NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 21. Ed Belfour
Stats:
- 90.6 save percentage
- 2.50 GAA
- 484 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-Star
- 2-time Vezina Trophy winner
- 1999 Stanley Cup winner
- 2011 Hockey Hall of Fame
Ed Belfour won in high school, he won a National Title at the University of North Dakota and he took home a Stanley Cup in the NHL as well. In short, Belfour won and he did a lot of it.
Although he spent much of his time in his first season in 1989 playing in the minors, when Belfour was given the opportunity, he took it with both hands. He was given a shot by the Blackhawks for their postseason stretch and never looked back. With an average GAA of 2.49 along with a 4-2 record, Belfour solidified himself in the lineup.
For the next eight seasons, Belfour never averaged a GAA higher than 2.89. In back-to-back years in 1998 and 1999, Belfour stopped just about every puck thrown his way. His GAA reached a career-low of 1.88 and 1.99 respectively. His save percentage was outstanding as well, stopping over 92% of his opponent’s shots.
Despite hitting his late 30s and early 40s, Belfour never slowed down. He saved 90.2% of shots sent in his direction at the age of 41 and averaged a 2.77 GAA. While he still had plenty left in the tank, Belfour called it a career after the season. His career save percentage of 90.6 currently ranks in the top 70 all-time. His individual numbers along with his team success made Belfour a no-brainer for this list.