Marc-Andre Fleury recently passed Patrick Roy with the 2nd most wins in NHL history. A well-deserved honor for sure. But who is the greatest goalie of all time?
I don’t know how the answer could be anybody other than Patrick Roy. Sure, Roy is now 3rd all-time in most career wins and many of his other records have already been broken. But let’s break it down a bit…
Patrick Roy retired at the age of 37. At the time of his retirement, he was one of, if not the best goaltender in the league. In comparison, Martin Brodeur who holds the majority of goaltender records played until he was 42 years old. Brodeur stooped so low to serve as the backup / 3rd string goalie for the St. Louis Blues. Fleury is still playing at 40 years old. Although he is productive, he is a shell of his former self. What I’m trying to say is Roy went out at the top of his game by choice rather than being forced out due to skill level.
Patrick Roy played in an era where ties were the norm. Tie games were not eliminated in the NHL until well after Roy retired. How many extra wins would Roy have if he was part of the overtime and shootout rules of today’s NHL?
The most important argument for Patrick Roy as the greatest goaltender of all time – Stanley Cups. Roy has 4 Stanley Cup rings, and he played a major part in each of the championships. Brodeur has 3. By the way – Roy beat Brodeur when the Avalanche faced the Devils in the 2001 Stanley Cup. Fleury has 3 rings, but he wasn’t even the starting goalie for all of those championships. Roy has won 3 Conn Smythe trophies as playoff MVP compared to Brodeur and Fleury who have zero. Sounds like Roy was at his best when it mattered most!
I rest my case – Patrick Roy is the greatest goalie of all time!
Who do you think is the greatest goalie in NHL history. Comment below:
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