How good was Daren Puppa?

[begbeee]

I was inspired by Jim Carey's thread and closer look to Daren Puppa's career shows me he was better than I remember.

How good he was? Where is he ranked among goaltenders who spend majority of their careers in nineties?

Click to read more...

 

[Huge94]

He was often goalie 1B, sharing the time in goals with other goalies of similar caliber (like Rick Tabaracci even though he had a better career)

He was also injured more often than not if I remember correctly. (EDIT : I did, he had chronic back trouble according to Wiki)

I would probably compare him to maybe what, Evgeni Nabokov? Considering both have been runner ups for a Vezina and that they both were/could have been elite.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Daren Puppa

Slightly better mobility than Jim Carey. Right hand catching goalie.One excellent season 1989-90 2nd AST with Buffalo, two very good seasons with Tampa Bay, 1993-94 and 1995-96. Often injured, never managed to play two consecutive full seasons.

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/p/puppada01.html

Incomplete would best describe his career.

 

[South Florida Canuck]

I always thought the Pooper was a decent goalie but injuries really hampered his career. I always think of him when I think of those early Tampa teams

 

[Huge94]

I edited my first post because, in hindsight, Nabokov might be a better comparison to Puppa. Closest I can think of.

 

[Ozz]

I can't elaborate past what's been said already, but he had a neat mullet too.

 

[Huge94]

I can't elaborate past what's been said already, but he had a neat mullet too.

 

[JaysCyYoung]

He probably should have won the Vezina Trophy in 1995-96 when he led the Lightning to their first post-season appearance in team history, posted one of the leading save percentage marks in the NHL (finished 2 points behind Hasek's mark), and won 29 games on a defensively-challenged roster.

Puppa had a fairly solid career with Buffalo and even finished runner-up to Patrick Roy in the Vezina Trophy voting in 1989-90, leading the league with 31 wins and being named a Second All-Star Team selection. Despite his fine play that year though his tenure was marked by general inconsistency and injury problems.

He was briefly a back-up on the Leafs after being acquired mid-way through the 1992-93 season and was very solid in his limited appearances behind Potvin before going on to become on of the more unheralded goaltenders in the league for several seasons behind an upstart expansion franchise in Tampa Bay. Definitely not someone who I would rely on to back-stop my team towards a championship drive, but a very solid, underrated starting goaltender who could play elite for long periods of time in the regular-season. A lieutenant type and not a captain or major if that makes any sense.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Someone refresh my memory was it a bad back that slowed him down?

He was a very good goalie for a while and probably has the biggest noggin in NHL history too.

 

[MS]

Puppa was very good – on ability not far off Tom Barrasso (both very big, athletic goalies for their time) and with an even more injury-plagued career than Barrasso. Interestingly, he forced the trade of Barrasso in 1988 by outplaying him for the Sabres.

Injuries basically ruined his career. When he was healthy – first half of the 1988-89 season before breaking his arm, 1989-90 when he was a Vezina Finalist, 1993-96 with Tampa when he basically carried that team to their early success and probably should have won the 1996 Vezina - he was a full-on elite NHL netminder. Top 3-5 guy in the sport.

But he was just plagued by injuries and poor luck – broke his arm twice, had major back issues throughout his career, and missed substantial time with a few knee injuries as well. His career completely lost momentum from 1990-93 because of those injuries, and then back problems ended his career post-1996.

 

[Bure]

I edited my first post because, in hindsight, Nabokov might be a better comparison to Puppa. Closest I can think of.

I actually like that comparison.

 

[chaosrevolver]

For reference reasons, here is the bio made by BillyShoe for his pick of Puppa in the MLD.

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=35208917&postcount=711

 

[Stephen]

He was often goalie 1B, sharing the time in goals with other goalies of similar caliber (like Rick Tabaracci even though he had a better career)

He was also injured more often than not if I remember correctly. (EDIT : I did, he had chronic back trouble according to Wiki)

I would probably compare him to maybe what, Evgeni Nabokov? Considering both have been runner ups for a Vezina and that they both were/could have been elite.

No, I would say he was more of a John Vanbiesbrouck calibre, or a Tom Barrasso without the championships. A 1A goalie for a lot of his career who ended up as the backbone of an expansion franchise. Rick Tabaracci wasn't anywhere near Puppa.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I really like the Nabokov comparison. Similar short but very good peaks with lack of playoff success. The big difference is that Puppa ran into injury problems, while Nabby didn't. I'd definitely take Nabby because of the durability advantage though.

 

[Huge94]

I really like the Nabokov comparison. Similar short but very good peaks with lack of playoff success. The big difference is that Puppa ran into injury problems, while Nabby didn't. I'd definitely take Nabby because of the durability advantage though.

While Nabby is less injury-prone, I'd take Puppa for the playoffs. Imagine Puppa in a top 10 team, he'd have won the Cup.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

While Nabby is less injury-prone, I'd take Puppa for the playoffs. Imagine Puppa in a top 10 team, he'd have won the Cup.

Eh, Puppa wasn't exactly a playoff warrior himself.

 

[Huge94]

Eh, Puppa wasn't exactly a playoff warrior himself.

Didn't Tampa push Flyers to the limit in '96? The Flyers were a thousand times better than Tampa IMO.