Being an NHL Goaltender is a unique position. At any given second things can change for your team. A handful of players skating in your direction with the intention of making you silly as they attempt to hit the puck in the back of your net.
As much as we say hockey is a team game when it comes to the goalies, they can feel as though they are on an island by themselves. The excuses at the end of the day are inconsequential as they are oftentimes the main person to blame for a team’s failures or successes.
There have been several great goaltenders in the NHL. But too often is the debate focused on who is the best to ever play the position. For that, we’ve decided to end any further fulmination.
Picking and choosing the 30 greatest goalies of all time was a difficult process. Many of these guys are similar in terms of numbers but more times than not, it was a slight edge in numbers, awards, and overall impact that separated them. They’ve all had their moment in the sun at some point but who’s star shined brightest when the spotlight was firmly on them?
To answer this, we plunge deep into the numbers and their overall impact to see who stood out amongst their peers.
Let’s dive right into it.
Editor’s Note: Updated for the 2022/2023 NHL season
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 30. Harry Lumley
Career stats:
- 90.5 save percentage
- 2.74 GAA
- 330 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time All-Star
- Stanley Cup champion
Life came at Harry Lumley fast. And on the professional hockey rink, even faster. At the age of 17, Harry Lumley still holds the NHL record as the youngest player to ever play in an actual game. Things didn’t go well for him early on. In his first season with the Detroit Red Wings, Lumley played a grand total of two games and it isn’t difficult to see why, both contests resulted in losses and Lumley gave up over six goals. It was much of the same in year two.
But while he struggled to find his footing on an NHL hockey rink early on, Lumley finally picked up on the speed of the game and began shutting teams down. In 1950, Lumley was all grown up and played like it. He led the Red Wings to a win in the Stanley Cup Finals and dominated all throughout the playoffs. Lumley had a Goal Against Average (GAA) of 1.85 and put together three shutout performances.
From there, Lumley only got better and better. For three straight seasons in the late 1940s, less than three goals per game were scored against him. He was even more dominant in the 50s as he put together seven straight seasons with less than three goals against him, including back-to-back years of sub-2.00.
In addition to his Stanley Cup, Lumley also has a Vezina trophy to his name and three All-Star appearances. His overall dominance lands him safely on this list.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 29. Tim Thomas
Stats:
- 92.0 save percentage
- 2.52 GAA
- 214 wins
Achievements:
- Stanley Cup champion
- 2-time All-Star
- 2-time Vezina Award winner
Tim Thomas admitted that he wasn’t ready to play on the big stage just yet. After he was taken with the 217th pick in the 1994 NHL Draft, Thomas believed he was better off working on his game by playing in the minor leagues and Europe. He may have officially debuted several years later at the age of 28, but he immediately showed that he was worth the wait. In his first full season, less than three goals per night were permitted under the watch of Thomas.
At no point did Thomas put together a season in which his save percentage dipped beneath 90.2%. He became a fixture with the Boston Bruins for eight years before wrapping up his career in Dallas. Thomas was dominant. So much so in fact, that after having hip surgery in 2010, he turned things around by putting together the best season of his career. His 93.8 save percentage in 2011 ranks fourth all-time for a single season. At the time, Thomas was 36. He also allowed only two goals on average per night.
It came as no surprise that his dominant run led the Bruins to a Stanley Cup win that year. Thomas would pull the curtains down on his career just three years later in 2014. So while he doesn’t have longevity sitting in his corner, Thomas was undoubtedly one of the most dominant goalies in any era.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 28. Riley Hern
Stats:
- Save percentage N/A
- 4.68 GAA
Achievements:
- 4-time Stanley Cup champion
- Hall of Famer
Admittedly, the numbers of Riley Hern don’t exactly scream greatness. His GAA continually soared above five and in 1903, Hern won only one of the 12 games he played in and gave up an average of 7.96 goals per night.
Still, even with his deficiencies, Hern deserves a spot on this list. While they may not have come as often as he would have liked, at times, it was nearly impossible to score against him. In 1904, Hern allowed only 1.50 goals. He followed that up with a GAA of 3.00.
Hern will always be remembered for becoming the first goalie to ever win an NHL Stanley Cup. In addition to that, once Hern got the championship ball rolling, there was simply no stopping him. He would go on to win four straight titles for the Montreal Wanderers. He was also selected to an All-Star game as well.
Hern would never get the chance to build on his success as he instead opted to retire from the game at the age of 30. Although his career was short-lived, Hern had a dominant one.
Shortly after his in 1929, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 27. Tom Barrasso
Stats:
- 89.2 save percentage
- 3.24 GAA
- 369 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time Stanley Cup winner
- 3-time All-Star
Tom Barrasso wanted no part in playing in the kid’s pool. Instead, the moment he was eligible, he jumped right into the deep end.
After forgoing the college route, Barrasso was taken with the fifth overall pick in the 1983 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.
Making the choice to skip the unpaid ranks and go down the professional track proved to be a sagacious one as Barrasso proved he belonged right away. In his first year, his GAA was a mere 2.85. He followed that up with a 2.67 GAA. He would have a few years under his belt where he struggled but he ultimately got back on track in the late 90s. During the 1997-98 season, Barrasso posted his best GAA of 2.07. His 61 playoff wins currently rank 14th all-time and the trophy self of Barrasso is filled to the brim.
He was a back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion in 1991 and 1992, a two-time All-Star, and a Vezina Trophy winner in 1984. Barrasso has also been inducted into two separate Hall of Fames, the National Italian Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. For his championship-winning efforts in the early 90s, Barrasso was also elected into the Pittsburgh Penguins Ring of Honor. There should be no questions concerning his stature amongst his peers.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 26. Rogie Vachon
Stats:
- 89.6 save percentage
- 3.00 GAA
- 353 wins
Achievements:
- 3-time All-Star
- 2-time Stanley Cup champion
For the overwhelming majority of Rogie Vachon’s NHL career, he was rock solid. He didn’t wow you on the ice but he was very good at what he did. In terms of the best goaltenders of all time, he safely takes a seat at the table.
The first five years of Vachon’s career were almost as good as any other goaltender ever. His GAA never soared above 2.87 and his save percentage rested safely in the lower 90s.
Admittedly, he had a few rough patches in his career. Vachon sported two seasons in which his GAA was above 4.00, not good. He also had five other seasons in which those numbers were close to 3.50, also, not good.
Still, he spent a decade as one of the best goalies in the game and is a fixture in the record books. His 353 wins are good for 22nd all-time, he’s also 18th on the all-time list in career saves with 19,882.
Vachon’s stellar play was a major asset on the championship level as he was able to bring home back-to-back Stanley Cups for the Montreal Canadians in the late 1960s. He was even given the highest award that a goaltender can be given the Vezina Award during the 1967-68 season and was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 25. Curtis Joseph
Stats:
- 90.6 save percentage
- 2.79 GAA
- 454 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time All-Star
- King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner
For a lot of guys on this list, greatness was somewhat easy to obtain. In most instances, it’s natural. Once a player has that “it” factor, their path becomes somewhat of an easy one.
For roughly two decades, Curtis Joseph forged the type of NHL career that simply isn’t talked about enough. He didn’t have that “it” factor. Nor was he imposing from a physical standpoint. No, instead, Joseph merely kept working on his craft and eventually, it paid off.
For the first five years of his career, the GAA of Joseph routinely soared above 3.00. His win column was decent and his overall game was solid. But while he could’ve settled for an okay career, Joseph continued to work on his skills. It wasn’t long until things started to pay off for him.
In ten of his next eleven seasons, Joseph sported a GAA under 3.00. His save percentage routinely floated around 90% but he bounced around from team to team. At the age of 41, Joseph finally decided to call it a career at the end of the 2008-09 season. While his overall numbers weren’t the best, in totality, they stack up against anyone. He ranks sixth in saves with 24,279, seventh in wins with 454 and sixth in total minutes with 54,054.
Joseph never made an All-Star team or won a Stanley Cup but his numbers place him in the pantheon of great NHL goalies.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 24. Chris Osgood
Stats:
- 90.5 save percentage
- 2.49 GAA
- 401 wins
Achievements:
- 3-time Stanley Cup winner
- 1-time All-Star
Maybe it was because he only made one All-Star game. Maybe it was because he never took home the Vezina Award. Whatever the case may be, Chris Osgood never got the recognition he deserved as one of the best NHL goalies of his era.
At the age of 21, no one was able to bully the new kid when he entered the league in 1993. Osgood routinely shut out the opposition and stuffed them at the net in his first year. A 2.86 GAA proved that he was the real deal but maintaining that number for over a decade showed that he was consistent as they come.
Osgood’s numbers compared favorably to his contemporaries. Yet, he only managed to pocket two All-Star appearances.
Stuffing his own closet with awards is something he wishes he did do but he’ll happily accept three Stanley Cups instead. Remarkably, Osgood’s Detroit Red Wings managed to win back-to-back titles in the late 1990s and would then go on a decade-long drought before winning another.
During his time in the league, Osgood made sure he left his mark. Currently, he ranks 13th in wins with 401, 33rd in saves with 16,861 and 24th in minutes played with 42,564. He may not have gotten the recognition he deserved but he’ll get all of that and some over here.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 23. Mike Vernon
Stats:
- 88.9 save percentage
- 3.00 GAA
- 385 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time Stanley Cup champion
- 1-time All-Star
Mike Vernon makes his way on our list due to his consistency as a great NHL goalie. With the starting position officially his in 1985 with the Calgary Flames, Vernon averaged an impressive 3.31 GAA for eight seasons. During that stretch, he took home a Stanley Cup and was selected to four All-Star games.
While those statistics alone would be enough to earn a spot here, what Vernon was able to accomplish during the second half of his career, cemented his placement amongst the all-time greats. For the next nine straight seasons, Vernon’s GAA plummeted to sub-3.00. Even more impressive was his save percentage. Vernon went on a four-year run where he saved more than 91% of goals that were shot in his direction.
That run netted Vernon another All-Star appearance and one more Stanley Cup to add to his collection. Although he was never recognized as the top goalie in the league with the Vezina award, Vernon took home something else instead, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1997.
To wrap up his career, Vernon proved that he still had plenty left in the tank. At the age of 38, he went on to have a GAA of 2.76 and a save percentage just shy of 90% checking in at 89.9. Whether he was towards the beginning of his career or more so at the tail end of it, Vernon was as productive as they come.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 22. Grant Fuhr
Stats:
- 88.3 save percentage
- 3.69 GAA
- 226 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-Star
- 5-time Stanley Cup champion
- 1988 Vezina Trophy winner
The normal lifespan of an athlete is a simple one. They start off raw and inexperienced and eventually, they carve out a more defined role as they enter their prime years. Ultimately, seemingly overnight, they fall off a cliff and decline.
In the case of Grant Fuhr, he missed several of those steps. Coming into the league as a 19-year-old, Fuhr kicked off his career with a GAA of 3.31. For the next 13 years of his career, outside of his second season, Fuhr continually posted numbers that hovered around 3.45. It wasn’t until he hit his early 30s that we saw a real decline in his statical output.
His 1995 GAA of 4.04 across multiple stops on numerous teams that season signaled the end of what turned out to be a solid career. But just when everyone began writing his obituary, Fuhr made them eat their words.
In four of his last five seasons, Fuhr averaged a GAA of 2.63. His penultimate season saw him post career-high numbers of 2.43 however, his save percentage fell as he went from a constant save percentage of 90% to the high to mid-80s.
His consistency spearheaded his Edmonton Oilers teams of the 80s as he led them to five world titles. He was a constant fixture in the All-Star game as well, making six appearances and in 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 20. Eddie Giacomin
Stats:
- 90.2 save percentage
- 2.82 GAA
- 290 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-Star
- 1-time Vezina Award winner
- Hall of Famer
Eddie Giacomin entered the league a bit later than usual at 26. While some teams may hesitate to sign an older player, the New York Rangers didn’t give it a second thought and they rewarded in a big way.
Giacomin wasn’t a great player for a long stretch but once he entered his prime which was his second campaign in 1966, teams found him almost impossible to score against. For seven years Giacomin averaged a GAA under 3.00. He routinely shut teams out altogether and kept those New York Rangers clubs in contention for nearly a decade.
He currently ranks in the top 50 in both wins and saves and made six All-Star teams. Prime for prime, Giacomin could compete with the best of them, however, once he reached his mid-30s, his prime was effectively over with. His save percentages plummeted to the mid-80s and during the first half of the 1976 season, it fell to a career-low 80.6%.
At that point, his GAA consistently hovered over 3.00 as he wasn’t the force he once was when he was smack dab in the middle of his prime. As previously mentioned, his time at the top didn’t last very long, but still, he was a great player for nearly a decade.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 19. Clint Benedict
Stats:
- 2.32 GAA
- 189 wins
Achievements:
- N/A
Some goaltenders dominated on the ice but others reinvented the way the position was played altogether. Clint Benedict represents the latter.
Long before goalies wore face masks and dived on the ice to prevent a score, those actions were thought to be reprehensible. Yet, Benedict couldn’t care less what anyone else thought and played the game the way he thought it should be played.
Benedict was the first goalie to ever sport a face mask. He recorded back-to-back shutout wins, a first in NHL history, and strung together three consecutive Stanley Cup shutouts as well.
While Benedict played in the 1920s, awards such as the Vezina weren’t around just yet. In fact, save percentages hadn’t been introduced either. Still, he didn’t need awards to display how dominant he was. Benedict routinely stuffed the opposition at the net.
Although he hasn’t officially played in an NHL game in 90 years, Benedict holds two of the top 15 GAAs in NHL history with both checking in under 1.45. His impregnable defense led to four Stanley Cup titles and a trip to the Hall of Fame in 1965. Admittedly, it’s difficult to quantify the excellence of Benedict but simply put, the game of hockey would look vastly different if he hadn’t come around.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 18. Carey Price
Stats:
- 91.7 save percentage
- 2.50 GAA
- 358 wins
Achievements:
- 7-time All-Star
- 2015 Vezina award winner
Normally, a player would need a bit of time to get their feet wet. After all, the NHL is the highest level of hockey in the world. But for Carey Price, the need to adjust was unnecessary as he hit the ground running.
His first year under the bright lights resulted in a GAA of 2.56, a 92 save percentage and three shutout victories. He’s continually put up similar numbers throughout most of his career but he flat-out dominated during the 2014-2015 season.
His save percentage that year of 93.3 ranks as the 13th highest of all-time. His campaign was so magical in fact that he took home the Jennings, Vezina, Hart, and Pearson awards all in that same year.
Even with nearly a decade and a half under his belt, Price hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Quietly this year, he’s put up his same old dominant numbers. A GAA less than 3.00 along with a save percentage over 90 for what appears to be a contending Montreal Canadians team.
The Stanley Cup has proven to be difficult to obtain for the seven-time All-Star but at only 35 years of age, Price not only has a chance to eventually capture one but also to push towards the top of this list.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 17. Roberto Luongo
Stats:
- 91.9 save percentage
- 2.52 GAA
- 489 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-star
- 2-time NHL Second All-Star team
There was always a bit of bad luck following Roberto Luongo. While he was dominant throughout his two-decade-long career, he never received the recognition he was truly looking for.
Presently, no Stanley Cups are sitting in his trophy case. Nor are there any Vezina awards either. Yet, regardless of those gaping holes in his resume, Luongo almost single-handedly willed his teams over the finish line.
Outside of his first year in the 1999-00 season and his final year in the league in 2018-19, Luongo never posted a GAA over 2.97. His great play at the net was complemented by his outstanding save percentage. Only on his last legs in his final year did Luongo drop under 90%. And when he did, it was only barely as he checked in at 89.9.
Luongo was consistently great for years. His seat amongst his peers is unquestioned as he resides in the top ten in both shutouts with 77 and wins with 489. Despite the stats, most will simply point to Luongo’s ringless fingers.
However, his longevity and records such as becoming only the third goaltender ever to play in over one thousand games, leaves Luomgo’s placement on this list an easy choice to make.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 16. Henrik Lundqvist
Stats:
- 91.8 save percentage
- 2.43 GAA
- 459 wins
Achievements:
- 5-time All-Star
- 2012 Vezina award winner
- NHL All-Decade team
Don’t pull down the curtains on the career of Henrik Lundqvist just yet. Sure he was forced to the sidelines following open-heart surgery, but he appears to be on his way back to the ice. If however, the 2019-20 season will be the last image of Lundqvist on the ice, his career will go down amongst the all-time greats.
The New York Rangers have been fortunate enough to have one of the most consistent goaltenders anchoring them for the better part of a decade. His final two seasons under the bright lights were a bit rough though. Not only did his GAAs suffer but his save percentages were lower than normal. Still, that number has never dipped under 90.5%.
Making game-saving plays and shutting out the opposition became routine for Lundqvist. He is currently the Rangers shutout leader with 73 and with his first seven straight seasons resulting in at least 30 wins, no other goalie comes close to that record.
Like always, critics of Lundqvist will point to the missing Stanley Cup on his championship mantle. But with a decade and a half of stopping pucks at the net, along with a litany of achievements including five All-Star selections, there’s no denying his greatness.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 15. Billy Smith
Stats:
- 89.5 save percentage
- 3.18 GAA
- 305 wins
Achievements:
- 4-time Stanley Cup champion
- 1-time Vezina Trophy winner
- 1982-83 Conn Smythe Award winner
Billy Smith’s numbers have to be put in their proper context. Although there have been plenty of names on this list who boasted a better GAA and a save percentage, the era in which Smith played should be taken into account.
Unlike the low-scoring games that constantly take place today, seven or eight goals were routine, in Smith’s era. Despite the knock-down drag-out matchups, Smith ranked in the top ten of save percentage 11 seasons when he played. During the 1981-82 season, Smith led the league in wins with 32, his 305 total for his career places him 32nd all-time. With 19 consecutive playoff series wins in the Stanley Cup, Smith was a force to be reckoned with.
Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Smith was at his absolute best, his 1976-77 season for the New York Islanders immediately comes to mind. The days of giving up three, four, or even five goals on average were over and done with, Smith locked things down at the net. On the year he saved a career-best 91.6% of shots at the net while giving up a mere 2.50 GAA. He also dished out two shutouts that year which began a run of sheer dominance.
For the next few years, Smith would flirt with those numbers, and while he ended his career on a whimper in the 1988-89 season by allowing 4.44 goals per night, his years prior to that sealed his fate on this list.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 14. Gump Worsley
Stats:
- 91.4 save percentage
- 2.87 GAA
- 333 wins
Achievements:
- 4-time All-Star
- 4-time Stanley Cup winner
- Hall of Famer
The first few years were rough for Gump Worsley and his Montreal Canadians. Despite putting up seasons where he would average a GAA less than 3.00, a save percentage over 90, and a handful of shutouts, Worsely and the Canadians struggled in the postseason as they never made it past the first round in his first decade in the league.
Once he broke through, however, he did so in a big way. He led his team to four Stanley Cup titles and nabbed four All-Star game selections in the process. In a career filled with impressive accomplishments, Worsely was at his absolute best in 1968 when his GAA fell to a staggering 1.98.
Yet, when his teams weren’t winning Stanley Cups, Worsely had a tendency to struggle in the win column. He was the first goaltender to win 300 games but also the first to lose another 300. With a 91.4 save percentage, that mark ranks 31st all-time and proves how stingy he was at the net.
Still, the losses plastered to his resume shouldn’t be entirely placed on his shoulders. He once had a five-year stretch where scoring against him was nearly impossible. From the 1965 postseason to the 1969 postseason, opponents of Worsley only managed to score 1.92 goals against him. But even with those eye-catching stats, his teams would fall short.
Simply put, he stopped his opponents from scoring but he couldn’t put the puck in the net himself. He merely needed a bit more help on that side of the ice.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 13. Frank Brimsek
Stats:
- Save percentage N/A
- 2.70 GAA
- 252 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time Stanley Cup champion
- 2-time Vezina Award winner
- 8-time All-Star
The 1940s were goals galore. High-scoring matches took place all across the ice. But when opposing teams strolled into the arena of the Boston Bruins, all of that stopped.
Frank Brimsek may not have the longevity that many names on this list have but his dominance speaks for itself. While save percentages weren’t calculated during his day, his GAA was consistently low. Brimsek started off his career with a GAA under 2.00 for his first two years. From there, his numbers would routinely hover around 2.70.
Determining who the world’s best goalie was at the time was a complete no-brainer. From 1939-1950, no NHL goalie won more games than he did. It’s been over 70 years since Brimsek has dived on the ice to keep a puck out of the net but his name still remains littered across the history books. His 44 career shutouts currently rank 40th all-time, his GAA pencils him in at 73rd and his 252 wins rank in the top 60.
With the dominance, he displayed during his era, opposing teams hated seeing him on the ice. Remarkably, his ten-year career was mostly spent collecting awards. Eight times he was selected to the All-Star game and on two occasions he brought home the Stanley Cup.
We might be closing in on a century since he was last seen on the rink, but his dominant numbers have withstood the test of time.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 12. Georges Vezina
Stats:
- Save percentage N/A
- 3.28 GAA
- 103 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time Stanley Cup champion
- Hall of Famer
Georges Vezina is another player whose numbers don’t tell the full story. Once a player has a GAA over 3.00, many believe he should either be disqualified from these rankings or, at the very least, placed lower on the totem pole. Those assumptions shouldn’t apply to Vezina. During his nine-year career in the NHL, Vezina led the league in GAA on three occasions.
While he has many to choose from, his best season came in 1924. His GAA of 1.87 led the league and currently sits 42nd all-time for a single season. He took home two titles with the Canadians and made numerous championship appearances.
Over a century ago he became the first goalie to record a shutout. He was also the first to notch an assist in a goal as well. His numbers don’t compare favorably to his contemporaries but his mark will never be forgotten. He would undoubtedly be even higher on this list if both his career and life weren’t cut short.
After falling ill and collapsing during the middle of a game, Vezina was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He would soon pass away due to his illness but his long-lasting effect on the game will never be forgotten.
In his honor, the Vezina Award is given every year to the best goalie in the NHL. He’s a Hall of Famer and in 2017 he took his place amongst the game’s greats as he was selected to the 100 greatest players in league history list.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 11. Turk Broda
Stats:
- Save percentage N/A
- 2.53 GAA
- 304 wins
Achievements:
- 5-time Stanley Cup champion
- 3-time All-Star
- 2-time Vezina Award winner
Turk Broda, like many of the recent names on this list, played in an era that is almost forgotten. The black and white old grainy tapes are difficult to watch and the voices that were screaming of his dominance have somewhat quieted. Yet, we won’t allow a name such as Turk Broda to fade into the shadows.
For roughly a decade and a half, Broda made the life of Maple Leafs fans a happy one. Though there were no calculations of his save percentage, Broda’s GAA was always ranked amongst the best. He began his career in 1936 and for six straight seasons, he averaged a GAA of 2.33.
His dominant run catapulted him to numerous awards such as two Vezina trophies and a pair of Stanley Cups. In his last full season on the ice which came in 1950, Broda proved that age was nothing but a number as he recorded a GAA of 2.23. He took home 15 wins that year across 10 losses and while he still had plenty left in the tank, he called it a career the following year after playing only one game.
Although many will have a difficult time recognizing his pictures, Broda should never be forgotten. He currently ranks 43rd all-time in GAA and led the league twice when he played. His 61 career shutouts also rank 18th all-time. Broda was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 10. Tony Esposito
Stats:
- 90.6 save percentage
- 2.93 GAA
- 423 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-Star
- 3-time Vezina Award winner
- Hall of Famer
There was no need to get warmed up and acclimated to the bright lights associated with the NHL for Tony Esposito. The moment the Montreal Canadians sent him out there in front of the net, he took care of the rest.
During his first year with the team, he recorded a GAA of 2.75 and a save percentage of 91.9. There aren’t many players today, let alone in their rookie year, who could put up those sorts of numbers. His time with the Canadians was short-lived though, as he went over to the Chicago Blackhawks.
From there, that’s where the magic truly began. Esposito went on one of the most dominant runs ever for a goaltender. Not counting his final five years where he was a shell of himself, Esposito’s save percentage hovered around 91% for the bulk of his career.
During the 1971-72 season, he had one of the greatest years for a goalie ever. His 1.77 GAA not only led the league but it currently ranks 37th all-time for a single season. If that wasn’t enough, he also led the league in save percentage with 93.3. Despite retiring decades ago, his save percentage that year ranks 11th all-time.
The Vezina Trophy belonged to Esposito for much of the 70s as he took home the hardware three times. His 423 wins rank 10th all-time and he currently has the fourth most saves in NHL history with 24,761. Esposito never made it over the Stanley Cup hump but with his name written on nearly every statistical category, it’s impossible to have this list without him.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 9. Johnny Bower
Stats:
- 92.2 save percentage
- 2.51 GAA
- 250 wins
Achievements:
- 4-time Stanley Cup champion
- 2-time Vezina Award winner
- 4-time All-Star
Johnny Bower was unrelenting at the net. Whenever an opponent believed they had a step on him, Bower would acrobatically jump to the right spot to stop a game-changing puck.
Bower’s great play started from the very beginning with the New York Rangers in 1953 where he recorded back-to-back GAA’s less than 3.00. But following a rocky third year, he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs and they’re still kicking themselves over it.
For the next 11 years, Bower never posted a GAA above 2.86. His save percentage also never dipped below 90.9. Bower went on a ridiculous stretch in the 1960s where he led the league in save percentage six times. The four Stanley Cups currently sitting at the arena of the Maple Leafs mostly came courtesy of Bower. Again, the Rangers are kicking themselves.
Currently, Bower has two of the top 20 save percentage seasons of all-time, and even more impressive than that, he sits third all-time in terms of save percentage for a career with 92.2.
Not only did Bower fill up his trophy case with Stanley Cups but he also grabbed numerous other awards. The 1976 Hall of Famer is a two-time Vezina Award winner and one All-Star. While the New York Rangers hate to be reminded of their egregious mistake of trading him, Maple Leaf fans will forever thank them.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 8. Bernie Parent
Stats:
- 91.5 save percentage
- 2.55 GAA
- 271 wins
Achievements:
- 2-time Stanley Cup winner
- 2-time Conn Smythe winner
- 2-time Vezina Award winner
It may have taken Bernie Parent a few years to get his engine revving but once he did, he took off like a rocket.
Two subpar years to start his NHL career saw Parent go from the Boston Bruins to the Philadelphia Flyers. He immediately got his game going and became nearly impossible to score against. With a GAA that hovered around 2.70 for the next eight seasons, the book on Parent was seemingly written. He was good. Maybe even great. But an all-timer? That seemed to be an erroneous statement. That is until he went on one of the most dominant runs in NHL history.
With a GAA of less than 2.00 during a two-year stretch in the mid-1970s, Parent’s defense was impregnable. Taking a look back at his career, Parent’s time on the ice came to an end far too soon.
At the age of 33 and fresh off a season in which his save percentage was 89.3 and his GAA was 2.71, Parent seemingly had plenty left in the tank. Unfortunately, he suffered a debilitating eye injury. The event forced Parent to pull down the curtains on his career sooner than many anticipated.
Although he appeared to have plenty left in the tank, Parent’s somewhat short career will always be remembered among the game’s best. He was a two-time Stanley Cup winner, a five-time All-Star, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 7. Glenn Hall
Stats:
- 91.8 save percentage
- 2.50 GAA
- 407 wins
Achievements:
- 13-time All-Star
- Stanley Cup winner
- 3-time Vezina Award winner
When looking at the numbers, you almost can’t believe it. Glenn Hall was consistently a great player. It didn’t matter if his teams were in the thick of the playoff hunt or out of it altogether, Hall consistently gave his team a chance.
Let’s discount his first two years in the league. While a 1.67 and 1.00 GAA are outstanding, he played less than seven games in both seasons.
At no point has Hall ever put up a GAA north of 2.97. Even more impressive, Hall’s save percentage has dipped under 90 only once in his career. With father time knocking at his door in the early 70s, Hall ignored him completely as he continued to put up eye-popping numbers.
The NHL end-of-the-year awards oftentimes turned into the Glenn Hall show. He stocked away three Vezina Awards, two Conn Smythe trophies, made 13 All-Star appearances and took home a Stanley Cup in 1961.
Hall’s 407 wins currently rank 11th all-time and his 24,611 total saves place him in 5th. After leading the league in shutouts six separate times during his career, Hall currently ranks 4th all-time in that department as well. In short, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a goalie statistic that doesn’t have Hall’s name near the top of it.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 6. Martin Brodeur
Stats:
- 91.2 save percentage
- 2.24 GAA
- 691 wins
Achievements:
- 3-time Stanley Cup winner
- 9-time All-Star
- 4-time Vezina Trophy winner
It’s difficult to do what Martin Brodeur did in the NHL. He got up every day for two decades, grabbed his lunch pail, put on his hard hat and went to work. Once he arrived, he dominated. Brodeur was the last person the opposition wanted to see guarding the net. More times than not, things were going to go his way.
Brodeur was seemingly always in the right spot at the right time. Pay no attention to his GAA of 3.36 in his rookie year in 1991. He was simply getting warmed up. Brodeur never produced another season like that again. He led the league in overall wins on nine separate occasions and his 691 total victories rank number one all-time. That isn’t the only statistic you can find in his name.
Brodeur is the all-time leader in saves with 28,928, first in shutouts with 125 and 42nd in save percentage. He’s a four-time Vezina winner, nine-time All-Star, three-time champion and so much more.
Brodeur withstood the test of time and dominated over the course of two decades. Even when he was well into his 40s his numbers were the same as if he were in his 30s. If he truly wanted, Brodeur could’ve kept playing as long as he wanted and been productive every step of the way.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 5. Terry Sawchuk
Stats:
- 90.7 save percentage
- 2.50 GAA
- 445 wins
Achievements:
- 11-time All-Star
- 4-time Vezina Award winner
- 4-time Stanley Cup champion
Terry Sawchuk effectively operated through two eras. In the early to mid-1950s, the Hall of Famer played during a time when save percentages didn’t exist. He would eventually play long enough to see the new stat implemented and once it did, it only highlighted his greatness.
Sawchuk’s numbers don’t make any sense. From the 1950-51 season up until the 1954-55 campaign, Sawchuk averaged an unbelievable 1.93 GAA. During that same span, he clogged up the scoring lanes completely as he compiled 57 shutouts. His dominance led to one thing. Well, two really.
First was championships as he picked up four of them. Secondly, Sawchuk picked up a ridiculous amount of awards. He ended his career as an 11-time All-Star, four-time Vezina Award winner, one-time Calder Memorial Award winner and a long list of others.
Despite walking away from the game roughly 50 years ago, he still ranks second all-time in shutouts with 103 and eighth in wins with 445. Regardless of how great he was in the regular season, his playoff numbers were always outrageous. During the 1951-52 season, Sawchuk averaged a GAA of, get this, 0.62.
Simply put, Sawchuk was unbelievable and deserves this spot near the top of the list.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 4. Ken Dryden
Stats:
- 92.2 save percentage
- 2.24 GAA
- 258 wins
Achievements:
- 5-time All-Star
- 6-Stanley Cup titles
- 5-time Vezina Award winner
Ken Dryden feels somewhat like a “what if,” story. His career left many of us wanting more.
Having only played eight seasons in the NHL, Dryden would undoubtedly be at the top of this list had he simply played longer. But, due to back-and-forth financial issues with the Montreal Canadians in the 1970s, Dryden pursued other ventures.
Still, while he played, he was dominant. His GAA never went above 2.30. Also, his save percentage never dipped below 90.9.
Regardless of his truncated career, Dryden made five All-Star appearances and seemingly won the Stanley Cup every year that he played as he took home six of them. Even with only eight seasons under his belt, Dryden ranks 99th all-time in saves with 10,213. He also sports the third-highest save percentage in history with 92.2. His GAA is also safely in eighth place with 2.24.
At the age of 31, Dryden decided to walk away from the game. Nowadays, goaltenders have played a decade past that age and have been productive. “What if,” moments are normally saved for players who show incredible promise but have their careers cut short due to injuries or other unfortunate circumstances.
In the case of Dryden, he was perfectly healthy and at the top of his game. He simply decided to walk away. While his decision will always be respected, many of us will always wonder what could’ve been.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 3. Dominik Hasek
Stats:
- 92.2 save percentage
- 2.20 GAA
- 389 wins
Achievements:
- 6-time All-Star
- 6-time Vezina winner
- 2-time Stanley Cup champion
Dominik Hasek was painstakingly close to moving up to the number two position. His credentials are outstanding. Six All-Star games, six Vezina Awards, two Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and countless other accolades made it an easy task to place him near the top of the list but we simply couldn’t place him any higher than three.
It’s difficult to know where to begin. How about we start with his ridiculous GAA. Only once did Hasek sport a number over 3.00 which came in his third year in the league. Outside of that, he was a consistent pest for opposing players all through the late 90s and early 2000s. Twice did he lead the league in that category and his overall average of 2.20 for his career checks in seventh on the all-time list.
Hasek tended to leave his opponents on zero. It didn’t matter if it was a close game or a blowout, Hasek wasn’t going to give his competitors an inch. On four occasions he led the league in shutouts and the 81 for his career ranking sixth all-time.
The most impressive of all his stats might be his save percentage. For six straight in the mid-1990s to the late 1990s, Hasek led the league in that department. His individual numbers are amongst the very best and his trophy case compares to anyone’s favorably but he’ll always point to his Stanley Cup titles as his finest moment on the rink.
It came as no surprise to see Hasek inducted into the Hall of Fame the moment he was eligible. And while it pains us to place him number three on this list, there were simply two other candidates that we couldn’t ignore.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 2. Jacques Plante
Stats:
- 92 save percentage
- 2.38 GAA
- 437 wins
Achievements:
- 7-time All-Star
- 6-time Stanley Cup winner
- 7-time Vezina Award winner
Jacques Plante essentially revolutionized the position. Before he came along in the 1950s, goalies were meant to simply stay next to the net. However, whenever Plante got the chance, he would leave his position in order to get his hands on the puck. He figured that if the puck was in his hands, it would be a much safer place than leaving it up for grabs. Now, of course, everyone does this.
Not only did Plante change the way goaltenders play the game, but his name is also scattered on roughly every stat across history. Plante owns the first and second-best single-season save percentages in NHL history. At the age of 37, Plante topped the charts with a 94 save percentage. Seemingly not satisfied with that mark, he would break it three years later at the age of 40 with a 94.4.
In terms of his career ranking in that category, Plante comes in at 8th with 91.9%. Despite playing close to two decades on the ice, Plante’s save percentage never dipped under 90%. His GAA soared above three on only three occasions. On five separate instances, his number dipped under 2.00.
His refusal to give nothing away at the net resulted in his team bringing home six Stanley Cups. The Vezina Trophy, which is handed to the best NHL goalie every year, was handed to Plante on seven occasions. With 82 shutout games under his belt, Plante ranks fifth in that category as well.
His ability to dominate a game from the goalie position was impossible to ignore but he comes up just short on our list of the best goaltenders of all time.
NHL: 30 best goalies of all time: 1. Patrick Roy
Stats:
- 91 save percentage
- 2.54 GAA
- 551 wins
Achievements:
- 11-time All-Star
- 3-time Vezina Trophy winner
- 4-time Stanley Cup winner
- 3-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner
No matter where Patrick Roy goes, a long list of accomplishments and awards will follow him forever. His 91 save percentage for his career places him 55th on the all-time list but more than anything, it was his ability to keep his opposition out of the net for long stretches that truly separated him.
Only twice in his 19-year career did Roy sport a GAA over 3.00. similarly, his save percentage dipped under 90% only three times throughout his time on the ice.
The end-of-the-year awards were consistently plastered with his name. He took home the Stanley Cup on four occasions, was a three-time Conn Smythe winner, was named an All-Star 11 times, an NHL First Teamer four times, and made the second team twice.
During the regular season, Roy was one of the most reliable goaltenders ever but once the playoffs rolled around, he took his game to a whole other level.
Despite not playing in the league for close to two decades, Roy is the all-time leader in playoff wins by a goaltender with 151 and holds the record for the most games played for his position as well. His three Conn Smythe awards are the most all-time. He was also the first goaltender to win 500 games.
The list of accolades for Roy can stretch seemingly forever and because of that, he ranks number one on our all-time list.