Unless you played for the New York Islanders or were a fan of the team, you despised Billy Smith. He was mean and ornery to say the least, and wielded his goalie stick like some sort of wild hatchet man. No opposing player was safe around Smith’s goal crease. Whether it was a butt end
NHL Goaltending
The Boston Bruins have a rich history in the world of hockey as an Original Six franchise, but their history of goaltenders has not always been so strong. In the 97-year history of Bruins’ hockey, 110 goaltenders have donned a Bruins uniform and played to varying degrees in Boston. Some of these goalies have proven
While most jokes about the Philadelphia Flyers are aimed at the guys who play between the pipes, the Flyers actually have a rich history of goalies. Unfortunately, for recent teams — or even the teams of the ’90s — those goalies played, for the most part, in the ’70s and ’80s. The three best goalies
Based on Henrik Lundqvist’s career statistics, one might think that the New York Rangers goaltender was a top pick in the NHL Draft. However, some might be hard pressed to believe that the Are, Sweden native was selected in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft. Today, most scouts and team executives can only
The goalie mask is one of the most interesting pieces of equipment in all of sport. It allows for personality to show, which hasn’t always been promoted in sport – especially in hockey. The modern goaltender’s mask is a blank canvas and has led to some incredible helmets such as Curtis Joseph’s “Cujo” mask and
The offseason acquisition of Darcy Kuemper from the Arizona Coyotes signaled that a new leading man had entered the Colorado Avalanche crease after the departure of Vezina Trophy finalist Philipp Grubauer. Under the searing floodlights cast upon the presumed Stanley Cup favorites, Kuemper stumbled to start the season and appeared unsettled as he acclimatized to
The month of November is perhaps the most important for any present-day goaltender guarding the crease in the National Hockey League – but most might not even know why. It was during that month back in 1959 that the position changed forever, thanks to a 6-foot, 175-pound man from Quebec. Advancement in Goalie Gear Was
In this edition of Stars’ News & Rumors, Ben Bishop takes a big step in his recovery, Anton Khudobin is rumored in connection with a trade, and more. Bishop Takes Big Step in Injury Recovery After being left in the dark for nearly a year, Stars fans finally received an update yesterday on the health
When Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper suffered an injury during the morning skate this past Tuesday in Toronto, it exposed a number of questions about the strength and depth of the team’s goaltending corps. Those questions were exacerbated when backup goaltender Jonas Johansson turned in bad performances in two of the team’s last three games.
Approaching the end of November, a month and a half into the NHL’s 2021-22 season, a large enough sample size has accumulated to establish which storylines were isolated as opposed to those that will demand more of our attention the whole way through. THW Goalie Report (The Hockey Writers) Some that struggled early on aren’t
Withing another week of gameplay in the books for the NHL’s 2021-22 season, the collection of goaltending storylines continues to grow. Some showcase positive streaks of success, while others exacerbate struggles that a tandem just can’t seem to shake. THW Goalie Report (The Hockey Writers) As the league prepares for another busy weekend, sure to
Even in these early days of the NHL’s 2021-22 schedule, goaltending narratives continue to prevail. Some positive, while others are far from it. Either way, it provides ample opportunity to discuss the position that matters the most within every roster. THW Goalie Report (The Hockey Writers) Rather than questioning a stance that proclaims the importance
Late in the 2015-16 season, Pittsburgh’s third round (83rd overall selection) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, got his shot in the NHL when Marc-Andre Fleury fell to a concussion. Murray, a standout performer in the American Hockey League with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2014-15 and the early part of 2015-16, was called up. His record in
Roberto Luongo is one of the most accomplished goaltenders in league history and ranks among the best at the position in numerous categories. But not only was he an elite netminder throughout his career, but he was also one of the league’s most interesting players throughout his career. Here are seven things that make him