Dan Cloutier or Kelly Hrudey

[Hockeyholic]

Who was the better goalie?

Click to read more...

 

[Michael Farkas]

Not that I really loved either of them, but Hrudey and it's not particularly close either...

Cloutier was a very bad goalie that was dragged along by the West Coast Express for a couple years or whatever they were called. Hrudey was a legit starter in the league at least...and that statement kind of undersells him a bit in its own right, but like I said, I never really cared for him...still, this is a walk...

 

[quoipourquoi]

Kelly Hrudey was a Canada Cup goaltender with a Vezina nomination, six placements in the top-10 in save percentage, and a pretty memorable playoff to his name. I’d definitely lean in his direction. Heavily, even.

 

[Thenameless]

Don't poll this. Anyone who knows hockey should favour Hrudey. When you're best known for horrific playoff breakdowns that cost your team a winnable series more than once, well....

 

[Spirit of 67]

Where did this come from?

 

[double5son10]

Hrudey, ainec. Cloutier was a starter for what, 3 seasons? And two of those involved epic meltdowns come playoff time. Hrudey was no great shakes, but he had a solid 15 yr. career.

 

[Killion]

Where did this come from?

... inbound from beyond the farthest known galaxy, GN-z11..... Space Cadet Kelly Hrudey for sure.

 

[Doctor No]

If you're not answering Kelly Hrudey, then go back and start over.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Mods: Please add a poll, so that it can be so lopsided that you can close it.

Thank you for your service.

 

[MXD]

Kelly Hrudey is significantly closer to Corey Crawford than to Dan Cloutier.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Does Dan Cloutier have any songs/music videos dedicated to him?

 

[sr edler]

Space Cadet Kelly Hrudey

 

[Doctor No]

One of my favorite 80s photos - I didn't mention this in the contest, but this was from the aftermath of the Easter game:

 

[McGarnagle]

Cloutier was one of the worst playoff goalies I've seen in my life.

There's a difference between goaltending being a weak spot on an offensively-oriented team (like Philly for many years) and Cloutier handing away series on a silver platter. That Lidstrom goal from center ice was one of the biggest series-changing softies in history.

 

[Killion]

Yeah. Great look.... if your Cheryl Ladd and its 1979... 78.... replacing Farah Fawcett on Charlies Angels.... pushing it into the 80's... lousy look even if your the drummer for Haircut 100... A Flock of Seagulls... Nothing says Trailer Park like a Headband Bud. Lose it.... Crazy as Ive come to like Kelly's broadcast work but as a Goalie, almost zero respect for his abilities, innate, otherwise. Kid was born with Horseshoes up the proverbial, the type of player thats almost THE Poster Boy for everything wrong with the game & players since the early 80's or even going back to the late 60's for that matter & there are few as progressive as I so thats some serious criticism. Im all for unique, regular Beau Brummel, Derek Sanderson one of my all time favorites & so on but c'mon here. SHOW. ME. THE. BEEF. PERFORM. WHATD'YA GOTZ?. Hrudey a pathetic CD that kept skippin; Cloutier damaged before he left the factory. One of Gods many many jokes.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

in a fight? clouts ainec

 

[The Panther]

Hrudey's rep has fallen in recent years due to some combination of (a) his bizarre Calgary Flames broadcasting obsession the past several years and (b) his fairly lousy playoff performances with L.A. in the early-90s (1993 mostly excepted, although even then he rode the bench for a while in round one).

It's true that he was horror-awful against Edmonton in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Those are legendarily bad playoff showings. The thing is, though, he was well above-average with the Islanders for a handful of years to start his career, and was good-ish in most of his regular seasons with L.A. Then, let's not forget he helped carry a not-very-good team to the Cup Finals in 1993.

Seriously, go back and check out Hrudey's stats in the 1985-86 season (one of the highest-scoring seasons in NHL history). He had a .906 save-percentage at a time when some All-Stars had an .875. His "goals-saved-above-average" that season is almost Hasek-like.

We should also remember how crappy the Kings were defensively (1990-91 excepted). Kings goalies were sometimes facing 500 more shots per season than the League average!

 

[Killion]

Seriously, go back and check out Hrudey's stats in the 1985-86 season (one of the highest-scoring seasons in NHL history). He had a .906 save-percentage at a time when some All-Stars had an .875. His "goals-saved-above-average" that season is almost Hasek-like.

..... Yeah, granted, and I was rough on him up page. Just that damn Bandanna TP. See red.
Inappropriate attire Sir... though I suppose weve all committed fashion crimes over the years.

 

[ShelbyZ]

Need a context for "better"... For example:

Playing the position of goaltender and winning some playoff games: Hrudey AINEC

or

Pounding on a turtling goaltender from the opposing team: Cloutier AINEC

 

[FerrisRox]

Who was the better goalie?

Kelly Hrudey, by a significant margin.

 

[rent free]

glenn healy

 

[FerrisRox]

Hrudey's rep has fallen in recent years due to his fairly lousy playoff performances with L.A. in the early-90s (1993 mostly excepted, although even then he rode the bench for a while in round one).

Rob Stauber not only closed out the Flames in the first round, but he also started Game 1 of round two, but when the Canucks took that game, Coach Barry Melrose went back to Hrudey in Game 2 and he ended up back in the saddle.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Hrudey had a career .893 over a period of time when the league average was .887.

Cloutier had a career .899 over a period of time when the league average was .906.

 

[Big Phil]

Kelly Hrudey is best known as being the goaltender on L.A. during Gretzky's time. He got carried a lot because of #99 but he was still a legitimate starter. Then there is 1987 with the Islanders, and a surprise selection to Team Canada. Hrudey has his holes, but even so Dan Cloutier doesn't come close.

Here is the funny thing though, Cloutier was thought to be a fine prospect. He was one of the goalies on the 1995 World Junior team that stomped through the tournament and he played three games. Once he broke out in 2002 the idea was that he might become a good goalie in the NHL. I would say once that Lidstrom goal went in there was just never that sense he could be that guy. I don't know if there is ever a time where I figured a team DOWN 2-0 like Detroit was almost assured a win after a goal like that. He could have redeemed himself in 2003 but you can argue he was even worse.

 

[Asheville]

Yeah. Great look.... if your Cheryl Ladd and its 1979... 78.... replacing Farah Fawcett on Charlies Angels.... pushing it into the 80's... lousy look even if your the drummer for Haircut 100... A Flock of Seagulls... Nothing says Trailer Park like a Headband Bud. Lose it.... Crazy as Ive come to like Kelly's broadcast work but as a Goalie, almost zero respect for his abilities, innate, otherwise. Kid was born with Horseshoes up the proverbial, the type of player thats almost THE Poster Boy for everything wrong with the game & players since the early 80's or even going back to the late 60's for that matter & there are few as progressive as I so thats some serious criticism. Im all for unique, regular Beau Brummel, Derek Sanderson one of my all time favorites & so on but c'mon here. SHOW. ME. THE. BEEF. PERFORM. WHATD'YA GOTZ?. Hrudey a pathetic CD that kept skippin; Cloutier damaged before he left the factory. One of Gods many many jokes.

Read up about the struggles he's had with his daughter. And your hang-up is his headband? Sheesh!