NHL: The best goalie from each franchise’s history (Updated 2023)

Best NHL goalie from each franchise: Colorado Avalanche – Patrick Roy

Make no mistake about it, Patrick Roy is not only one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, but he indeed appears twice on this list. More on his impact on the Montreal Canadiens in a bit but my goodness, what Roy achieved on the Colorado Avalanche is simply legendary and the ultimate payback.

After winning two Stanley Cup championships and being an anchor on the Canadiens for over a decade, Roy was abruptly traded in the middle of 1995 due to tensions with the team’s leadership regime. It’s a long story but once Roy got to Colorado, he picked up immediately where he left off.

In a new town with a focused determination to make the Canadiens regret ever trading him, he was a man on a mission. Not only could you see it in Roy’s eyes but he was goaltending as if he was playing in his last ever season ever with everything to prove. He won a Stanley Cup championship that very same year with the Avalanche which undoubtedly made those decision-makers in Montreal feel a certain type of way.

Roy won another championship with the Avalanche in 2000, making it four altogether in his career. His No. 33 was retired by both franchises, he made it into the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. He ultimately proved that he would be successful no matter what team he was on.