Best player of all time at each number - #1

Best #1


  • Total voters
    167

Mitch nylander

One of the biggest fans from a bipolar fanbase
Jun 2, 2016
4,421
5,723
Skipping 0-00 | Criteria must've worn the number for over 4 years.

#1
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Johnny Bower
Glenn Hall
Roberto Luongo
Bernie Parent
Jacques Plante
Terry Sawchuk
Rogie Vachon
George Vezina
Gump Worsley

Went With Jacques Plante
 

Voight

#winning
Feb 8, 2012
40,373
16,650
Mulberry Street
Hall > Plante.

Has more 1st & 2nd ASTs (which before the Jennings were the best way to show who was the top goalie each year), Plante has more Veins but again, it was basically the Jennings trophy during their time.

Plante does have a Hart trophy but Hall has 7 first ASTs and 4 second ASTs while playing against both Plante & Sawchuk
 
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Mitch nylander

One of the biggest fans from a bipolar fanbase
Jun 2, 2016
4,421
5,723
Let's keep this one going until we find a winner, between sawchuk and plante.

#2 is starting up
 

Hockey Outsider

Registered User
Jan 16, 2005
9,056
13,987
I also think this is a great idea - thanks to @Mitch nylander for running it.

I voted for Plante over Sawchuk. If you look at Sawchuk's career - he had an incredible five-year start playing on Gordie Howe's dynasty Red Wings. But for the rest of his long career, he was basically a league average goalie. Plante has a playoff resume on par with Sawchuk's, he has a Hart trophy, and simply remained an elite goalie for much longer than Sawchuk.
 
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Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
24,541
13,832
Vancouver
Hall > Plante.

Has more 1st & 2nd ASTs (which before the Jennings were the best way to show who was the top goalie each year), Plante has more Veins but again, it was basically the Jennings trophy during their time.

Plante does have a Hart trophy but Hall has 7 first ASTs and 4 second ASTs while playing against both Plante & Sawchuk

Plante has the better playoff resume though
 

Weztex

Registered User
Feb 6, 2006
3,108
3,690
Hall > Plante.

Has more 1st & 2nd ASTs (which before the Jennings were the best way to show who was the top goalie each year), Plante has more Veins but again, it was basically the Jennings trophy during their time.

Plante does have a Hart trophy but Hall has 7 first ASTs and 4 second ASTs while playing against both Plante & Sawchuk

While I think Hall is underrated, Plante ASTs recognition was probably hurt by playing for a powerhouse. Moreover, Plante's playoff performance were often stellar, backstopping a dynasty team while Hall's play in the playoff wasn't really hitting another gear (despite the Smythe in STL). Plante is probably the 2nd best playoff goalie of all time, and not that far from Roy.

Plante was also elite a bit longer getting voted on the 2nd AST at age 42. He had a horrid team in New York but when he was paired with Hall in St. Louis he clearly outplayed him despite being 3 years older and into his 40's.

Plante
1968-69 (40 y.o.) : 37 GP, 1,96 GAA, .940 SV%
1969-70 (41 y.o.) : 32 GP, 2,19 GAA, .918 SV%

Hall
1968-69 (37 y.o.) : 41 GP, 2,48 GAA, .912 SV%
1969-70 (38 y.o.) : 18 GP, 2,91 GAA, .903 SV%

The gap gets even wider in the playoffs.
 

Glaciers

Registered User
Jul 14, 2020
9
2
It's a tough call. They were all good in different ways and played at different times.

I will start eliminating Vezina because he was clearly not as good Clint Benedict (not sure what Benedict's number was) and played before the invention of the trapper glove. Plus, he had the advantage of playing for the Canadiens.

Rogie Vachon was the best shootout goalie of all time, but played on crappy teams during a high scoring era.

Bernie Parent had an unbelievable two year stretch that has arguable only ever been matched by Dominic Hasek and Terry Sawchuk.

Roberto Luongo was great with a long career, but a notch lower for a few reasons such as a few mediocre playoff performances.

Speaking of under performing in the playoffs, I'd say that's the biggest knock on Glenn Hall. Only 6 teams most of his career and only 1 cup. Also, when he played with Jacques Plante in St. Louis, Plante had better numbers despite being two years older.

Bill Durnan is another guy who should be considered for the top spot. He won the 1st all star selection all by one year of his short career. He didn't do as well as you'd expect in the playoffs, so it seems that stress did get to him. He retired early because of stress.

Plante was amazing even into his 40s as was Johnny Bower. Bower has the 2nd best save percentage of all time behind Hasek, and the best career on record just comparing play over 40. Gump Worsley was also another goalie who thrived into his mid-40s. It seems like there was never a time before or since that we saw so many goalies playing into their 40s.

I'm going to go with Terry Sawchuk, but only by a hair over Plante, Bower, and Durnan. they didn't keep save percentage during his prime, so his numbers don't look as good as Plante's or Bowers', but if I had to take a goalie in his prime, it was be Sawchuk. It's absolutely unbelievable that he lasted 21 years with 400 stitches to face, stitches to the eyeball, severed tendons, spinal disc surgery, a gimped arm two inches shorter than the other, equipment that lacked proper padding, etc. When the money was on the line he picked his game up. His best run was a GAA of 0.63 in the playoffs with 4 straight shutouts at home.

At the end of his career in Toronto he took a puck off the knee and writhed in pain on the ice for a while, and then got and won the Stanley Cup. I took a puck in the knee in February, and it took until June before I felt better so I get the feeling, and I had knee pads on. If he had modern equipment, and modern medicine, especially for mental health, Brodeur wouldn't have beaten his shutout record in my opinion.
 
Last edited:

Iapyi

Registered User
Apr 19, 2017
5,072
2,361
Canadian Prairies
While I think Hall is underrated, Plante ASTs recognition was probably hurt by playing for a powerhouse. Moreover, Plante's playoff performance were often stellar, backstopping a dynasty team while Hall's play in the playoff wasn't really hitting another gear (despite the Smythe in STL). Plante is probably the 2nd best playoff goalie of all time, and not that far from Whaaa.

Plante was also elite a bit longer getting voted on the 2nd AST at age 42. He had a horrid team in New York but when he was paired with Hall in St. Louis he clearly outplayed him despite being 3 years older and into his 40's.

Plante
1968-69 (40 y.o.) : 37 GP, 1,96 GAA, .940 SV%
1969-70 (41 y.o.) : 32 GP, 2,19 GAA, .918 SV%

Hall
1968-69 (37 y.o.) : 41 GP, 2,48 GAA, .912 SV%
1969-70 (38 y.o.) : 18 GP, 2,91 GAA, .903 SV%

The gap gets even wider in the playoffs.

Curious if you've ever heard of Turk Broda?
 

LakeLivin

Armchair Quarterback
Mar 11, 2016
4,644
13,332
North Carolina
Throwaway vote for Gump Worsley. Because, well, Gump Worsley! :D

7bb55ceb73fd1cb50b83bda76ca9cd44.jpg
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
Hall > Plante.

Has more 1st & 2nd ASTs (which before the Jennings were the best way to show who was the top goalie each year), Plante has more Veins but again, it was basically the Jennings trophy during their time.

Plante does have a Hart trophy but Hall has 7 first ASTs and 4 second ASTs while playing against both Plante & Sawchuk
I dont think this is a bad point, but the question becomes how much of the BHs inability to capitalize on having the best F, C, D, and G over a period of like 7 years and walking away with only one Cup rests on Hall.

I don't know the answer to that. Plante probably gets too much credit for the 50s Habs, but they won.
 

its josh

Registered User
May 13, 2020
188
238
Hall > Plante.

Has more 1st & 2nd ASTs (which before the Jennings were the best way to show who was the top goalie each year), Plante has more Veins but again, it was basically the Jennings trophy during their time.

Plante does have a Hart trophy but Hall has 7 first ASTs and 4 second ASTs while playing against both Plante & Sawchuk
according to the poll, Luongo > Hall.
 

Weztex

Registered User
Feb 6, 2006
3,108
3,690
Yes.

Where would you rank him amongst all-time playoff goalies?

He won the cup in 5 of 11 full time seasons. 5 out of 7 seasons during one stretch.

Turk Broda Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

Why do you think he gets forgotten when the topic of all-time greats is brought up?

He's not forgotten by people who have an interest in hockey history. In the HoH forum list of playoff performers he's coming at 17th (ahead of Forsberg) and only trails Roy and Plante for goalies. Which seems accurate to me. He's at 13 on the greatest goaltenders list and made the top 100 players list. He also made the NHL's centennial list, for what it's worth.

If you're talking about why he's forgotten by the mainstream media and average fan, well it's for the same reason NHL.com choose Mike Richter for their all time US line up instead of Frank Brimsek : hockey didn't exist before the color tv. Broda himself is not especially forgotten. It's everything before the 60's that is pretty much ignored, sadly.
 

Voight

#winning
Feb 8, 2012
40,373
16,650
Mulberry Street
I dont think this is a bad point, but the question becomes how much of the BHs inability to capitalize on having the best F, C, D, and G over a period of like 7 years and walking away with only one Cup rests on Hall.

I don't know the answer to that. Plante probably gets too much credit for the 50s Habs, but they won.

I'm a Hawks fan, so I didn't want to reply to this :laugh:

It is super disappointing that we came away with a single title in the 60s. I do agree that Plante gets too much credit, I mean with that roster they probably win 4 or 5 of those titles with or without him. But ultimately he was the one in net so it is what it is.
 

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
29,206
17,561
Connecticut
It's a tough call. They were all good in different ways and played at different times.

I will start eliminating Vezina because he was clearly not as good Clint Benedict (not sure what Benedict's number was) and played before the invention of the trapper glove. Plus, he had the advantage of playing for the Canadiens.

Rogie Vachon was the best shootout goalie of all time, but played on crappy teams during a high scoring era.

Bernie Parent had an unbelievable two year stretch that has arguable only ever been matched by Dominic Hasek and Terry Sawchuk.

Roberto Luongo was great with a long career, but a notch lower for a few reasons such as a few mediocre playoff performances.

Just wondering what this is based on.

There were no shootouts when Rogie played.
 
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