Analysts are always searching to put a label on a player and call them the “Next One.”
Every year at the draft there is a new “Next One,” and most of the time they turn out to be just a good player and never live up to the expectations of the label.
Most people are searching for the next Gretzky, but I am actually curious about who the next great goalie will be. Who will be the next Roy, Brodeur, or Terry Sawchuk?
These goaltenders are just as legendary at their position as the great skaters that score on them.
So who will be the next goaltending legend?
There are plenty of great goaltenders out there in Lundqvist, Luongo, and Nabokov. They are all really great goaltenders, but to me they will not be known as legends of their positions. My opinion is not necessarily based on their skill level.
What made Brodeur and Roy so spectacular and allowed them to rack up the win totals and impressive resumes they have was the age at which they reached their potential.
Lundqvist was already 23 by the time he reached the NHL level.
They also lucked out to be on teams that were consistently good. Luongo had to muddle around with the Florida Panthers for several years and now he is on a Vancouver team that did not make the playoffs last year.
These are great goalies, but they probably will not match the lengthy lists of accomplishments that Brodeur and Roy have racked up.
So begins the search for a young goaltender who could possibly be the “Next One” of goaltenders. No goaltender jumped out at being so amazing that they will reach that level, but three names did come up on my “maybe” list.
Marc-Andre Fleury is the top name on my list.
Fleury is a 6'2" French-Canadian who played minor league hockey in the QMJHL. That puts him in the same mold as Roy and Brodeur.
10 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Ryan McNealy 11 months ago
Maybe Jimmy Howard at Detroit? Maybe Mike Smith in Tampa.
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Ian Wilson 11 months ago
The answer is Luongo
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David Heere 11 months ago
Yes, this legend of hockey with his losing NHL record... or this young star at 29... he is a great goalie, but after he retires his status will be hurt by not playing on good teams and not winning a stanley cup (so far)
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Ian Wilson 11 months ago
OK...either way you cut it, Luongo is the best goalie in the world right now and should be for the next 5 years at least. But, if you wanna go based on win totals ... I guess I'd pick Carey Price.
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Danny Penza 11 months ago
Luongo has been around for years.
Fleury is my pick.
Price had an excellent debut and Bernier will get his shot shortly, but I gotta go with MAF.
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Ryan McNealy 11 months ago
Maybe Jimmy Howard at Detroit? Maybe Mike Smith in Tampa.
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Chris Bouthillier 11 months ago
Good read!
My call would have to be Bernier. He's young, he's got the potential, and he's poised. Young goalies tend to over-commit, but in his first game (overseas against the defending Cup champions) he was as cool as a cucumber and made a statement.
People could have made a case about Cam Ward maybe two seasons ago, but not now anyways.
Carey Price has big shoes to fill. People are already calling him the next "Patrick Roy" by the way that he made it as the starter in his first season in Montreal. That isn't too fair to him, but either way he will enjoy great NHL success.
By the way that the league and the owners want to re-vamp the offense we might not see another stellar goaltender like Roy, Brodeur or Sawchuk.
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Chris Plouffe 11 months ago
As a huge leafs fan it pains me to say that the next great goalie is definitely going to be Price. The guy is so calm and confident (especially now that he has those brutal playoff games behind him). It's too bad those loser habs fans are the ones who get to cheer for him for the next 15 years.
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Joe MacDonald 11 months ago
Have to agree with Ian a bit on this one. Luongo is the best in the world right now and I think it's too early to say he'll not win a couple of cups before he's done. I do like all three of the goalies you named with Fleury appearing to have the best chance to be a multiple cup winner with the Pens in front of him. Price and Bernier will be great, too. I also don't think ypu can leave Lundqvisy out of this debate because he's only 26. And what about Pascal Leclaire (26), Rick Dipietro (26), Kari Lehtonen (25) and Cam Ward (24). Ward already has a cup win.
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David Heere 11 months ago
All good goalies, but even at 24, 25, and 26 it is really unlikely that they will be able to get to the number of wins Brodeur and Roy have or the numbers of shutouts that Brodeur and Sawchuk have... you have to start at around 20 and consistantly keep posting amazing numbers to get where those legends are.
Lehtonen and Dipietro have the same problem that Luongo has because they are on teams that are not going to be having winning seasons.
Goalies are like pitchers in baseball... the big stats that they can put up are wins... everyone can have a 1.00 ERA or .919 SV%, but it takes a special breed to have so many wins and shutouts
also i did not leave Lunqvist out of the debate... last 4 sentences...
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