NHL Top 15 Goalies

[mmamolo 287]

I've got no love for Kipper's game anymore, he's looked weak for a while.. but Thomas has played real well, and it wasn't his fault that the Bruins got knocked off, he was playing very well in the playoffs too.

Kiprusoff - Agreed.

I wasn't saying it was 100% Thomas' fault the Bruins lost and I did give him credit as he has played well the last two years but I really have no faith in his game in the long run. He gets flustered and starts making mistakes. I realyl don't think he'll be that great and I really doubt the Bruins make the finals with him in net, let alone in the cup.

I am giving him credit for his play the last two years but I'd still rather go with any of those other 15 than him.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Kiprusoff - Agreed.

I wasn't saying it was 100% Thomas' fault the Bruins lost and I did give him credit as he has played well the last two years but I really have no faith in his game in the long run. He gets flustered and starts making mistakes. I realyl don't think he'll be that great and I really doubt the Bruins make the finals with him in net, let alone in the cup.

I am giving him credit for his play the last two years but I'd still rather go with any of those other 15 than him.

9. Jonas Hiller

10. Ryan Miller

11. Steve Mason

12. Ilya Bryzgalov

15. Pekka Rinne

I would say all those guys are less proven than Thomas. Yeah the guy has some anger issues and messes up when he's being pushed... I think of Boston right now as how I thought of Detroit from 03-06. Great squad, tons of talent, good goaltending... but the offense needs to be there for them to advance, or they wont. The goaltending is almost a footnote.

[toby91_ca 620]

If this the list is for current best goalies, I don't have a problem with Osgood off the list. I mean, there were 5 (I think) goalies picked ahead of him to go to Team Canada's Olympic orientation and there were a few guys involved in picking those players that have seen plenty of Osgood, up close.

[toby91_ca 620]

Roy backstopped 2 championships with Colorado. (Keep in mind, I'm just looking at the time "since" Osgood has been an NHL player, I keep saying this because I know someone is going to argue it with something completely out of context.)

Brodeur backstopped 3, since Osgood came along.

Osgood, Backstopped....2, was a backup for 1. Took Detroit to game freaking 7 of the finals, and missed backstopping 3 due to a 2-1 loss......meanwhile still posted best GAA and sv percentage of the playoffs.

If you are going to only look at the years both were in the league, Osgood only played in the finals once (1998). Doesn't make any sense that you exclude the times Roy went to the finals before Osgood was in the league but then include times for Osgood was in the finals 5 or 6 years after Roy retired.

[mmamolo 287]

9. Jonas Hiller

10. Ryan Miller

11. Steve Mason

12. Ilya Bryzgalov

15. Pekka Rinne

I would say all those guys are less proven than Thomas. Yeah the guy has some anger issues and messes up when he's being pushed... I think of Boston right now as how I thought of Detroit from 03-06. Great squad, tons of talent, good goaltending... but the offense needs to be there for them to advance, or they wont. The goaltending is almost a footnote.

Well now we're gettign into a different discussion. I was only commenting on the Bruins team play in reference to their playoff exit. Going back to my original post the teams in front of the goalies had nothign to do with my ranking. Experience is one of the factors I thought about but it wasn't the only thing that determined the order. Thomas has never been outside of the 2nd round. If I'm not mistaken Miller was in net when the Sabres went to the ECF in 2006. Plus, I think Hiller and Mason did more single handedly for their teams this year than Thomas.

Again, I'll give Thomas credit where credit is due but with his age, experience, inconsistent play for the bulk of his career I would rather the potential that Hiller, Miller, Mason, Bryzgalov and Rinne exhibit over the final 2-4 seasons Thomas has left.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Well now we're gettign into a different discussion. I was only commenting on the Bruins team play in reference to their playoff exit. Going back to my original post the teams in front of the goalies had nothign to do with my ranking. Experience is one of the factors I thought about but it wasn't the only thing that determined the order. Thomas has never been outside of the 2nd round. If I'm not mistaken Miller was in net when the Sabres went to the ECF in 2006. Plus, I think Hiller and Mason did more single handedly for their teams this year than Thomas.

Again, I'll give Thomas credit where credit is due but with his age, experience, inconsistent play for the bulk of his career I would rather the potential that Hiller, Miller, Mason, Bryzgalov and Rinne exhibit over the final 2-4 seasons Thomas has left.

Ah my apologies, I thought this was a here and now list. I'd take Thomas over many goalies for next year alone... but if I'm thinking long term I'd certainly take a younger guy like Hiller or Mason.

[mmamolo 287]

Ah my apologies, I thought this was a here and now list. I'd take Thomas over many goalies for next year alone... but if I'm thinking long term I'd certainly take a younger guy like Hiller or Mason.

No sweat. Truth be told I made it as both a here and now list and a long term list. Each was a factor in my ranking. For me to take Thomas over some of those younger guys he would have to be that much better than them because of the potential the yougner guys have, the age they are, and so on.

But we can agree to disagree. Despite what Thomas did this year even if it was just for one season I think I'd rather Hiller than Thomas.

[Finnish Wing 110]

I don't understand why Kari Lehtonen isn't in any of your top15 -lists. I mean, many people just don't understand how good goalie he really is.

About Kipper. I personally think he's going to be great next season again. I wouldn't put guys like Bryzgalov ahead of him even now.

[mmamolo 287]

I don't understand why Kari Lehtonen isn't in any of your top15 -lists. I mean, many people just don't understand how good goalie he really is.

About Kipper. I personally think he's going to be great next season again. I wouldn't put guys like Bryzgalov ahead of him even now.

You just want Lehtonen in the top 15 because he's Finnish right? ha I'm only joking. I actualyl do really like him and think he's really good but ever since the Thrashers made the playoffs and got whipped he hasn't impressed much. I do thin khe has a lot of potential still but I don't think he has come along as much as I think he should have to this point in his career. But I did consider him for my list.

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

let's see Thomas has one great year and all of a sudden he's Jesus Christ! that's the first thing that tells me this list is BS! secondly WHERE'S OZZIE??!?!!

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

1. Martin Brodeur

2. Roberto Luongo

3. Henrik Lundqvist

4. Niklas Backstrom

5. Tim Thomas

6. Steve Mason

7. Chris Osgood

8. Marc-Andre Fleury

9. Cam Ward

10. Evgeni Nabokov

11. Miikka Kiprusoff

12. Ryan Miller

13. Jonas Hiller

14. Marty Turco

15. Tomas Vokoun

[Finnish Wing 110]

You just want Lehtonen in the top 15 because he's Finnish right? ha I'm only joking. I actualyl do really like him and think he's really good but ever since the Thrashers made the playoffs and got whipped he hasn't impressed much. I do thin khe has a lot of potential still but I don't think he has come along as much as I think he should have to this point in his career. But I did consider him for my list.

Yeah, I mean the guy has this huge potential but it's being wasted in the Thrashers. He could be so much more. I just hope he won't move to KHL anywhere soon. How about Wings & Lehtonen after few years? Wings have often been the team were players finally reach their potential.

[mmamolo 287]

Yeah, I mean the guy has this huge potential but it's being wasted in the Thrashers. He could be so much more. I just hope he won't move to KHL anywhere soon. How about Wings & Lehtonen after few years? Wings have often been the team were players finally reach their potential.

It's funny, when Lehtonen first broke into the league I used to always put him on the Red Wings when playing video games. It wouldnt be a bad idea in my mind for Lehtonen and the Wings to work somethign out in the future but I think it's pretty unlikely. Who knows though

[mmamolo 287]

let's see Thomas has one great year and all of a sudden he's Jesus Christ! that's the first thing that tells me this list is BS! secondly WHERE'S OZZIE??!?!!

ha ha Thank you! Although I would say he had two good years but still. I persaonlly think he's overrated.

[eva unit zero 271]

1. Martin Brodeur

2. Roberto Luongo

3. Henrik Lundqvist

4. Niklas Backstrom

5. Tim Thomas

6. Steve Mason

7. Chris Osgood

8. Marc-Andre Fleury

9. Cam Ward

10. Evgeni Nabokov

11. Miikka Kiprusoff

12. Ryan Miller

13. Jonas Hiller

14. Marty Turco

15. Tomas Vokoun

Ok...a couple questions about how some players are ranked.

Kiprusoff:

Reg season; 2.84 GAA, .903 Sv%, 29.3 shots/60 min

Playoffs: 3.52 GAA, 8.84 Sv%, 30.5 shots/60 min

Turco:

Reg season; 2.81 GAA, .898 Sv%, 27.6 shots/60 min

Playoffs: No playoff stats

Vokoun:

Reg season; 2.49 GAA, .926 Sv%, 33.5 shots/60 min

Playoffs: No playoff stats

Nabokov:

Reg season; 2.44 GAA, .910 Sv%, 27.1 shots/60 min

Playoffs: 2.82 GAA, 8.90 Sv%, 25.8 shots/60 min

Vokoun's team was pretty horrible as evidenced by the fact that they allowed so many shots and were one of the worst offensive teams in the league. But Vokoun carried them almost to the playoffs; they only missed the playoffs due to head to head games vs Montreal, which is the third tiebreaker in playoff seeding.

I mean, since making the playoffs seems to be the only reason you would have ranked him so low, why not just scratch him, Miller, and Turco from the list and add in Chris Mason, Nikolai Khabibulin, and Semyon Varlamov since their teams made the playoffs and they were the best goalies on the team.

[mmamolo 287]

Marty Turco Playoff Stats:

GP47 W21 L26 T0 OT0 SO4 GA112 SA1,305 SV%.914 GAA2.17

Tomas Vokoun PLayoff Stats:

GP11 W3 L8 T0 OT0 SO1 GA28 SA360 SV%.922 GAA2.47

[j.hoop 64]

this guys lists are bulls***. hes in the school of thought that dats wont/shouldnt win another selke simply because "the nhl is tired of him winning it". to me , that strips all credibility of his opinion right there.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

this guys lists are bulls***. hes in the school of thought that dats wont/shouldnt win another selke simply because "the nhl is tired of him winning it". to me , that strips all credibility of his opinion right there.

And that has to do with what in a goalie thread?

[Duckboy6 0]

1) Martin Brodeur

2)Roberto Luongo

3)Niklas Backstrom

4)Tim Thomas

5)Cam Ward

6)Jonas Hiller

7)Chris Osgood

8)Carey Price

9)Steve Mason

10)Henrik Lundqvist

11) Mark-Andre Fleury

12)Evgeni Nabokov

13) Tomas Vokoun

14)J.S. Giguere

15)Iyla Bryzgalov

[numberthirtynine 0]

lists like this are always fun. taking into account reg season and playoffs...

15. Miika Kiprusoff. Still dunno how to spell that first name and I live in Calgary. Had one good year, and keeps dropping. Only thing keeping him on here is that he's sometimes the only thing keeping Calgary in it. But sometimes lets in weak ones. Just a hair ahead of someone like Lehtonen here.

14. Marc Andre Fleury. Spectacularly overrated. Just happens to play on a team that the league wanted desperately to win. Also plays in the ugly contest that is the Eastern Conf, with a team that only had one real challenge. Should've easily lost the Cup if it wasn't for Bettman's Crosby boner.

13. Steve Mason. Overrated to me. Had a good rookie campaign but the Jackets tightened up D under Hitchcock did most of the work and Mason got ALL of the credit. Was quietly inconsistent too. Should be no where near team canada.

12. Thomas Vokoun. Hugely underrated goalie. Just played on a team of playoff chokers but was a wall and usually is, even in Florida, which is impressive as hell.

11. Nik Khabibulin. Playing great, and at his age, after bad seasons, that's rare. Good for him. Edmonton will make sure he's never on a list of mine again though. God awful team that'll sink his stats and career.

10. Ryan Miller. Is what it is. Has been talked abotu alot of this board.

9. Evgeni Nabokov. only reason SJ doesn't get eliminated even sooner half the time. most of the time he's the only one who doesn't disappear.

8. Henrik Lundqvist. I almost feel I should put him higher. Best goalie of the opening round of the postseason. Got screwed by his team.

7. Nicklas Backstrom. Raw talent. Would succeed anywhere like someone else said. Pure reflex. They don't make 'em like that anymore, sadly. Not enough postseason play to rakn him higher btu I would if I could.

6. Cam Ward. Good to see he's finally getting his due credit. A real talent and a good playoff goalie.

5. Martin Brodeur. Very good, but overrated. Hasn't done a damn thing in half a decade-coincidentally the last time he had a powerhouse team. Has always needed those teams and defenses.

4. Jonas Hiller. This kid is spectacular. I'd kill to have him in a Wings jersey.

3. Tim Thomas. I know Bs fans who still hate this guy for no reason other than being older, unorthodox and coming out of nowhere. He's damn talented, I can tell just by watching.

2. Chris Osgood. The most clutch goalie playing hockey today. Took Hasek's place on that throne right when he retired. We all saw what he did, I dunno why some ignore it, even here. Should be Canada's goalie, bar none due to his playoff play.

1. Roberto Luongo. Despite his crash and burn against Chicago, which I am blaming on him because he blew it, he's still the best goalie in the league. Only 1 because of counting reg and postseason. Would be 2 and Ozzie would be 1 if it was just postseason.

left off turco, rinne and giguere. giggy's a hack. was always overrated, and now that he's not even playing shouldn't be on here. turco's a system goalie. bad dallas team? horrid turco. good dallas team? great looking turco. and rinne has got no PO play to speak of, and unlike lehtonen, is a little newer.

Edited September 2, 2009 by numberthirtynine