There’s a lot of talk about the most unbreakable records in the sport, but the best mark of all time worthy of attention is Martin Brodur’s 691 career victory, the most goalkeeper in NHL history.
Even if players are comparable to Brodeur’s longevity and durability, today’s NHL teams choose to put goalkeepers down and limit their start. It seems unlikely that modern goaltenders will win enough victory to seriously challenge Brodeur.
What is the gap between Brodeur and Active Leader? Let’s take a look at the goalkeeper who else cracks the top 10 with a career victory and has recorded the most wins in NHL history.
10. Tony Esposito, 423 wins
Esposito played from 1967 to 1984 and is suitable for the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks. He was a three-time winner of the NHL Vezina Trophy and before the 1981-82 season, he went to the goalkeeper where the team allowed the fewest goals. In 1970 he recorded 15 shutouts in one season. This is a modern NHL record (since 1942). Esposito helped Montreal win the Stanley Cup in 1969. He was enrolled in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.
9. Jacques Plante, 437 wins
The plant included stints between 1947 and 1975 with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers. He helped the Canadians win the Stanley Cup six times, including five years in a row. Plante won the Heart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in 1962, winning seven Vezina Trophy on NHL Records. Plante is also known for inventing and popularizing the goaltender mask. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.
8. Terry Sochuk wins 445
Sawchuk won four Stanley Cups in his career with the 11 All-Stars, playing from 1949 to 1970. He was a four-time Vezina Trophy winner and became the first goalkeeper to score a 100 career regular season shutout. To this day, Sawchuk is the second-most shutout in NHL history (103), tracking only Martin Brodeur (125). The Detroit Red Wings retired from Sochuk’s No. 1 in 1994 and became inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971.
7. Curtis Joseph wins 454
Despite being undrafted, Curtis “Kujo” Joseph became the star goalkeeper and played for the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes and Calgary Flames. Joseph excels on multiple teams, becoming the first goalkeeper in NHL history, spending 30 win seasons with five different teams. Joseph has become a three-time All-Star. He never played in the Stanley Cup finals, but he had an outstanding career.
6. Henrik Lundqvist wins 459
Lundqvist spent the entire 20 years of his NHL career with the New York Rangers. He is the only goaltender in NHL history and has begun his career with seven consecutive 30-win seasons. He was extremely consistent, winning at least 20 games in each of his first 11 seasons. Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy for Best NHL Goaltender in 2012. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year.
5. EdBelfour, 484 wins
After being undrafted, Bellfour played 19 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Star, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. He won the Stanley Cup in 1999, won the Vezina Trophy in 1991 and 1993, and won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award in 2000 (given to goalkeepers for their best save percentage). He was selected for six All-Star Games and was enrolled in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
4. Roberto Luongo wins 489
Throughout his 19-year NHL career, Luongo played for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. He was the fourth overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft and ended up becoming a six-time All-Star. In 2007 he was a finalist in the Heart Trophy (MVP). Of all goalkeepers throughout NHL history, Luongo played the game (1,044) second (1,044) and tracked only Martin Brodeur with both stats (1,266 and 28,928 respectively), and scored a boys save (28,409). Luongo was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.
3. Patrick Roy, 551 wins
Roy was the No. 51 pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, matching the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche. When Roy retired in 2003, he was the most won goalkeeper of all time, but the top two goaltenders on this list will later pass him. To this day, Roy leads all goaltenders with playoff wins (151). Roy won four Stanley Cups, three Vegena Trophies and three Conn Smythe Trophies (Team MVP Awards). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006 and is now the head coach of New York Islanders.
2. Marc-Andre Fleury, 575 wins
Unlike the other goalkeepers listed here, Fleury is still active – for now – he is currently in the Minnesota Wild, but is expected to retire at the end of the 2024-25 season. He is the only active goalkeeper in the top 15 on his career victory list. In addition to the wild, Fleury is also suitable for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks. Fleury, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft, endured the hype. The five-time All-Star won three Stanley Cups and the Vezina Trophy (2021).
1. Martin Brodur wins 691
In addition to having the most wins in NHL history, Brodeur holds the record for the most shutouts (125) and games (1,266). Throughout his 22-year NHL career, the nine-time All-Stars have won three Stanley Cup Championships (1995, 2000, 2003) and four Vezina Trophy (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008). Brodeur was nominated for Hart Trophy (MVP) three times (2003, 2004, 2007). For the 12th season in a row, he won at least 30 games (and he spent eight seasons with 40 wins). Brodeur was selected on the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players list and in 2018 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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