There have been plenty of legendary goalies in NHL history. Let’s take a look at Sleeper's ranking of the top 10 to ever do it.
In the world of hockey, goaltenders play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of games and the success of their teams. This article aims to celebrate the greatest NHL goalies of all time by providing an in-depth look at the top legends based on their career wins and overall impact on the sport.
By exploring their achievements, statistics and defining moments, the goal of our ranking is to engage both die-hard hockey fans and casual readers alike.
Top 10 Best NHL Goalies of All Time: Wins and Legacy
Goaltending is perhaps the most important job in hockey. If a team can’t score it can’t win, and the goalie is the last line of defense.
There have been plenty of great goalies over the years as the game and position have evolved. While it’s tough to compare players from different eras, there is a clear hierarchy of some of the best goalies of all time.
What Makes a Goalie the Greatest?
Ultimately, a goalie’s job is to keep the puck out of the net and help their team win games. Goalies are judged based on wins, saves, save percentage, shutouts, playoff performances and overall impact on their teams.
The All-Time Greats: The Top 10 Goalies
10. Tony Esposito - 423 Wins
Tony Esposito won 423 games in his 16-year career, primarily for the Chicago Blackhawks. After playing 13 games in the 1968-69 season for the Montreal Canadiens, Esposito went on to play 15 years in Chicago where he racked up three Vezina Trophies and was a five-time All-Star.
The Hall of Fame goalie is one of the best of all time and is well remembered for his time in Chicago.
9. Jacques Plante - 437 Wins
Jacques Plante is another old-time goalie, starting his career in the 1952-53 season with the Montreal Canadiens. Plante played the first five years of his career in Montreal where he won the Vezina Trophy six times, including five consecutive from 1956 to 1960.
Plante went on to play for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins to finish out his NHL career. He won the Stanley Cup six times, the Hart Trophy once in 1962 and was a seven-time All Star.
Plante was the first NHL goalie to wear a mask full-time starting in the 1959 season.
8. Terry Sawchuk - 445 Wins
Terry Sawchuk played for five different teams during his 21-year career from 1949 to 1970, when his career and life were cut short following an altercation with a teammate.
During his career, Sawchuk was a four-time Stanley Cup winner and won the Vezina Trophy four times as well. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971 following his tragic death in 1970.
Sawchuk played 14 years for the Detroit Red Wings, three in Toronto, two in Boston, and one with both the Kings and Rangers.
7. Curtis Joseph - 454
Curtis Joseph is our first modern goalie on the list. Although he never won any hardware outside of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2000, Joseph had a long career with six different teams.
"Cujo" is perhaps most remembered as a Toronto Maple Leaf where he played five seasons, but he played for longer (six years) with the St. Louis Blues. He also played in Edmonton, Detroit, Phoenix, and Calgary.
The goaltender was consistent throughout his 19-year career from 1989 to 2009.
6. Henrik Lundqvist - 459
We’re getting even more modern now with Henrik Lundqvist. The New York Rangers legend spent his entire 15-year career in The Big Apple before attempting one final season with the Washington Capitals that ultimately didn’t come to fruition due to a health issue.
Lundqvist was one of the best goalies in the league throughout his entire career despite only winning one Vezina Trophy. He was the backbone of the Rangers and was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2023.
5. Ed Belfour - 484 Wins
Ed Belfour was a well-decorated goalie throughout his 17-year career. He won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and had one of the best rookie seasons as a goalie in the 1990-91 season when he won the Calder Trophy and Vezina Trophy while finishing third in Hart Trophy voting.
Belfour started his career in Chicago before a brief stint in San Jose. He then went to Dallas for five years and finished his career with three seasons in Toronto and one in Florida.
4. Roberto Luongo - 489 Wins
Roberto Luongo played 19 years in the NHL for three different teams. He started his career with the New York Islanders for one season before his first stint with the Florida Panthers.
Luongo played 11 seasons with Florida that bookended eight years with the Vancouver Canucks. Although he never won the Stanley Cup, Luongo is looked at fondly as one of the best goalies of the 2000s and 2010s.
3. Patrick Roy - 551 Wins
We’re now getting into the very top tier of NHL goalies. Roy was tremendous during his 19-year NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche.
Roy won the Stanley Cup four times to go along with three Vezina Trophies, five Jennings Trophies, and he was named the best player of the playoffs three times to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The legend helped revolutionize the goaltender position while playing in a few different eras from 1984 to 2003.
2. Marc-Andre Fleury - 573 Wins and Counting
Marc-Andre Fleury is a modern legend. He’s playing the final year of his career in the 2024-25 NHL season after a storied 20-plus years in the league.
Fleury has won the Stanley Cup three times with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he played the first 13 years of his career. He then spent four years with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights and a part of a season with the Chicago Blackhawks before finishing out his career with the Minnesota Wild.
1. Martin Brodeur - 691 Wins
Martin Brodeur has one of the more untouchable records for goalies with an impressive 691 wins in his 22-year career.
Brodeur spent the first 21 years of his career with the New Jersey Devils, winning the Stanley Cup three times to go along with four Vezina Trophies.
Brodeur not only holds the record for the most wins but has the most saves in NHL history as well with 28,928 and a whopping 125 shutouts – 22 more than Sawchuk’s 103 in second place.
How to Choose the Best Goalie for Your Fantasy Hockey Team
It’s important to look at a few different factors when choosing a goalie for your fantasy hockey team. Most importantly, you want a goalie that plays on a good team. Wins are very important and good teams not only rack up victories but should be strong defensively to keep the goals against number down as well.
However, you may also be able to get a good goalie on a more mediocre team that can get a decent number of wins and more saves as his team may allow more shots than the top teams in the league.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is considered the greatest NHL goalie of all time?
Martin Brodeur is largely considered the greatest NHL goalie of all time due to his number of wins and shutouts.
Who is the best goalkeeper of all time in hockey?
Martin Brodeur holds various records as the best goalkeeper of all time.
How do modern analytics affect goalie evaluations?
The recent introduction of expected goals and goals saved above average have added a wrinkle to goaltending evaluation. These stats help highlight some overlooked goalies on bad teams.
Who is the best goalie in the NHL?
Some of the best goalies in today’s NHL are Connor Hellbuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Which current goalies are on track to become legends?
Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Sergei Bobrovsky and Igor Shesterkin are among the current goalies who are on track to become legends.
Enhance Your Fantasy Hockey Knowledge with Sleeper!
You should now have a better understanding of some of the best goalies in the league today as well as some of the best legends of all time. Understanding goaltenders can help develop winning strategies for your fantasy hockey leagues.
Make sure you join Sleeper by signing up on the website or downloading the app where you can track players, monitor team matchups, and stay updated on the latest news around the NHL.
