News Article: Top 8 Goalies in the NHL

[detredWINgs]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=662735&navid=nhl:topheads


1. Lundqvist
2. Rinne
3. Quick
4. Price
5. Anderson
6. Brodeur
7. Miller
8. Fleury

--------
9. Luongo
9. Smith
11. Rask
11. Lehtonen
13. Niemi
13. Crawford
15. Howard
16. Fasth

Thought this was relevant considering Howard is up for a new contract. It doesn't carry much weight considering the voting was done by writers/TV personalities (and because anyone who knows **** about hockey knows that Phoenix goalies are a product of their system), but still.

For those curious, the 15th highest paid goaltender in the NHL makes $4M (but its also Cory Schneider who is not on the list). The cheapest goaltender on here (excluding current free agents and goalies who signed their current contract as a RFA) is Craig Anderson at $3.1M.

Click to read more...

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Broduer @ 6

Jimmy is worth $5M for 4 or 5 years.

 

[Vladdy84]

Uh, 2 Smith's? I can only think of Mike Smith right now....

I'd put Jimmy in the 8-12 range.

 

[PullHard]

I think it is about right. Howard can fall anywhere from about ~10 to 16 and I wouldn't argue it. He is a fine goalie, but is only starting to be able to win games on his own. I think his spot around #10 will be cemented, and widely accepted, in another season or two. (If he sticks with us)

 

[Reality Check]

Howard has generally always been solid. You just question whether he can take you to the next level.

His play this season is hard to judge as this is a contract year. Either he is more motivated this season or he is improving overall.

Either way, I don't see a scenario where Detroit doesn't resign him.

 

[Crymson]

Uhh, OK. Since when is Fleury a top-eight goalie? Did the authors not watch him in the playoffs last season? And an aging Brodeur at #6? A past-his-prime Miller at #7? Are these people completely living in the past?

 

[Kronwalled55]

I'll take a stab at it. Only this season, right?

1. Lundqvist
2. Rinne
3. Price
4. Quick
5. Rask
6. Miller
7. Anderson - Only because he got hurt
8. Lehtonen
9. Schneider
10. Brodeur

 

[Vladdy84]

I'll take a stab at it. Only this season, right?

1. Lundqvist
2. Rinne
3. Price
4. Quick
5. Rask
6. Miller
7. Anderson - Only because he got hurt
8. Lehtonen
9. Schneider
10. Brodeur

I see your Gravatar, nice win tonight. Prepare to lose to Florida!

I would say Jimmy is just as good as goalies such as Lehtonen, Schneider and Brodeur.

 

[detredWINgs]

I'll take a stab at it. Only this season, right?

1. Lundqvist
2. Rinne
3. Price
4. Quick
5. Rask
6. Miller
7. Anderson - Only because he got hurt
8. Lehtonen
9. Schneider
10. Brodeur

No...

[T]he voting for this list was done in mid-February and, in general, voters have considered full bodies of work more persuasive than what individual players have done in this shortened season for all of these top eight arguments.

...Which is why the fact that a guy like Viktor Fasth is even on the list makes it questionable.

 

[RaySheppard]

Fleury at #8..ya right...Make the backup the starter and win cup..or start Fleury and who knows what could happen.

 

[Detroit Sports*]

Broduer @ 6

Jimmy is worth $5M for 4 or 5 years.

absurd! he has done NOTHING in his career to earn that. If he gets 5m per he is the Tony Romo of the NHL...

 

[Crymson]

absurd! he has done NOTHING in his career to earn that. If he gets 5m per he is the Tony Romo of the NHL...

Are you from Earth? If so, you should have a look at the salaries that starting goalies generally get these days.

 

[Detroit Sports*]

Are you from Earth? If so, you should have a look at the salaries that starting goalies generally get these days.

Im just not from earth just not from 'Holland'.

 

[icKx]

Quick is so overrated based on one playoff run.

 

[Heaton]

Quick is so overrated based on one playoff run.

I think he's underrated based on the perception of him this year after coming back from surgery.

 

[icKx]

He's routinely ranked as a top 2-3 goalie based on one good season followed by one stellar post-season.

How is it even possible to be underrated in that circumstance?

 

[Heaton]

He's routinely ranked as a top 2-3 goalie based on one good season followed by one stellar post-season.

How is it even possible to be underrated in that circumstance?

He had 3 straight 35 win seasons and a season last year where he not only was the main reason whey they made the playoffs and won the cup, but also lost 13 times when he let in 1 goal or less. This offseason he had surgery on his back and has struggled earlier on in the year.

What other goalies have been better than him over the past few years?

 

[Syckle78]

This is a throw away year in regards to judging Quick. Dude had back surgery and playing in a weird condensed schedule. We'll see how he does on the playoffs and next year.

Anyways the crop of goalies right now is really underwhelming, imo.

 

[detredWINgs]

Interesting Fact: If Howard gets $5M per year, he'll join Kari Lehtonen as the only other goalie making $5M+ who has never been nominated for the Vezina or won a Stanley Cup.

 

[Frk It]

Interesting Fact: If Howard gets $5M per year, he'll join Kari Lehtonen as the only other goalie making $5M+ who has never been nominated for the Vezina or won a Stanley Cup.

Another reason why goalies aren't worth 5+ million dollar contracts

 

[BeersHockey]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=662735&navid=nhl:topheads


1. Lundqvist
2. Rinne
3. Quick
4. Price
5. Anderson
6. Brodeur
7. Miller
8. Fleury

--------
9. Luongo
9. Smith
11. Rask
11. Lehtonen
13. Niemi
13. Crawford
15. Howard
16. Fasth

Thought this was relevant considering Howard is up for a new contract. It doesn't carry much weight considering the voting was done by writers/TV personalities (and because anyone who knows **** about hockey knows that Phoenix goalies are a product of their system), but still.

For those curious, the 15th highest paid goaltender in the NHL makes $4M (but its also Cory Schneider who is not on the list). The cheapest goaltender on here (excluding current free agents and goalies who signed their current contract as a RFA) is Craig Anderson at $3.1M.

Wow. None of the bolded are better than Howard. Honestly, at this point I don't really think Broduer is better than Howard either.

 

[Crymson]

Interesting Fact: If Howard gets $5M per year, he'll join Kari Lehtonen as the only other goalie making $5M+ who has never been nominated for the Vezina or won a Stanley Cup.

As if this matters. Backstrom and Miller have each had one exceptional season. Niemi wasn't at all spectacular in his run to the Cup. And it would be silly to say that Bryzgalov won a Cup. He started only four games in those playoffs. And you're forgetting Carey Price anyway.

More, Howard, with his .924 save percentage and 37 wins despite playing behind an injury-riddled team, fully deserved to be in Vezina contention in 2010. Instead, Brodeur (.916) inexplicably ended up there instead. Lundquist, Rask, Anderson, and Nabokov ended up in front of him also. This made no sense, and was most likely because of two factors: 1) He was a rookie; and 2) Nicklas Lidstrom. It was ridiculous, either way.

 

[obey86]

Pekka Rinne is overrated as an "elite" goalie.

Career:

Rinne: 2.35 GAA, .920 S%
Howard: 2.40 GAA, .917 S%

And the whole Lidstrom made Howard look good argument doesn't hold any water in his comparison because Rinne has spent most of his career playing in a defensive oriented system with two top 5-10 D-men in front of him.

 

[Frk It]

Pekka Rinne is overrated as an "elite" goalie.

Career:

Rinne: 2.35 GAA, .920 S%
Howard: 2.40 GAA, .917 S%

And the whole Lidstrom made Howard look good argument doesn't hold any water in his comparison because Rinne has spent most of his career playing in a defensive oriented system with two top 5-10 D-men in front of him.

and Martin Brodeur's career save percentage is .913%

Stats aren't everything. Rinne is a better goalie than Howard. It's pretty obvious when you watch them play.

That's not a knock against Jimmy, I actually think he's very good.

 

[obey86]

and Martin Brodeur's career save percentage is .913%

Stats aren't everything. Rinne is a better goalie than Howard. It's pretty obvious when you watch them play.

That's not a knock against Jimmy, I actually think he's very good.

And I know it's blasphemy, but I would argue that Brodeur has been overrated in his career as well. His main value comes from his unprecedented longevity and great career playoff performance rather than his peak abilities.

I know stats aren't everything. But people say Jimmy has been sheltered by playing behind Lidstrom which is why his stats are good. Why doesn't that hold true for Rinne in regards to Suter/Weber over the years?

I guess my question is, if Rinne is "elite" and Howard is just above average (according to most)...why have Rinne's abilities, playing in a defensive system that limits quality shots, and playing with 2 top 10 D-men not led to better goalie performance (stat wise)?