Listing the finest goalies Quebec has gifted the NHL is tough, but their influence on the sport’s history remains ever-present.
Martin Brodeur
The legend branded by statistics as the NHL's top goalie boasts 691 wins, 125 shutouts, and has skated through 1,266 games, a standard that might remain unmatched.
Brodeur, with 70+ game appearances in nearly every season from 1995-96 to 2007-08, exemplified resilience, no longer seen in today's hockey world. In contrast, leading the 2022/23 season with 64 games seems modest compared to Brodeur's 78 in 2006-07.
A Montreal native, he spent over two decades with the New Jersey Devils, with a brief final chapter in St. Louis, where the color just didn't match his legacy.
Lifting the Stanley Cup thrice and receiving numerous accolades, his impact in the goaltending domain is undisputed, standing tall among the greatest.
Patrick Roy
No goaltender's playoff record rivals Patrick Roy’s with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche—551 wins and a plethora of trophies weren't far behind.
Known for his fiery personality, Roy's aggressive persona sometimes clouded the admiration due to his on-ice genius.
Roy's era with the Canadiens ended notably with an infamous 1995 loss to the Red Wings, showcasing the tension between fans and player.
Widely recognized as one of the most gifted to guard the net, even if his stats don’t mirror Brodeur's, Roy was a pathfinder in every sense.
Jacques Plante
Not the inaugural mask-wearing goalie in the NHL, Jacques Plante made the mask an essential tool after sustaining a facial injury, redefining safety in the game.
Beyond his advocacy for masks, Plante's prowess in goal is shown in his win total and stellar playoff goals-against average.
Pioneering puck-handling among goaltenders, Plante's foresight in strategy solidified his reputation as a game-changer.