Best Goalie Ever

[Bender]

Hasek

From the time he became a starter until he won the Stanley Cup with Detroit, he was the most dominate player in league history. In the span of a decade, there has never been a player that was so unbelieveable and so good. I'd perhaps move him ahead of Pavel Bure as the most exciting player ever.

I believe he's the only goalie to ever win two MVP's.

Top 10 best goalies of the 97-98 season

Patrick Roy isn't the only goalie to ever win 3 CONN SMYTHE trophies....he's the only PLAYER (goalie, forward or defenseman) to ever do it. Not even Gretzky won three Conn Smythes.

Good for Hasek for winning his regular season awards but for me, it's the playoffs that count.

 

[jiggs 10]

These type polls show the weakness of asking opinions on players we never saw play.

I never saw George Hainsworth but I know he deserves more respect than the cumulative knowledge of this board is able to give him. I only saw Jacques Plante after his comeback, I remember an older and very effective goaler with a great technique (for that era).

Billy Smith didn't win alot of awards but once the playoffs started he turned it up a notch.

Sadly I think these polls become alot about popularity...and I am guilty of that at times too.

I was just about to say the exact same thing, you beat me to it! From everything I've read and seen, Sawchuk was clearly the best to ever play the position, followed by Glenn Hall and Plante, THEN Roy, Brodeur, and MAYBE Hasek. Sawchuk invented the goalie crouch, won the most games (until Patty passed him...in more games played, I believe), STILL has the most shutouts, and won the Cup. Had they even HAD a Conn Smythe award in the 50's and early 60's, he would have won it at least twice.
Glenn Hall invented the butterfly style of goaltending used today. He also was a goalie who would have won a Smythe trophy, IF it had been invented yet when he was in his prime.

Jacques Plante was simply the biggest innovator the position has ever seen. He was the anti-Hasek! He stopped the puck and won games with perfect technique, not flopping around like a dying carp! He was the 2nd to wear a mask, but the one who made it a basic part of the equipment for goalies.

Roy was also the biggest LOSER in the history of playoff hockey, if you take into account his 5 Game 7 losses, more than anyone in history. Had he managed to win even one more of these, think what we might think of him today!

It's a different game today, but the great players are always the great players, and find a way to win. Yesterday's goalies, with today's equipment, may have been unbeatable! But they played a totally different way back then, so we'll never know.

 

[Marchy79]

Patrick Roy.

My old man and I always have the Roy vs. Plante arguments. I guess we think they're the greatests because they were both of our childhood heroes. It makes for a good debate.

I am in the same thoughts as you... I chose Roy, only because in terms of talent... Roy was stellar...

HOWEVER... Jacques Plante is quite honestly, my # 2... Because without Plante revolutionizing the game... You don't have the modern goaltender the way you see them now. Simple as that...

I kind of look at it like Jimi Hendrix/Eddie Van Halen (only in that respect, it IS still Jimmy)

But Jacques is my #2... and that is NOT a disservice to him, I just think Patrick was just that darn good, and he revolutionized a new breed of goalie (not to the same respect, but I'm sure most will know what I mean by that)

 

[Ric Flair]

Of the guys I've seen I'd go with Roy.

 

[19nazzy]

St. Patrick gets my vote

 

[JV]

The question is kind of misleading.

The best goaltender is always going to be an active player or just recently retired. Goalies, like hockey players and other athletes, just keep getting better. Mathieu Garon is a "better" goalie than Terry Sawchuck ever was. He's bigger, stronger, more flexible, moves quicker side to side, etc, and he has the benefit of 40 additional years of goaltending science to draw on. Not to mention the gear that doesn't get water-logged midway through the second period.

Once that's understood, comparing goalies or other athletes across generations is revealed as an exercise doomed to failure. It just doesn't mean anything.

Sawchuk, Plante, Hall and Bower were the best of their generation, and Roy, Hasek, Brodeur were the best of theirs. I'm all for comparing Roy and Hasek, or Hasek and Brodeur, but once you start trying to settle the "Roy or Plante" question, you're into metaphysics and voodoo, imho.

 

[Claypool_*]

Good for Hasek for winning his regular season awards but for me, it's the playoffs that count.

Hasek was a great playoff goalie...on a bad team. He was a Conn Smyth candidate with Detroit, you know he would have won it had Buffalo won in 99, so I don't think you can write off Hasek as a bad playoff goalie.

Is he as good as Roy in the playoffs? Well, in 02 he beat him, actually, he destroyed him. Roy made one of the worst goalie blunders in league history in game 6. Basically cost his team a chance to go to the finals. He also got blown out in the game 7. Hasek also took Roy to school in the 98 Olympics (some might that's more impressive than a Stanley Cup)

I'll take Roy in the playoffs...if my team is really really good. Hasek makes/made any team, no matter how crappy they are, a automatic playoff team. To me, that's more important.

 

[wedge]

Hasek just amazed me 100 times.

he had nothing in front of him and Buffalo and took them to the cup finals.

 

[TOPGUN]

Hasek just amazed me 100 times.

he had nothing in front of him and Buffalo and took them to the cup finals.

I agree, Hasek gets my vote!

I don't think that you can match the goaltenders from different area's! But what hasek has done over the years....WOW

Played on a average team (Buffulo) lead them to the Cup Finals and wins 6 Venzina, 2 MVP, etc, then get traded to the Red Wings and wins the Stanley Cup in his 1 year. I think that says enough!

Not to forget, he won a gold medal. He pretty much did that on his own.

 

[BMC]

Ken Dryden (as a Bruins fan, it pains me to admit it but it is true) & Billy Smith.
Yes they played for dominant teams but they were outstanding goaltenders when it really counted: Dryden won 6 Cups in his brief 8 year career and Smith won 5 Cups in a row with the Islanders. Tremendous achievements.

 

[boredmale]

my Islanders bias says Billy Smith

 

[McGuillicuddy]

Ken Dryden (as a Bruins fan, it pains me to admit it but it is true) & Billy Smith.
Yes they played for dominant teams but they were outstanding goaltenders when it really counted: Dryden won 6 Cups in his brief 8 year career and Smith won 5 Cups in a row with the Islanders. Tremendous achievements.

Ken Dryden was definitely the best at what he did. As he wrote in The Game, his job was simply to not lose the game which, I think, is actually a much higher-pressure situation than being counted on to win a game for the team. I mean, where's the pressure when you've had 45 shots on goal - you let in 3 and you're still considered to have done a stellar job. On the other hand, Dryden would have to sit there leaning on his stick for 5 minutes at a time, and then still be mentally focused for that odd-man rush that would occasionally come down towards him. Myself, I know that I am absolutely rubbish in games with long gaps between shots (not that I think I should be mentioned in the same breath as Ken Dryden ).

And Smith only won 4 cups. Only the late 50's Habs have managed 5 in a row (the Oilers should have won more than that..thank you very much Steve Smith, and later Peter Pocklington...but I digress)

 

[gameface]

Terry Sawchuk by a long shot, in my opinion. Ken Dryden is just behind him. Pat Roy isn't even close.

 

[Poochie_D]

Patrick Roy = Greatest goalie EVER. The only one in the same league as him during his prime was Plante.

 

[Deleted member 3032]

Hasek was simply amazing. No player has ever made me more frustrated more often than he did. It's a shame he didn't play for a more popular team. If he did, he would've gotten more respect. He was, contrary to what so many people seem to say, amazing in the playoffs also.

As a Flyers fan, I hated Hasek so much while he was playing for Buffalo. Every year I hoped we wouldn't face Buffalo in the playoffs, cause I didn't want to play against Hasek. The rest of their team was average at best (and that is being nice), but Hasek gave them such great odds at winning each game, even when they had some pretty bad teams.

 

[stanley]

Once [the inter-generational differenences are] understood, comparing goalies or other athletes across generations is revealed as an exercise doomed to failure. It just doesn't mean anything.

There's wisdom in that statement, that in principle, could be applied to just about every discussion on these boards. Of course, that won't stop may from providing opinions as though Moses walked around the side of Sinai with it etched in stone.

 

[rollon]

if the car accident had not occurred, i think that Pelle Lindbergh is on the top list.

 

[Ogopogo*]

The question is kind of misleading.

The best goaltender is always going to be an active player or just recently retired. Goalies, like hockey players and other athletes, just keep getting better. Mathieu Garon is a "better" goalie than Terry Sawchuck ever was. He's bigger, stronger, more flexible, moves quicker side to side, etc, and he has the benefit of 40 additional years of goaltending science to draw on. Not to mention the gear that doesn't get water-logged midway through the second period.

Once that's understood, comparing goalies or other athletes across generations is revealed as an exercise doomed to failure. It just doesn't mean anything.

Sawchuk, Plante, Hall and Bower were the best of their generation, and Roy, Hasek, Brodeur were the best of theirs. I'm all for comparing Roy and Hasek, or Hasek and Brodeur, but once you start trying to settle the "Roy or Plante" question, you're into metaphysics and voodoo, imho.

I have to disagree with you JV.

Polls like this are dominated by modern era players. Most people do not have the historical knowledge to make an accurate pick.

Comparing players across eras and generations can be done accurately but, criticial thinking, logic and reason are required. I can be done but, 98% of hockey fans never take the time to do it and just vote for their favorite.

 

[Malefic74]

I had to divide the question in two (although I only voted for the first part).

Goalies I have seen being part one, and goalies I have read about and studied being part two.

Of all the goalies I have seen, Patrick Roy is the best. He went from the raw athleticism of the amazing 86 run to a more consistent butterfly technique in the early 90s and wrapped it all up with obsessive study and determination. His consistecy from season to season, game to game was remarkable. He made it seem so easy while others like Hasek make it look hard so the natural tendency is to lean toward Hasek. As a goalie, I'll tell you: making it look easy is sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do. He did it better and for longer than anyone. THere is little or no decline at all from playing in highscoring 86 to lowscoring 04. Consistently near the top of every category. That is remarkable.

Part two is my other answer. Bill Durnan. Backstopped the Canadiens from 43-50, Played 7 seasons and won the Vezina 6 times. Was also named 1st team all-star 6 times in 7 years. He could catch with either glove and hold his stick with either glove. He set the shutout record Boucher broke and it stood for more than 50 years. Many, many of the old timers who played back then said he was the best there has ever been and they were watching Sawchuk and Hall play when they said it. If you're going to argue on a players contribution during his prime Durnan eclipses Dryden and Hasek.

 

[Little Wing]

Roy
Fuhr
Sawchuck
Hasek
Billy Smith
Brodeur
Dryden
Esposito
Plante
Vernon 385 wins

Of course these are out of order because the #1 goalie of all time is

CHICO RESCH

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Hasek was a great playoff goalie...on a bad team. He was a Conn Smyth candidate with Detroit, you know he would have won it had Buffalo won in 99, so I don't think you can write off Hasek as a bad playoff goalie.

Is he as good as Roy in the playoffs? Well, in 02 he beat him, actually, he destroyed him. Roy made one of the worst goalie blunders in league history in game 6. Basically cost his team a chance to go to the finals. He also got blown out in the game 7. Hasek also took Roy to school in the 98 Olympics (some might that's more impressive than a Stanley Cup)

I'll take Roy in the playoffs...if my team is really really good. Hasek makes/made any team, no matter how crappy they are, a automatic playoff team. To me, that's more important.

Did you even watch that game? Hasek didn't 'destroy' Roy as you put it. Roy and Hasek were tops in that tournament, Team Canada was never, EVER even prepared for a shoot out. Almost every article I read stated that they though they'd just win in regulation, little to no shootout practice, that's why they made it a point to practice shootouts in 2002. Yes...Hasek destroyed Roy...what with his 1 freakin' goal differential

I'm not discounting Hasek here, but to say Hasek destroyed Roy in 1998 is...well laughable.

 

[Claypool_*]

Team Canada was never, EVER even prepared for a shoot out.

Are you making an excuse for team Canada? Because I swear this thread is about the best goalie.


anyway, Hasek would have never let Robert Reichel score on him.

Hasek > Roy

 

[Beatnik]

I dunno about the best goalie of all time but Roy's carrer is far better than Hasek's career.

 

[Little Wing]

I dunno about the best goalie of all time but Roy's carrer is far better than Hasek's career.

i don't think that could even be disputed
Roy
551 wins 2.54 gaa 247 playoff games played 151 wins
4 stanley cups

hasek
288 wins 2.23 gaa
1 cup

 

[PecaFan]

Having seen pretty most of these goalies play (except for Brimsek, Broda, Hainsworth), it saddens me to see so many Roy and Hasek votes. They're good, but if they were forced to wear the wet paper bags that served as "protection" that Sawchuk, Plante et al had to wear?

Sawchuk just always impressed me more than Plante did when I watched him, so I rank him #1.