It's the middle of the summer and I'm just as sick of reading articles about Mats Sundin and unlikely trade rumours as you are.
I thought it would be fun and somewhat interesting to write about the top goalies in the league. These are the guys that prove to be their team's most valuable asset.
The goalies that I've listed are who I believe are the top 10, in order from No. 10 to No. 1.
I'm also interested in reading other people's views on this subject. Instead of writing 10 different articles, I've put my listings in one, as you can see.
10. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
Drafted first overall in the 2003 draft, this young guy has taken time to develop into a franchise goalie.
The hockey world got a good glimpse of this kid when he started in net for Canada's World Junior team. He didn't win a gold, but he sure put on a performance. However, the softy he let in against the U.S. in the gold medal game surely glitched his confidence.
His best two seasons were his last two: 2006-07 and 2007-08. He had 69 wins and nine shutouts in 102 games played in the two seasons combined.
Recently, Fleury played a huge part in the Penguins' run to the Stanley Cup Finals, falling short to the Red Wings.
Even though his team is full of superstars, Fleury is a proven NHLer with a hopeful career
Awards: 2008 Eastern Conference Champion, first-overall choice in 2003 NHL Entry Draft
Stats:173 GP, 76 Wins, 11 Shutouts, 2.95 GAA, .905 Save Percentage
9. Vesa Toskala, Toronto Maple Leafs
Like Kiprusoff, this Finnish goalie started his career backing up San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov. After giving Nabokov a run for his money for a couple of seasons, Toskala was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs were a lot different compared to the Sharks. Toronto had failed to reach the playoffs for a few years and the team was rebuilding.
Eventually, Toskala beat Andrew Raycroft for the starting job, and Vesa proved to everyone that he was No. 1 when he brought the Leafs from the bottom to just shy of a playoff spot. With a good team in front of him, Toskala can have a lot of success in the NHL.
Awards: None :(
Stats: 181 GP, 98 Wins, 11 Shutouts, 2.49 GAA, .910 Save Percentage
8. Rick Dipietro, New York Islanders
Arguably the best American goalie in the league, Dipietro has an impressive resume in the NHL and internationally. Dipietro has played in two World Junior Championships, two World Championships, one World Cup, and the 2006 Olympics for the U.S.
As a starting goalie for the Islanders, Dipietro has provided many solid performances, and has helped the team recover from years of playoff drought. Must I mention that he was also drafted first overall in the 2000 NHL Draft??
Awards: First Overall in 2000 NHL Entry Draft
Stats: 268 GP, 116 Wins, 14 shutouts, 2.78 GAA, .905 Save Percentage
7. Jean-Sebastian Giguere, Anaheim Ducks
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