Who has played in the NHL the most? Howe, Gordie? Antoine Gretzky Robert Orr?
No matter the criterion used, ranking players in any sport or area always sparks discussion. The ranking of players is fun. It provokes thought.
Lists may also be used to identify patterns. Recently, the NHL Network issued a list of the top 10 goalies in the league, and that is what occurred. Some people noted right away that the 37-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury is the lone Canadian on the list. He ranks ten. In the top five are three Russians. The sport’s geographical landscape has altered. It has a cycle. Do you remember when Finnish goalies were popular?
The NHL Network also brought to our attention a fact that hasn’t gotten much attention: in the previous 14 months, four historically significant goalies have retired. Only a few of the men on the list for today are there right now, but they all will be.
The NHL Network’s lack of “Wow” performances was what I noticed initially. Where are the experienced players with auras, the goalies with a history, a recognisable name, and a solid reputation?
Is Juuse Saros truly the NHL’s top-ranked goalie?
I am aware of how well he has performed since taking over as the No. 1 goalkeeper for the Predators. According to my analysis, he ought to be ranked third. The only thing I want to say is that we don’t know the list’s participants as well as we know the top goalies from prior years. We always feel better at ease among people we know.
The reality is that in the last 13 months, we have lost four important goalies to retirement. The 14-month retirement of Pekka Rinne. 13 months ago, Henrik Lundqvist announced his departure. Six months ago, Tuukka Rask said farewell. Kent Hughes, the general manager of Montreal, reportedly said Carey Price should retire.
These goalies have remarkable résumés, Stanley Cup Final appearances, and Vezina Awards. We consider those goalies to be close pals. Furthermore, it doesn’t seem like 32-year-old Braden Holtby will be fit enough to play this season. He has a Stanley Cup ring, a Vezina, and a solid résumé. He could leave us forever. Five goalies with well-known names would no longer be playing.
How soon will Fleury realise that enough is enough?
The goalies that made the NHL Network’s best goalkeeper list this season are all top-notch keepers. Their prime times are still ahead of them for the majority of them. But that list made me realise how much I still miss the goalies who had just retired.
The weekly journal:
- On September 15, 1987, precisely 25 years ago, Canada defeated the Soviet Union 6-5 thanks to a goal from Mario Lemieux that was assisted by Wayne Gretzky. With that, the Canada Cup gold medal was secured. One of the most enduring goals in hockey history, so to speak.
We can detect or confirm good goalies who are playing for bad clubs thanks to advanced data. For instance, of the top 15 NHL goalies in goals against above average last season, only two non-playoff goalies were Elvis Merzlikins of Columbus and Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg. Forsberg ranked 11th in that area on IcyData.com with a +39.5, while Merzlikins came in at +33.20. Six NHL goalies were the only ones above 50.
- There was backlash when the Nashville Predators hired veteran Chicago goalkeeper Kevin Lankinen for a single season as Juuse Saros’ backup. Talented 25-year-old Connor Ingram is probably still on the agenda. He has no more choices. Also in North America is the team’s top goaltender prospect, Yaroslav Askarov. How many games do Ingram and Askarov play in the event that Ingram clears waivers and is moved to Milwaukee. The Predators want Askarov to get used to playing hockey in North America.
- Left-handed defensemen Roman Josi, Ryan McDonagh, and Mattias Ekholm provide another difficulty for Nashville. It is clear that none of the players are in the third pairing. McDonagh is a solid right-side player. Who does Ekholm play with if we pair him with Josi? Most likely Alexandre Carrier, who played 20.59 minutes on average per game last year. The Predators selected Dante Fabbro in the first round of the 2016 draught, but he hasn’t yet matured into the versatile defenceman they had anticipated. Before the trade deadline, you could see the Predators looking for another top-four defender.
- Despite the fact that Russia is at war, not all North American athletes have refused to play there. Ryan Spooner, Brandon Kozun, and Curtis Valk are all among the top 10 scorers through the first six games with five goals and three assists each. In 11th place is American defender Joseph Duszak (seven assists). Cedric Paquette, a former NHL player (four goals, two assists), is ranked 14.
- Here are some famous players that will attend NHL training camps on Professional Tryout Offers (PTOs), for those keeping count at home:
- Derick Brassard and Michael Dal Colle from Ottawa
- Thomas Hickey and Zach Senyshyn from New Jersey
- Rangers of New York: Jimmy Visey
- Scott Harrington, SJ
- Daniel Sprong of Seattle
- Tyler Pitlick, from St. Louis
- Zach Acton-Reese, Toronto
- Toronto’s Danny DeKeyser
Jake Virtanen and PK Subban may possibly be added to that list.
- it’s encouraging to see that Kyle Beach, a former first-round choice of the Chicago Blackhawks, has taken a job at Trinity Western University as an assistant hockey coach. Beach and the Chicago Blackhawks settled their legal dispute in the latter part of last year. After being sexually attacked by a former Chicago Blackhawks video coach in 2010, Beach, 32, filed a lawsuit. He never participated in a Blackhawks game. Beach played his last season of professional hockey with the TecArt Black Dragons in the German League, scoring 50 points and scoring 27 goals.
- Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the late Maurice “Rocket” Richard’s retirement. In his 18 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, he won eight Stanley Cups. In 1944-45, he played 50 games and scored 50 goals.
- Several clubs reportedly want to give Jake Virtanen a PTO to go to training camp. This summer, a sexual assault charge against the former Vancouver Canucks player for an event that happened five years ago was dismissed. The last time the Canucks used the first-round selection from 2014 was in 2020–21. He participated in the Kontinental Hockey League’s previous season with Moscow Spartak. 18 goals were scored by Virtanen during the Canucks’ greatest season.
- Which goalkeeper did you acquire this offseason? The Ottawa Senators with Cam Talbot or the Edmonton Oilers with Jack Campbell? Although I loved both purchases, Talbot for Ottawa simply seems natural. Of course, Talbot won’t be under nearly as much pressure from a hungry Oilers club as Campbell is.
- The Detroit Red Wings’ inability to reach an agreement with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi may not be good news. Next summer, both players will be eligible for unrestricted free agency. Larkin is the captain of Detroit and a beloved local hero. Although it was anticipated that the negotiations would go well, training camp is quickly approaching. It is not yet complete. There has been no indication that an agreement is imminent.
- This week, Zdeno Chara made a funny stop to the Boston Bruins’ practise facility before the neighbourhood press realised he wasn’t there to sign with his old club. There is no contract in place for Chara for the next NHL season.
- Richard Brodeur, happy birthday. On today’s birthday, the former NHL and WHA goalkeeper turned 70. In the World Hockey Association, King Richard represented the Quebec Nordiques. His eight seasons with the Vancouver Canucks are the ones for which he is most remembered. In 1982, Brodeur significantly contributed to the Canucks’ ability to get to the Stanley Cup Final.
The New York Islanders, who were in the middle of a four-year winning streak, defeated the Vancouver Canucks. Brodeur adopted painting as a new hobby after retiring. He offers his creations on his website brodeurartist.com