With so many great goalies over the years, it’s hard to pinpoint who the best is. Goalies are one of the most important jobs in the NHL and we’ve narrowed our list down to the top five of all time. Not only did we look at career length and Stanley cup wins, but we also looked at things like overall saves and special skills. Take a look below to see our list of the top five best NHL goalies of all time.
1. Patrick Roy
Not only has Patrick Roy, AKA Saint Patrick, won four Stanley cup trophies, but he’s also the only person in the NHL to win the Conn Smythe Trophy three times. He won two of his Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and two with the Colorado Avalanche. He has won over 200 games with both teams and has played in 247 playoff games. Of those, he has been on the winning team 151 times. He ended his career with a 2.54 GAA, .910 save percentage, and 66 shutouts.
2. Terry Sawchuk
Next on our list is Terry Sawchuk. Not only did he hold the record for most shutouts until 2009, but he also received the Calder Trophy in 1950-1951 during his rookie year. Over the next four seasons, he won both the Stanley Cup and Vezina Cup three times each. Additionally, he won another Stanley Cup and Vezina Cup once he played for Toronto many years later. In 1971, a year after his passing, he was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame and finished his career with a whopping 445 wins.
3. Dominik Hasek
Dominik Hasek, AKA The Dominator, is arguably the best goalie in NHL history. During his 6-year tenure with the Buffalo Sabres, Hasek took home five Vezina trophies and is the only goalie to win the Hart Trophy twice. While playing for the Red Wings later in his career, he would bring home two more Stanley Cup trophies. He started playing later in his life and only had 15 seasons under his belt by the time he turned 26. He was also part of the Czech ice hockey team for the 1998 Winter Olympics and helped bring home the gold.
4. Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur was part of the New Jersey Devils during the mid-1990s and 2000s. He has been to the Olympics four times and won gold two of those times. While he has won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, he has helped the team win a total of five. He has also won four Vezina trophies over a period of six years. He retired during the 2014-2015 season with 691 wins, 125 shutouts, 45 assists, and two goals.
5. Jacques Plante
The final goalie on our list is Jacques Plante who played for the NHL for 18 years. He retired at age 44 and ended his career and was one of the reasons why the organization reevaluated face protection when a hockey puck to the face caused him to get a broken nose. Plante has won the Stanley Cup six times and has won the Vezina Cup seven times. He ended his career with 437 total wins, a 2.38 GAA, and a .920 save percentage.