Best Current Puck Handling Goalies

[joez86]

Price is the best since Brodeur, which means he might be the 2nd best ever at it.

Bishop is also really good at that, but he's a little (tall) *****, so **** him.

Someone would like a brief chat with you...

 

[CanadienShark]

Bishop/Price
Smith

Everyone else.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Bishop
Price

Came to post this. These two are the best in the league at moving the puck.

 

[cobra427]

Bishop/Price
Smith

Everyone else.

I agree. This is one of the things that killed the Habs last year, not having Price to chase down the puck. It takes away an option for the offense. Same with Smith in AZ. The D can stand up at the blue line knowing the goalie can retrieve the dump.

 

[CanadienShark]

I agree. This is one of the things that killed the Habs last year, not having Price to chase down the puck. It takes away an option for the offense. Same with Smith in AZ. The D can stand up at the blue line knowing the goalie can retrieve the dump.

The Price loss hurt the Canadiens not only as far as goaltending, but zone exits/puck moving. Price really IS like a 3rd d-man when it comes to exiting the zone.

 

[kingdok]

Someone would like a brief chat with you...

stick handling, not stick slashing

 

[Mrb1p]

Price is better than Hextall ever was at everything a goalie can do, aside punching faces, and even then, I wouldn't put my moeny against the 6'4 goalie

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Bishop/Price
Smith

Everyone else.

I'd put Price in first. All three of those guys are good puck handlers. I think what sets Price apart is his decision-making while playing the puck.

A fair amount of goalies these days are good puck handlers but it doesn't do a whole lot of good if you end up throwing it up the boards and turning it over when you could've handed it off to your d-man 3 feet away.

A lot of times goalies go for the big play and want to get involved but the great puck handlers also know when to go for it and when to make the simple play.

 

[joez86]

Price is better than Hextall ever was at everything a goalie can do, aside punching faces, and even then, I wouldn't put my moeny against the 6'4 goalie

Bump this thread when Price has a Conn Smythe, scores a goal in the playoffs, or puts up more than 8 assists in a season, then. I don't doubt he can do any of these, but I also wouldn't bet on it.

However, putting your money on Price when it comes to face punching is just comical (psst, Hextall wasn't exactly a midget). Price is certainly not better at "everything a goalie can do", and in particular (and relevant to this thread), Hextall handled the puck better than Price does.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

Someone would like a brief chat with you...

the original lumberjack

 

[Mitts]

Jonas Hiller was a master at it, one of the smoothest puck moving goalies of all time, the way he pulled the puck out of the net in one fluid motion was truly a sight to see...Four or five times a night, amazing stuff.

 

[Chez Weber]

Allen is insane.

Smith is good, Price is good as well.

Bishop doesn't match them.

I have always thought Bishop as the top puck handling goalie in the NHL

 

[Mrb1p]

Bump this thread when Price has a Conn Smythe, scores a goal in the playoffs, or puts up more than 8 assists in a season, then. I don't doubt he can do any of these, but I also wouldn't bet on it.

However, putting your money on Price when it comes to face punching is just comical (psst, Hextall wasn't exactly a midget). Price is certainly not better at "everything a goalie can do", and in particular (and relevant to this thread), Hextall handled the puck better than Price does.

Oh sorry, i forgot Hextall had a much better career than... Wait he didnt and Price isnt even 30 yet.

 

[Hyack57]

I was watching hockey vids on youtube when I came across this



At 0:45 Tom Barrasso makes a GREAT pass to Mario Lemieux (it'a even in the thumbnail).

What are some of your favorite goalie puckhandling moments of all time?

Kirk McLean absolutely hated freezing the puck. Any chance he got he tried to pass it to someone.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Price is better than Hextall ever was at everything a goalie can do, aside punching faces, and even then, I wouldn't put my moeny against the 6'4 goalie

Price is 6'3", same size as Hextall. The difference being that Hextall was a complete lunatic on the ice.

Ron Hextall is a major part of why goalies play the puck today. He helped change goaltending style. Also he won a Vezina and Conn Smythe as a 23 yr old. It's difficult to compare goalies from different eras but the gap isn't what you make it out to be and dismisses his significance to the position.

 

[Autism]

Mike Smith, too bad that's all he's good at.

 

[Kojo]

I'm biased as an Habs fan but I think Price is in a different league as far as stickhandling is concerned.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Bishop stood out to me.


Calvin Pickard is actually pretty good with the long pass/handling in general, but he hasn't gotten enough games for me to want to say he's one of the best