Goaltending in hockey is likely the most demanding position on the ice.
A great goalie can be the difference between a Stanley Cup in your cupboard and a 10-0 loss.
Throughout NHL history, there have been many awesome goalies who have carried their teams on their shoulders, making the big saves, shutting out teams, and redefining what it means to be a big boy in the pads..
Best NHL Goalies All-Time
While forwards get the glory and girls, goalies stand there in their oversized pads, ready to take all the credit for every puck that doesn’t go in.
They’ll tell you it’s the toughest job in sports—like catching a rubber disc flying at 100 mph is somehow harder than skating backwards for an entire game.
But, hey, they’re a special breed. So, let’s humor them by ranking the top 10 goalies in NHL history
1. Martin Brodeur
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 1,266
- Wins: 691 (Most all-time)
- Shutouts: 125 (Most all-time)
- Save Percentage: .912
- Stanley Cups: 3
Martin Brodeur is regarded as one of the best goaltenders to ever play the game.
Known for his hybrid style, Brodeur combined the butterfly technique with stand-up goaltending to become the NHL’s all-time leader in wins and shutouts.
He was a key figure in the New Jersey Devils’ success, leading the team to three Stanley Cup championships.
Brodeur’s puck-handling skills were unmatched, allowing him to act as a third defenseman.
2. Patrick Roy
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 1,029
- Wins: 551
- Shutouts: 66
- Save Percentage: .910
- Stanley Cups: 4
Patrick Roy, also known as “Saint Patrick,” changed the goaltending position with his butterfly style.
Roy was a four-time Stanley Cup champion, winning twice with the Montreal Canadiens and twice with the Colorado Avalanche.
Known for his clutch playoff moments, Roy won the Conn Smythe Trophy three times as the playoff MVP, the most of any player in NHL history.
3. Dominik Hasek
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 735
- Wins: 389
- Shutouts: 81
- Save Percentage: .922
- Stanley Cups: 2
Dominik Hasek, nicknamed “The Dominator,” was one of the most unconventional yet effective goalies in NHL history.
His unorthodox style and flexibility made him a nightmare for shooters. Hasek’s ability to make acrobatic saves and his dominance during his prime earned him six Vezina Trophies as the league’s best goaltender.
Hasek also won two Hart Trophies as NHL league MVP, a rare achievement for a goalie. He was instrumental in the Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup wins in 2002 and 2008, cementing his legacy as one of the best to ever guard the crease.
4. Terry Sawchuk
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 971
- Wins: 445
- Shutouts: 103
- Save Percentage: .907
- Stanley Cups: 4
Terry Sawchuk was one of the pioneers of modern goaltending, and his influence on the position is still felt today.
Known for his toughness, Sawchuk played in an era where goalies didn’t wear masks, yet he still managed to dominate the league.
He won four Stanley Cups and four Vezina Trophies over his storied career.
Sawchuk’s 103 career shutouts remain one of the highest totals in NHL history, and his longevity make him a true legend of the game.
5. Ken Dryden
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 397
- Wins: 258
- Shutouts: 46
- Save Percentage: .922
- Stanley Cups: 6
Ken Dryden’s career may have been short by NHL standards, but his stature on the game was huge.
Playing just eight seasons, Dryden won six Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and was a five-time Vezina Trophy winner.
Known for his calm and composed style in the net, Dryden was the backbone of one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history. His .922 career save percentage ranks among the best, and his dominance during the 1970s made him one of our best goalies of all time.
6. Jacques Plante
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 837
- Wins: 437
- Shutouts: 82
- Save Percentage: .918
- Stanley Cups: 6
Jacques Plante is maybe best known for being the first goaltender to regularly wear a mask, revolutionizing the position’s safety standards.
But Plante was much more than just an innovator—he was a pretty damn good goalie in his era, winning six Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens.
He was a seven-time Vezina Trophy winner and was known for his ability to play the puck behind the net, a skill that changed future generations of goalies.
7. Glenn Hall
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 906
- Wins: 407
- Shutouts: 84
- Save Percentage: .918
- Stanley Cups: 1
Glenn Hall, known as “Mr. Goalie,” was a trailblazer of the butterfly style, which is now the norm in modern goaltending.
Hall played an incredible 502 consecutive games, a record for goalies that still stands today.
He was a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and a seven-time first-team All-Star.
He was also a key part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup win in 1961.
8. Grant Fuhr
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 868
- Wins: 403
- Shutouts: 25
- Save Percentage: .887
- Stanley Cups: 5
Grant Fuhr was the backbone of the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasty in the 1980s, winning five Stanley Cups with the team.
While his regular-season stats don’t always stand out, Fuhr had an incredible ability to perform in big moments.
His .887 save percentage may seem low, but Fuhr’s clutch performances in the playoffs made him one of the best NHL goalies of his era.
He was a six-time All-Star and won the Vezina Trophy in 1988.
9. Henrik Lundqvist
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 887
- Wins: 459
- Shutouts: 64
- Save Percentage: .918
- Stanley Cups: 0
Henrik Lundqvist, known as “King Henrik,” was the (beautiful/handsome/hunky) face of the New York Rangers for 15 seasons.
Lundqvist was one of the most technically sound and consistent goalies of his era. While he never won a Stanley Cup, Lundqvist finished his career with 459 wins, the most by a European-born goaltender.
He won the Vezina Trophy in 2012 and led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
Lundqvist’s ability to perform at an elite level for over a decade makes him one of the greatest goalies in NHL history.
10. Roberto Luongo
Career Stats:
- Games Played: 1,044
- Wins: 489
- Shutouts: 77
- Save Percentage: .919
- Stanley Cups: 0
Roberto Luongo’s career is filled with individual accolades and highlight packages, even if he never won a Stanley Cup.
Luongo ranks third all-time in wins and second in games played among goalies.
Known for his athleticism and ability to steal games for his team, Luongo was a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist and played a crucial role in Canada’s gold medal victory in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Top 10 NHL Goalies All-Time Statistics
| Player | Games | Wins | Shutouts | Save % | Stanley Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Martin Brodeur | 1,266 | 691 | 125 | 0.912 | 3 |
| 2. Patrick Roy | 1,029 | 551 | 66 | 0.910 | 4 |
| 3. Dominik Hasek | 735 | 389 | 81 | 0.922 | 2 |
| 4. Terry Sawchuk | 971 | 445 | 103 | 0.907 | 4 |
| 5. Ken Dryden | 397 | 258 | 46 | 0.922 | 6 |
| 6. Jacques Plante | 837 | 437 | 82 | 0.918 | 6 |
| 7. Glenn Hall | 906 | 407 | 84 | 0.918 | 1 |
| 8. Grant Fuhr | 868 | 403 | 25 | 0.887 | 5 |
| 9. Henrik Lundqvist | 887 | 459 | 64 | 0.918 | 0 |
| 10. Roberto Luongo | 1,044 | 489 | 77 | 0.919 | 0 |
From Martin Brodeur’s record-setting career to Ken Dryden’s dominance in the 1970s, these 10 goaltenders have earned their place among our greatest in NHL history.
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