Who is, pound for pound, the best hockey goalie playing in the NHL right now? Not based on actual stats (GAA, for example, can be affected by team defense), but actual ability: technique, positioning, reflexes, stick-handling, etc. as well as attitude.
Hasek has incredible reflexes, but his technique sucks. Belfour is good all-around, but he’s a total flake. Brodeur plays behind a solid defense. Khabibulin? Selfish jerk. Nabokov’s too new to tell.
I like Curtis Joseph, but I don’t see enough of him on the West Coast to really tell. Patrick Roy has always had talent in front of him, but he’s always impressed me.
Opinions?
I think you could make a good case for Tommy Salo in Edmonton. I see the Oilers playing here all the time, and believe me, they don’t know the meaning of the word “defence”; often he is left totally to his own devices. He has fast reflexes, and almost superhuman agility. Also, he has proven to be a “money” goalie, getting the wins when they are absolutely critical.
I would probably go with Roy. Probably Hasek before his injury last year, though I also believe he has less left in the tank than Roy. Second choice would probably be Brodeur.
I must say that I don’t understand some of the reasons given in the OP: Belfour’s a flake, Khabibulin a jerk. So what? Unless the question is one of liking goalies, or that their personality negatively impacts their performance or their teammates’ performance, I’m not sure why it’s relevant.
I also don’t understand the criticism of Hasek’s technique. As long as he gets the job done, his technique doesn’t seem to be relevant (He actually would have been my FIRST choice but for his age and injuries).
The above isn’t meant to be critical, rather it’s a genuine question.
I do agree that Nabakov is too new and Brodeur and Roy’s stats are helped by their teams.
One of the attributes I listed in the OP was attitude. If you’ve ever participated in team sports, you know how important chemistry is to a team.
Take the NFL, for example. IMO, Rob Johnson of the Buffalo Bills has more inate ability and is physically superior to Doug Flutie, but who do the Bills players seem to support and gel for when their backs are against the wall? Flutie is a team player and his teammates know it. And they play their hearts out for the guy.
If I played defense for someone like Khabibulin, it wouldn’t shatter me if he got shellacked once in a while, just to keep him humble. I would hate it if I played in front of Joseph and allowed a player to go around me and score.
No criticism implied. The Dominator is actually the most enjoyable goalie I’ve seen play since the days of Vachon and Esposito. But I have to include technical skill because, once Hasek loses an edge in his reaction time and his reflexes start to fade, he’s sunk. You’ve seen it a million times with a million flash-in-the-pan goalies (not that Hasek is a flash, of course…he’s proven himself time and again). While it’s been stated by Dom himself and others, if he had learned proper technique and positioning, he probably wouldn’t be anything but average…but by playing by instinct, he’s incredible.
Still, ever wonder what if he had had been tutored by someone like Francois Allaire or Bernie Parent?
It’s frightening.
I’m gonna say Roy.
Belfour is a flake not only in terms of attitude, but in performance. He’s either awesome or sucks, there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground in his performances.
Nabokov seems to be talented, but I live in San Jose, so I’m biased.
I always thought Roman Turek was pretty talented, but I’m a chick, so who knows?!
I have to go with Brodeur for overall best.
Roy is great but I have to question whether it’s all him or the combo of him and his team.
Hasek is a great goalie, no disputing that. However, his attitude toward being a team player leaves something to be desired at times. There’s that and his injuries to consider.
Martin Brodeur is simply a fantastic player.
Khabibulin - as the OP said, is a selfish jerk. Not much of a “love of the game” attitude when you’re willing to sit out (coming up on) 2 years.
Belfour - Yeah, Crazy Eddie is, is like his nick implies, crazy.
Hasek - His technique is terrible. Makes me wonder if he’ll do what Bobby Orr did to the position of defenseman and set goaltending back ten years. (It was said that since Orr would carry the puck, young kids would try to emulate him and it set the position of defense back ten years).
Turek - To be the best overall goaltender you have to show up in the playoffs. Letting in flukey goals in an elimination game is not the best way to stake your claim to fame.
Roy - Barry Melrose says he’s the best money goaltender, I think so too. He’s kind of crazy (talks to his posts), but I guess that’s the mentality when you let people shoot hard rubber disks at you.
Nabokov - I’ve only seen highlights, but he looks good. So did Blaine Lacher a couple years ago, we’ll have to wait and see if he (Nabokov) can stick around.
Brodeur - He has a great defense and the team plays the trap, so that definitely helps.
So overall I’d say Roy.
Roy - Barry Melrose says he’s the best money goaltender, I think so too. He’s kind of crazy (talks to his posts), but I guess that’s the mentality when you let people shoot hard rubber disks at you.
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Goalies in any sport are known to be a little off. (Me and my girlfriend are both goalies. Her for soccer me for Hockey and yes I’d say we’re both a little strange.)
That being said Roy has great technique always has the team behind him. Knows that the posts are his friend and uses his head to beat you just as much as he uses that quick Glove. His worst problem is that he can get too aggressive and overchase the puck/turn it over and get out of position from trying to be too “offensive”.
Brodeur and Belfour are good. CuJo is certainly a fine goaltender but I wouldn’t say the best.
By how the goalie is defined I’d say Richter fits into this category. His team is always behind him and he has great technique.
I hate to say it (I REALLY don’t like this guy) but keep an eye on Luongo, too. We may be popping his name into this conversation in a few years.
Well, since I have season tickets to San Jose, tonight I saw Roy vs. Nabokov…
Roy is still the best, in my mind.
Fair enough. What you’re pretty much saying is that a goalie’s bad attitude might negatively impact his teammates’ performance (one of the two qualifiers I initially gave). I accept this.
I agree with this, too, though UNTIL he loses his edge, I’m not sure it’s fair to count his lack of technical skill against him. Even so, I’m wary enough of his age and his injury last year that I’d rather have Brodeur or Roy.
I think that all of the goalies mentioned are reasonable choices, though I personally believe that Salo, Nabakov, Turek and Luongo have to perform at a high level for a few more years before I put them up there with Roy, Hasek and Brodeur.
I’d have to go with Roy. Yes hes got a good team infront of him, but when it comes to clutch goaltending, Roy is where it is at. Broduer is also a good keeper (trap, cough cough), but I’d take Roy. Something about him, along with the two cup rings.