trophy are just a sampling of his accomplishments. As if that was not enough, Brodeur can also score. He's just one of two who have put the puck in the opposing net both in the regular season and in the playoffs.
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(#4) Jacques Plante
- Goaltender
Playing for six NHL teams between 1952 and 1973, Jacques Plante earned a record six Vezina Trophies, numerous NHL All-Star Game selections and even the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1962 as the best player in the league. His six Stanley Cup, five of which were consecutive with the Montreal Canadiens, are impressive, but his impact on the game itself is what stands out.
Plante changed how goaltenders played the game, being the first to leave the net to control the puck, the first to raise a hand on an icing call and the first to wear a mask in net. Long story short, Plante is and always will be the best goaltender to ever appear between the pipes.
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(#5) Terry Sawchuk
- Goaltender
As one of only six players to have their jersey number retired by the Detroit Red Wings, Terry Sawchuck carried the Winged Wheel to three Stanley Cup championships in the 1950s and added a fourth with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1967. Though he played alongside the likes of Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe and Sid Abel, Sawchuk held his own in net.
His record of 103 shutouts stood in the NHL for nearly 40 years and he took home no less than four Vezina Trophies along the way. Many would go so far as to say "The Uke" is the best goaltender to ever play in the NHL, including The Hockey News, who ranked him as the top netminder in their 1998 list of the greatest hockey players.
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(#6) Ken Dryden
- Goaltender
Not only is Ken Dryden easily one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game, but off the ice, Dryden is immensely successful having served as a member of the Canadian Parliament from 2004 to 2011. On the ice, Dryden took the Montreal Canadiens to six Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s during his NHL career, which interestingly lasted just over seven seasons.
He packed each of those years with outstanding play, winning the Vezina five times, the Conn Smythe in 1971 and the Calder Trophy in 1972. Make no mistake, that was not a typo, Dryden was so awesome that he won the playoff MVP award a full year before he was named rookie of the year and was the only to ever do so.
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(#7) Henrik Lundqvist
- Goaltender
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(#8) Tony Esposito
- Goaltender
One half of the notable Esposito brothers, Tony Esposito played in goal for the Montreal Canadiens and the Chicago Black Hawks from 1967 to 1984. Though he only lays claim to a single championship, winning the Stanley Cup with the Habs in 1969, Esposito saw personal success as a three-time winner of the Vezina Trophy and six-time selection for the NHL All-Star Game.
In addition to serving as the NHLPA President and Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager, Tony O also had a notable international career in which he represented both Canada and the United States.
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(#9) Georges Vézina
- Goaltender
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(#10) Johnny Bower
- Goaltender
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(#11) Vladislav Tretiak
- Goaltender
The only goaltender on the list who never played a minute in the National Hockey League, Vladislav Tretiak is easily the best Soviet goaltender to ever play the game. When not playing for the Red Army team HC CSKA Moscow, Tretiak was busy winning 10 World Ice Hockey Championships and three Olympic gold medals.
Tretiak anchored the Soviet team in four Winter Olympics, including in the notable Miracle on Ice event in 1980 when the U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team beat out the Soviets to take the gold.
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(#12) Glenn Hall
- Goaltender
The pioneer of the butterfly goaltending style, Glenn Hall, or "Mr. Goalie" as he is known, started in an NHL-record 502 as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and St. Louis Blues in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Hall found success by being superstitious, often throwing up before games en route to winning three Stanley Cups, three Vezina Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy and the Calder Memorial Trophy.
Hall however is also remembered for the shots he didn't stop, including the Cup-winning score from the great Bobby Orr in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals. That moment, with Orr floating through the air in front of Hall, is easily one of the most-notable hockey images of all time as well.
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(#13) Ed Belfour
- Goaltender
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(#14) Curtis Joseph
- Goaltender
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(#15) Bernie Parent
- Goaltender
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(#16) Pekka Rinne
- Goaltender
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(#17) Marc-André Fleury
- Goaltender
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(#18) Mike Richter
- Goaltender
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(#19) Grant Fuhr
- Goaltender
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(#20) Billy Smith
- Goaltender
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(#21) Carey Price
- Goaltender
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(#22) Ron Hextall
- Goaltender
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(#23) Mike Vernon
- Goaltender
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(#24) Rogie Vachon
- Goaltender
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(#25) Jonathan Quick
- Goaltender
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(#26) Tuukka Rask
- Goaltender
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(#27) Chris Osgood
- Goaltender
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(#28) Gerry Cheevers
- Goaltender
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(#29) Gump Worsley
- Goaltender
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(#30) Andy Moog
- Goaltender
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(#31) Tom Barrasso
- Goaltender
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(#32) John Vanbiesbrouck
- Goaltender
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(#33) Pelle Lindbergh
- Goaltender
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(#34) Eddie Giacomin
- Goaltender
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(#35) Félix Potvin
- Goaltender
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(#36) Marty Turco
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(#37) Miikka Kiprusoff
- Goaltender
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(#38) Turk Broda
- Goaltender
Another Ukrainian goaltender of note, Walter "Turk" Broda is perhaps the first great goaltender to play in the National Hockey League. Staring his career in 1935, Broda played nearly two decades with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Broda helped the Leafs win five Stanley Cups, but is perhaps best remembered as being an anchor for the team when they completed a nearly impossible comeback.
Down three games to none against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals, Broda helped Toronto sweep the next four games to win the title. For reference, only a select few teams have also accomplished that comeback feat in the half a century since.
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(#39) George Hainsworth
- Goaltender
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(#40) Olaf Kölzig
- Goaltender
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(#41) Mike Liut
- Goaltender
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(#42) Nikolai Khabibulin
- Goaltender
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(#43) Roberto Luongo
- Goaltender
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(#44) Roger Crozier
- Goaltender
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(#45) Bill Durnan
- Goaltender
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(#46) Tiny Thompson
- Goaltender
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(#47) Frank Brimsek
- Goaltender
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(#48) Chico Resch
- Goaltender
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(#49) Tim Thomas
- Goaltender
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(#50) Artūrs Irbe
- Goaltender
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About This Tool
Modern hockey began in England, in 1861, the first hockey club was established. In 1908, hockey was officially included in the Olympic Games. The main responsibility of goaltenders is to save opponents' balls with the hockey stick. An excellent goalkeeper must be agile, quick to react, have judgment, and have a good save skill, bouncing ability and tall body are also an advantage.
The goaltender is a necessary and important position for every hockey team. Although compared with other players on the field, the goaltender does not have much time in the public sight, these excellent goaltenders still deserve cheers and applause. Welcome to check the random tool which introduced the 99 best hockey goaltenders.
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