Between the pipes, legends are made. From miraculous saves to playoff shutouts, goaltenders have a special way of stealing the spotlight when it matters most. Some became household names for their iconic masks, others for their absurd longevity, and a few for redefining what it meant to be dominant in the crease.
This list celebrates the most legendary goalies the NHL has ever seen. From pioneers of the butterfly style to stone-cold playoff performers, these 15 netminders stopped time with their greatness.
15. Tom Barrasso
Barrasso made a splash straight out of high school and never looked back. With two Cups and a Calder Trophy, he was ahead of his time in both talent and attitude.
14. Billy Smith
If toughness counted as a save stat, Smith would lead the league. He backstopped the Islanders’ dynasty and never backed down from a scrap or a Game 7.
13. Grant Fuhr
Fuhr wasn’t always about the stats — he was about the moment. When you needed a save during Edmonton’s wild west run-and-gun era, Fuhr came up clutch.
12. Johnny Bower
Playing well into his 40s, Bower was as old-school as it gets. He thrived in the pre-mask era and still found a way to win four Stanley Cups.
11. Tony Esposito
With his signature butterfly style and quirky mask, Tony O changed how goalies played. He racked up the shutouts and helped bring swagger to Chicago’s crease.
10. Bernie Parent
For two magical years, Parent was simply unbeatable. His back-to-back Conn Smythes were the stuff of Philly legend, and Broad Street loved him for it.
9. Turk Broda
Broda was Toronto’s reliable rock during the Original Six era. A two-time Vezina winner and five-time Cup champ, he knew how to get the job done.
8. Carey Price
At his peak, Price made stopping pucks look like poetry. Injuries may have shortened his dominance, but his calm demeanor and elite play made him a modern icon.
7. Ed Belfour
The Eagle was intense, eccentric, and incredibly effective. With a Cup, Vezina, and Olympic gold, he brought fire and flair to every crease he guarded.
6. Rogie Vachon
One of the most underrated legends, Vachon quietly stacked wins and hardware across multiple franchises. He was clutch in international play and carried teams through tough stretches.
5. Ken Dryden
Dryden had a short but spectacular career — six Cups in just eight seasons. He always looked like he was thinking three steps ahead, because he probably was.
4. Jacques Plante
More than just a goalie, Plante was a pioneer. He introduced the goalie mask to the NHL and revolutionized the position while collecting a mountain of Vezina Trophies.
3. Patrick Roy
The king of confidence and clutch, Roy basically invented the modern playoff goalie narrative. He won everywhere he went and made butterfly goaltending the standard.
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2. Dominik Hasek
No one played like Hasek, and no one could figure him out. His unorthodox style and freakish reflexes made him a brick wall, especially during his MVP-level years in Buffalo.
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1. Martin Brodeur
The ultimate combination of skill, longevity, and consistency, Brodeur set the gold standard. With records galore and a puck-handling game that changed everything, he’s the goalie all others are measured against.
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