NHL History: The 15 Worst Playoff Goalies

The goaltender is the last line of defense.  He is the one that can take your team to glory and the one who can carry the burden of defeat. 

16 teams enter the playoffs each year and only one team raises the cup in the spring.  In order to achieve the ultimate, your man in the crease has to perform at the highest level.  

Many goalies with distinguished careers would fail to be at their best in the postseason.  This often resulted in early exits for some very good hockey clubs.  For others, after making it as far as the finals, they collapsed while on the big stage.  Some of this was circumstantial and without a doubt debatable.  

With this in mind, here is a list of 15 net-minders from the ‘70s ‘80s, ‘90s, '00s and present that never did or have yet to deliver the goods in the postseason. 

Jose Theodore

Jose Theodore is a two-time All-Star and in 2001-2002 won both the Vezina and Hart Trophies.  His rise to fame was met by an even quicker fall from grace.  He is no longer a member of the NHL elite and though he has shined in the regular season, he has failed to deliver when it matters most.  

Even in his hay-day the furthest Theodore took his teams was the second round.  He did it twice with the Montreal Canadiens (2001-2002, 2003-2004) and once with the Colorado Avalanche (2005-2006). 

The Washington Capitals turned to Theodore while battling in the first round in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.  Twice he disappointed.  

Though Theodore has posted a .911 save percentage and has a 2.82 goals against average, in 51 playoff appearances, he has 19 wins and 28 losses. 

Theodore seemed ready to catapult into another world of goaltending but he has never been able to raise his game on the big stage.

Tim Cheveldae

Tim "five-hole” Cheveldae manned the crease for the Detroit Red Wings in the early ‘90s.  During that period the Wings had some very good hockey clubs including a first place Norris Division finish in 1991-92. 

Their biggest downfall came in the postseason and this was when Cheveldae was not sharp.  In the ’90-91 season, the St. Louis Blues ousted them in the first round in seven games.  The Chicago Blackhawks then swept the Wings in ’91-92 in the second round.  In the first round in '92-93, the Toronto Maple Leafs shocked the Wings in seven games, with an overtime winner by Nicolai Borschevsky. 

In those three seasons the Red Wings had a combined record of 129-91-29, only to bow out early in the postseason.  Cheveldae posted a 9-15 playoff record with a 3.00 GAA.  

Of course it is easy to blame the goaltender but those Red Wing teams had significant talent and could have used better performances in net.  

Sean Burke

After representing Canada in the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Sean Burke exploded onto the NHL scene with the New Jersey Devils. 

The '87-88 Devils made the playoffs on the last day of the season and rode Burke to the Wales Conference Finals.  Ultimately, The Devils were defeated by the Boston Bruins in seven games. 

That was the best that it would get for Sean Burke.  Burke had a very long and durable NHL career while playing for nine teams. 

In the later part of his career he became a band-aid and an acquisition for clubs desperate for a goaltender.  Other than the ’88 playoffs Burke was not all that valuable after the regular season. 

He never again reached the second round of the playoffs and ended his playoff career with a 12-22 record, a 3.32 GAA and a .88 save percentage.  

Vincent Riendeau

Don Cherry once described Vincent Riendeau as “a water buffalo walloping around in a swamp.”  Tough words indeed, but Riendeau served as the last line of defense for some very strong St. Louis Blues clubs in the early ‘90s.  

The Blues were led by a high-powered offense with Adam Oates and Brett Hull leading the attack.  In the ’90-91 season the Blues finished second on the Norris Division and second in the league. 

The Blues took the Chicago Blackhawks to Game 7 of the ‘89-90 Norris Division Finals only to have Riendeau implode.  He gave up four goals before being pulled in an 8-2 romp.  

The following season ‘90-91 brought more of the same as the Blues lost to the Minnesota North Stars in the second round. 

Riendeau finished up his playoff career with the Boston Bruins in in ’93-94, giving up eight goals in two appearances.  

Stephane Fiset

Stephane Fiset does have a Stanley Cup ring.  He was lucky enough to be the back up to Patrick Roy for the ’95-’96 Colorado Avalanche.  

After that season the Los Angeles Kings still saw Fiset as a starter and brought him to the City of Angels.  After five seasons, Kings management would come to regret that decision. 

As a regular season goalie Fiset was excellent, and sometimes dominant.  He played in 60 games in the ’97-98 season only to get completely shelled in a four game sweep in the first round against the St. Louis Blues.  Jaime Storr eventually replaced him in that series. 

In the 1999-2000 season he would be lit up in the first round again in a four game sweep courtesy of the Detroit Red Wings.  

Fiset came on in relief in his last playoff game as a member of the Montreal Canadiens in 2002.  In his 14 career playoff games he only registered one win with a 3.94 GAA.  

A good regular season goalie and a nice guy, but hockey games in Mid-April were clearly not his cup of tea.     

Dan Bouchard

Dan Bouchard was a stable net-minder in the mid ‘70s with the Atlanta Flames and into the ‘80s with the Quebec Nordiques.  

Stable during the regular season yes, but another on this list that was never up for the big games.  His playoff record of 13-30 with a 3.46 GAA speaks for itself.  He struggled mightily in his limited appearances with the Flames and that trend continued when he moved north of the border. 

With Peter Stastny and Michel Goulet the Nordiques looked to be in a position to compete but could not solve their goaltending woes.  Bouchard’s last playoff game with the Nordiques was in the 1984-85 season where he was shelled for seven goals. 

Bouchard served as a somewhat reliable goalie during his 13-year career, but could never bring home the bacon.

Gary Smith

Gary “Suitcase” Smith was a journeyman goalie with a sense of humor.  He could never stay long with a team as is evident by his nickname.  His playoff runs never seemed to last that long either. 

Smith made playoff appearances over five different hockey seasons with four different clubs, the Oakland Seals, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota North Stars. 

Twenty times he was in the crease and he won five of those contests while losing 13.  In all likelihood Smith was probably more happy with the two no decisions when he came on in relief.  

Gary Smith’s career is a piece of folklore and unintentional comedy.  Regardless, he finds himself on this list as a poor playoff performer.

Michael Leighton

Statistically his 2010 playoff season was not that bad. Some Philadelphia Flyers fans would argue that Michael Leighton was one of the biggest reasons the Flyers came back from a three game deficit to win their second round series against the Boston Bruins.  Fact of the matter is, it was the 2010 Playoffs that cost Michael Leighton a regular job in the NHL. 

Leighton was yanked after giving up five goals in Game 1 of the Chicago Blackhawks 6-5 victory in the Stanley Cup Finals.  In Game 2 he gave up the eventual game winning goal to Ben Eager on an off-angle shot.  Game 5 he was pulled again after giving up three goals in the first frame and in Game 6 not many can argue against the fact that he should have stopped Patrick Kane’s overtime winner. 

For a Philadelphia Flyer franchise that has had a history of goalie issues, Leighton became the latest in the saga.  After missing three months with injury, Leighton was placed on waivers last season but eventually made it back up to the Flyers club.  He only recorded one regular season game with the Flyers in the 2010-2011 season and started a playoff game as the team began to get desperate. 

At the age of 30 and with a crowded crease in Philly Leighton’s future in the NHL is up in the air.  In what may have been his only shot at glory, he was less than spectacular.   

Gilles Meloche

There may not be many better hockey names in the business than Gilles Meloche.  Gilles played most of his NHL hockey with the Minnesota North Stars and the California Golden Seals but only saw playoff action with the Stars.  

Statistically Meloche did not fair that badly, but when the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Finals in the 1980-81 against the New York Islanders, Stars coach Glen Sonmor lost faith in Meloche after a Game 1 pounding.  

Meloche was replaced in Game 2 by rookie Don Beaupre and when he returned for Game 3 of the series he was picked apart by Mike Bossy in a 7-5 drubbing at the Met Center.  He would not see the ice again in the series as the Stars lost to the Isles in five games.  

Meloche would have trouble regaining a steady starting job for the remainder of his career.  He played on with Stars until the ’85-86 season when he headed to Pittsburgh.  He would never play in the postseason as a member of the Penguins. 

Similar to Leighton, Meloche was not able to capitalize on his one opportunity in the finals and it hurt the Stars a great deal.   

Darren Puppa

Now here is another creative name.  Darren Puppa was supposed to be the next big thing for the Buffalo Sabres as the ‘80s turned into the ‘90s. 

Puppa was an All-Star in the '89-90 season and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.  At the age of 24 it seemed like he was primed for a terrific career and would be a key component to the success of the Sabres.  

That season, the Sabres bowed out to the Montreal Canadians in the first round of the playoffs in six games.  That would be the most games Puppa would see during a single playoff season.  

After injury in Buffalo, Puppa attempted to resurrect his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and later with the Tampa Bay Lightning in ’95-96. 

Puppa was ambushed in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers in '95-96.  He surrendered 14 goals in four games and his season was over.  The Flyers took the series in six games. 

Due to circumstance and inconsistent play, Puppa never panned out and certainly did not enjoy playoff hockey.

Greg Millen

The furthest Greg Millen went in the playoffs was the '89-90 season with the Chicago Blackhawks.  The eventual Stanley Cup Champion, Edmonton Oilers, knocked off the Hawks in the Campbell Conference Finals in six games. 

By that series Millen had lost the confidence of coach Mike Keenan in favor of a little known rookie named Ed Belfour.   

Millen was always a solid regular season goaltender.  He had stints with the Hartford Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins but spent most of his time with the St. Louis Blues.  

In 59-career playoff games Millen had a 3.46 GAA and .886 save percentage.  Those are certainly not numbers that will take your team very far. 

Greg Millen played for a long time but because of his spotty play in the playoffs, the Stanley Cup eluded his grasp.

Roberto Luongo

Fact: Roberto Luongo was the starting goaltender on the 2010 Canadian, Gold Medal Olympic Team.

Fact: Roberto Luongo was one game away from winning the Stanley Cup last June.

Fact: You would rather have a blood transfusion from a heroin addict before betting again on Roberto Luongo in the playoffs.  

You can break down all the stats in the game and it will not do justice for this man.  He steals a game, he gives one away.  It’s a pattern he cannot get away from.  

Twice the Chicago Blackhawks got to him and it almost happened a third time in 2011.  As of this June you could say Tim Thomas won the cup for the Boston Bruins or you can say Roberto Luongo lost it. 

He has time to prove himself with a whopper of a contract left to play out and many believe him capable. Until he consistently plays to his full potential, he will become a cautionary tale and have the reputation of a postseason flop.

Garth Snow

Garth Snow is another goalie who will haunt Philadelphia Flyer fans and this one came off a single game performance.  

During the 1997 Playoffs the Flyers were working with the tandem of Snow and Ron Hextall.  The Flyers were ultimately swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals.  

After losing Game 1 of the finals, the Flyers elected to go with Snow to attempt to even the series.  Snow was brutal.  He gave up a goal on a shot by Brendan Shanahan from right inside the blue line to open up the scoring. 

After giving up a juicy rebound the Wings took a 2-0 lead.  Rod Brind’Amour tied the game with two goals in the second period. Minutes later the Flyers would then lose all momentum when Snow gave up a goal on a long slap shot from Kirk Maltby.  Despite carrying most of the play the Flyers were defeated 4-2. 

Snow was done after that game.  Although, in sense he and Hextall worked together on this, Hextall gets a pass because of his Conn Smythe winning performance in 1987.  

Snow went on to play for the New York Islanders and is now their general manager.  Flyer fans will always have a bad taste in their mouths when it comes to Snow because of his Game 2 meltdown.

Peter Sidorkeiwicz

If you were a starting goalie for the Hartford Whalers, there would be a time when your play came into question.  For Peter Sidorkeiwicz his play in the third period of a playoff game may have cost his team the series and an extended playoff run.  

In the first round of the 1990 playoffs the Whalers had a 2-1 series lead against the Boston Bruins.  The Bruins had the best regular season record in the NHL that year, but were down 5-2 heading into the third period of Game 4. 

What should have been a lock for Hartford to take a stranglehold of the series ended up being a disaster for Sidorkeiwicz.  He gave up four goals; two to Dave Poulin and the Bruins stole the game 6-5, evening the series at two games apiece.  

The Bruins would go on to win the “Battle of New England” in seven games and eventually make it to Stanley Cup Finals.  

Sidorkeiwicz was never able to establish himself as a reliable goaltender after that.  In his 15 career playoff appearances, he finished with a 5-10 record, 3.62 GAA and .867 save percentage.

Jocelyn Thibault

Jocelyn Thibault was a very intriguing prospect for the Colorado Avalanche.  When Patrick Roy was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in December of 1995, Thibault was shipped to his native province.  

With the near impossible task of replacing Roy, the media in Montreal heavily scrutinized Thibault and his play suffered.  In 11 playoff games with Montreal he went 2-7 and gave up 35 goals.  

At the end of the decade, Thibault was traded to the fledgling Chicago Blackhawks.  Though he would be elected to the All-Star team in 2002-2003, the lowly Hawks only made it to the postseason once with Thibault in 2001-2002.  They were defeated in the first round by the St. Louis Blues in five games. 

Thibault’s playoff career ended with a 4-11 record while appearing in 18 contests.