The Panther
Registered User
I'm not really buying the argument that because 4 or 5 goalies retired, the overall NHL quality of play dropped. Also, John Davidson in 1980-81 had an .832 save percentage.From the mid 1970s thru 1979 the NHL had quality HHOF goalies. Slowly Giacomin, Dryden, Parent, Cheevers etc retired or were injured - this would include John Davidson. Only one HHOF goalie surfaced - Grant Fuhr.
The fact remains there were 275 fewer pro-hockey jobs available in the autumn of 1979 than there had been in the spring of 1976, and there were more European players coming available. Goaltending may indeed have gone through a weaker period in the early-80s, but I can't accept the argument that the overall game was at a lower level than in mid to late-WHA days.