Best In Net

[kdmmw]

International I would say Tretiak with Hasek a close second. Professional I say would be tough. Some say Brodeur , but he is probably not even in my top 5. I could of had some of the shutouts he had in Jersey. I would probably go with Roy, But even though I didn't see Plante play in his hay day I think he gets a close second for me. I also like Tony Esposito. He was a game changer too.

[bdiam]

Just as there is no doubt to anyone who ever saw Bobby Orr play about him being the greatest player of all-time, the same holds true with Terry Sawchuk - the greatest goalie who has ever lived - and there really isn't even a close second.

Up until the 90's, goalie equipment was used to protect the goalie - and that was it! From the 90's on, equipment was/is designed to help stop the puck. I have never been in a hockey net facing a 100-mph shot from Bobby Hull while I wore "no mask" but I can only imagine, that if I were to remove the windshield from my vehicle and drive down the freeway, it might be a similar experience.

Different eras, blah, blah, blah. Give Sawchuk a size 55 XXXXL Jersey like Roy wore, giant pads and Garth Snow shoulder pads and he may have never allowed a single goal. It's nice that we can have these debates but once again, I yield to what actual HOF's like Howe, Lindsay, Richard, Hull, etc., etc., etc., used to say about Sawchuk. Yes, he obviously had problems but when you were forced to play goal while you were still concussed from the night before and couldn't say a word about it, we might all be a little messed-up too.

Not positive on the numbers but I believe(?) during a 6-year stretch, Sawchuk had "5" consecutive years with a GAA under 2.00 and around(?) "65"-shutouts. No neutral-zone trap back then, no left-wing lock (i.e.) wide-open game meant plenty of breakaways and point-blank shots. Not sure if it were Ted Lindsay or one of his later Leaf teammates who once said, if Terry weren't playing hurt (concussed), playing with stitches on his face with no mask or dealing with off-ice issues, "nobody" ever would have scored on him - he was that good. I yield to the HOF's. Big thumbs up to Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall as well.

Greatest International goalie - Tretiak. Many people forget but in the early 80's around Christmas time / New Year, the Soviet Union would send over two teams to play games against select NHL teams. The Quebec Nordiques were a very good team who were loaded with talent/scorers. They thru everything at Tretiak and were still shut-out. The next night, they played in Montreal - who were no longer a great team but who still had HOF's like Lafleur, Shutt, etc. Montreal thru everything at Tretiak and were again - shut-out. To this day, probably the best two games that I ever saw a goalie play - nobody could get a marble by Tretiak those nights. Everyone points to the "famous" 3-3 tie with Montreal years earlier as a great game but truthfully, that game was a dog. The Soviets were hung-over, they were outshot something like 35-13, Tretiak was solid and Dryden a siv.

[creasecollector]

Just as there is no doubt to anyone who ever saw Bobby Orr play about him being the greatest player of all-time, the same holds true with Terry Sawchuk - the greatest goalie who has ever lived - and there really isn't even a close second.

Up until the 90's, goalie equipment was used to protect the goalie - and that was it! From the 90's on, equipment was/is designed to help stop the puck. I have never been in a hockey net facing a 100-mph shot from Bobby Hull while I wore "no mask" but I can only imagine, that if I were to remove the windshield from my vehicle and drive down the freeway, it might be a similar experience.

Different eras, blah, blah, blah. Give Sawchuk a size 55 XXXXL Jersey like Roy wore, giant pads and Garth Snow shoulder pads and he may have never allowed a single goal. It's nice that we can have these debates but once again, I yield to what actual HOF's like Howe, Lindsay, Richard, Hull, etc., etc., etc., used to say about Sawchuk. Yes, he obviously had problems but when you were forced to play goal while you were still concussed from the night before and couldn't say a word about it, we might all be a little messed-up too.

Not positive on the numbers but I believe(?) during a 6-year stretch, Sawchuk had "5" consecutive years with a GAA under 2.00 and around(?) "65"-shutouts. No neutral-zone trap back then, no left-wing lock (i.e.) wide-open game meant plenty of breakaways and point-blank shots. Not sure if it were Ted Lindsay or one of his later Leaf teammates who once said, if Terry weren't playing hurt (concussed), playing with stitches on his face with no mask or dealing with off-ice issues, "nobody" ever would have scored on him - he was that good. I yield to the HOF's. Big thumbs up to Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall as well.

Greatest International goalie - Tretiak. Many people forget but in the early 80's around Christmas time / New Year, the Soviet Union would send over two teams to play games against select NHL teams. The Quebec Nordiques were a very good team who were loaded with talent/scorers. They thru everything at Tretiak and were still shut-out. The next night, they played in Montreal - who were no longer a great team but who still had HOF's like Lafleur, Shutt, etc. Montreal thru everything at Tretiak and were again - shut-out. To this day, probably the best two games that I ever saw a goalie play - nobody could get a marble by Tretiak those nights. Everyone points to the "famous" 3-3 tie with Montreal years earlier as a great game but truthfully, that game was a dog. The Soviets were hung-over, they were outshot something like 35-13, Tretiak was solid and Dryden a siv.

Nice points here. I wasn't around to see Sawchuk play, but I can only imagine what it what like to see goalies take those kinds of shots with no masks & barely any equipment !

[Devlin]

Goalie with no mask, last one , Andy Brown , late 60's early 70's
Mostly Ahl, may have had a cup of coffee in the nhl.