Best rookie season by a goalie ever you can recall?

[Al Bundy*]

What do you consider the best single-season by a rookie goalie that you can recall?

(If anyone was alive when Sawchuk had his great rookie season in 1950-51, feel free to post).

I say Ed Belfour's 1990-91 season- led in all the meaningful stats (wins, GAA, save percentage, games played).

The Hockey News, in their list of the 40 best seasons by a player in history, left out Belfour's amazing season, yet put Barrasso's rookie season there.

Belfour's rookie season was far better than Barrasso's- Belfour's numbers blow Barrasso's out of the water.

Oh, and one other thing- Even though Chicago lost to the North Stars in round one, Belfour still won twice, whereas Barrasso's Sabres were swept by the Nordiques.

Click to read more...

 

[norrisnick]

Barrasso won the '84 Calder. Belfour won the '91 Calder.

Tom is only 3 weeks older than Eddie.

 

[pappyline]

Dryden won the Conn Smythe in 71 & the calder in 72.

 

[greatgazoo]

Grant Fuhr in 81-82 was an exceptional rookie. He played in the all-star game and at the end of the season was a 2nd team NHL all-star team selection.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

too young to have seen dryden's firsthand, but i recall being more impressed by roy's playoffs than belfour's regular season.

 

[Big Phil]

This is quite a ways down the pecking order after Belfour, Barasso, Dryden, Roy etc. but Cam Ward didnt have a terrible season in his rookie year. What with the Cup and (controversial)Conn Smythe in his pocket.

BTW, Belfour's season IMO was the best. Without looking at age at all he had the best rookie season by a goalie. Barrasso gets points for coming right out of high school (or was it college) and doing it but without taking age in the equation it is certainly Belfour's. I know Hull won the Hart that year but Belfour had to have been in the top 5 in voting, I dont know if anyone has a list for that but he would have been closer tan Barrasso in '84

 

[DaveG]

Barasso came right out of high school, which just makes that season all the more impressive to me. That said I'd say Belfour had the better rookie season.

I'm trying to remember who it was but about a decade ago some rookie goalie started his career without losing in his first 15 games or something, and it wasn't with a bunch of ties either, it was something along the lines of 14-0-1. I want to say it was LaLime but I can't remember.

 

[Big Phil]

Barasso came right out of high school, which just makes that season all the more impressive to me. That said I'd say Belfour had the better rookie season.

I'm trying to remember who it was but about a decade ago some rookie goalie started his career without losing in his first 15 games or something, and it wasn't with a bunch of ties either, it was something along the lines of 14-0-1. I want to say it was LaLime but I can't remember.

Yes you are right it was Lalime in '96-97. He ended up with a record of 21-12-2 for the season. He did not win the rookie of the year though. It was a very weak year for rookies as it usually was around that time (96-'99) so Berard ended up taking it over Iginla.

 

[Murphy7]

How about Tony Esposito? 15 shutouts in 63 games for the Hawks in 69-70. He led the league in wins (38), was second in GAA, won Calder and was 1st team All-Star.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

too young to have seen dryden's firsthand, but i recall being more impressed by roy's playoffs than belfour's regular season.

Me too. I became a goalie after watching Patrick and the Habs win that cup.

 

[Randall Graves*]

Belfour...or Barrasso...easily in recent history atleast.

 

[HugginThePost]

For me it has to be Hextall..........okay, start the abuse. Look what he did in his rookie season...game 7 of the SCF, Conn Smythe winner, Vezina winner. This from a guy that went 119th overall in the 6th round.

That, and who didn't love watching this guy..........pure emotion. He'll always be my favorite player - ever.

Feel free to rip me apart now..............

 

[Koivu84*]

Terry Sawchuk

 

[Canuckle]

Terry Sawchuk:
70 Games, 11 shutouts, 1.99 GAA, 44 Wins, Calder Trophy

Tony Esposito:
63 Games, 15 shutouts, 2.17 GAA, 38 Wins, Calder Trophy

Andrew Raycroft:
57 Games, 3 shutouts, 2.05 GAA, 29 Wins, 0.926 SV, Calder Trophy

Nabokov:
66 Games, 6 shutouts, 2.19 GAA, 32 Wins, 0.915 SV, Calder Trophy

Ken Dryden:
64 Games, 8 shutouts, 2.24 GAA, 39 Wins, Calder Trophy

Belfour:
74 Games, 4 shutouts, 2.47 GAA, 43 Wins, 0.910 SV, Calder Trophy

Barrasso:
54 Games, 5 shutouts, 2.66 GAA, 25 Wins, 0.887 SV, Calder Trophy

Hextall:
66 Games, 1 shutout, 3.00 GAA, 37 Wins, 0.902 SV

Fuhr:
48 Games, 0 shutout, 3.31 GAA, 28 Wins, 0.899 SV

Roy:
47 Games, 1 shutout, 3.35 GAA, 23 Wins, 0.875 SV

I guess its safe to say Sawchuk wins.

 

[mrzeigler]

Not one mention of Price? I must say I'm shocked.

 

[n0pan]

Not one mention of Price? I must say I'm shocked.

Same here, I was expecting some crazy Habs fans (not I'm not one of them) to mention Price. I'm disappointed.

 

[Fredrik_71]

How about Henrik Lundqvist 2005? He came in after Weeks was injuried.

53 Games, 2.24 GAA, 30 Wins, SV% 0.922, Vezina finalist

Not as good as e.g. Belfour but damn good.

/Cheers

 

[BR217]

blaine lacher!

 

[Russian_fanatic]

What about Andrew Raycroft, and I'm being serious, he was one of the top goalies in his rookie year.

SV%: .926, GAA: 2.05, Wins: 29, Losses: 18, Ties: 9

I know he sucks now, but that's a pretty solid year.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Barrasso won the '84 Calder. Belfour won the '91 Calder.

Tom is only 3 weeks older than Eddie.

Tom played right out of highschool,Ed played went to college first.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Terry Sawchuk:
70 Games, 11 shutouts, 1.99 GAA, 44 Wins, Calder Trophy

Tony Esposito:
63 Games, 15 shutouts, 2.17 GAA, 38 Wins, Calder Trophy

Andrew Raycroft:
57 Games, 3 shutouts, 2.05 GAA, 29 Wins, 0.926 SV, Calder Trophy

Nabokov:
66 Games, 6 shutouts, 2.19 GAA, 32 Wins, 0.915 SV, Calder Trophy

Ken Dryden:
64 Games, 8 shutouts, 2.24 GAA, 39 Wins, Calder Trophy

Belfour:
74 Games, 4 shutouts, 2.47 GAA, 43 Wins, 0.910 SV, Calder Trophy

Barrasso:
54 Games, 5 shutouts, 2.66 GAA, 25 Wins, 0.887 SV, Calder Trophy

Hextall:
66 Games, 1 shutout, 3.00 GAA, 37 Wins, 0.902 SV

Fuhr:
48 Games, 0 shutout, 3.31 GAA, 28 Wins, 0.899 SV

Roy:
47 Games, 1 shutout, 3.35 GAA, 23 Wins, 0.875 SV

I guess its safe to say Sawchuk wins.

Raycroft sticks out, my 1st thought was i forgot how good of a 1 yr wonder he was.

One thing that should be remembered about Belfour is that he also played in 89-90. He was unimpressive in regular season but played great in the playoffs!

Belfour's was the best i ever saw 1st hand.

 

[EpochLink]

Jim Carey had a really good rookie season which is overshadowed by his Vezina winning season the next year.

Patrick Lalime in 1997, made first all rookie team and had one hell of a winning streak to boot.

 

[milbs06]

im going to have to say pat roy. he won the cup.

 

[amnesiac*]

Felix Potvin

 

[weaponomega]

I remember Brian Boucher had a really good rookie season with the Flyers. He regular season was stellar and he had a strong playoffs as well.