The competitive nature of the National Hockey League breeds conversations about the best. Whether it be players, coaches, staff, even arena design, fans are always happy to discuss the true elites of the NHL. Here at TRL, we started releasing our own lists of the top players at each position. My undying love for goaltenders led me to compile what I believe is the list of the top four goalies in the NHL. Please note, this is not a ranking, this is a list of the four goaltenders that I would take for my own team, no questions asked.
1. Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Quick has built himself quite a resume as of late. He put on a stellar showing in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, and has had his name engraved in Lord Stanley’s cup twice in the last three seasons. People knock his bouts of inconsistency, but he is a big-game goaltender who gets the job done. He is fast in his crease, and makes acrobatic, almost impossible saves a routine occurrence. His style is very aggressive, and while it would lead many average goalies hung out to dry and run from the crease, he makes it work. There are handfuls of NHLers who have flashbacks of a seemingly wide open net being taken away in the blink of an eye by Quick. He has a reputation for winning when it counts. This makes him one of the best in my mind.
Jonathan Quick has built himself quite a resume as of late. He put on a stellar showing in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, and has had his name engraved in Lord Stanley’s cup twice in the last three seasons. People knock his bouts of inconsistency, but he is a big-game goaltender who gets the job done. He is fast in his crease, and makes acrobatic, almost impossible saves a routine occurrence. His style is very aggressive, and while it would lead many average goalies hung out to dry and run from the crease, he makes it work. There are handfuls of NHLers who have flashbacks of a seemingly wide open net being taken away in the blink of an eye by Quick. He has a reputation for winning when it counts. This makes him one of the best in my mind.
2. Pekka Rinne
Rinne has been plagued with injuries but has quietly been one of the best goaltenders in the league over the past few seasons. His massive frame makes him an imposing figure between the pipes, and his leg work is phenomenal, allowing him to cut angles rather gracefully and to protect the bottom of the net with relative ease. He has been one of the premiere pieces of a Shea Weber led defense for years, and he has been a huge part of their success this season. When he is healthy, he stops the best of the best on nightly basis, and he makes it looks easy. His calm demeanor in goal, his big body and his insane reflexes combine to make him quite the opponent and one of the best goalies the NHL has to offer.
3. Henrik Lundqvist
Lundqvist has been a model of consistency since breaking into the league. He holds the record for consecutive seasons with at least 30 wins, and he has been the backbone of an up and down (but mostly down) New York Rangers team for his entire career. His style of play does cause the top of the net to be a bit of a weakness, as he frequently plays deep into his net and loses the advantage of playing wide angles to cut shots off early. His reflexes allow him to be successful, though, and often leads to some pretty saves on highlight reels. In a few years time he may need to adjust if he wants to remain elite, but for now Henrik knows what works and it makes him one of the best in business.
Lundqvist has been a model of consistency since breaking into the league. He holds the record for consecutive seasons with at least 30 wins, and he has been the backbone of an up and down (but mostly down) New York Rangers team for his entire career. His style of play does cause the top of the net to be a bit of a weakness, as he frequently plays deep into his net and loses the advantage of playing wide angles to cut shots off early. His reflexes allow him to be successful, though, and often leads to some pretty saves on highlight reels. In a few years time he may need to adjust if he wants to remain elite, but for now Henrik knows what works and it makes him one of the best in business.
4. Carey Price
His gold medal play in Sochi opened a few eyes, but Carey Price has been the man in Montreal for a few years now. He plays a fast, precise game but he shows time and time again the innate ability to recover if he’s caught in an awkward position. When he is in the zone, he’s lights out. In fact, he is the only reason the Pekka Rinne isn’t the runaway favorite for the Vezina trophy this season. Montreal is not the most elite defensive squad, and it is Price’s job to cover the gaps and keep the goals against to a minimum. He is an exciting player to watch, loaded with talent and work ethic and the type of goalie you build a franchise around.