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Top 100 Players of All-Time
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
1 GEORGES VEZINA
1945 THE GOALIE known as the ‘Chicoutimi Cucumber’ was the game’s first superstar stopper and played every game for Montreal from 1910 to 1925. Georges Vezina’s career and life came to a tragic end in 1925-26 when, at 38, he began sweating profusely in camp and dropped 35 pounds in a six-week stretch. Vezina started the Nov. 28 opener, but collapsed with a fever. Coughing up blood, he was given medical attention and was diagnosed with late-stage tuberculosis. Less than four months later, Vezina succumbed to the disease. The Vezina Trophy was created in 1927. GOALIE 1917-1926 BORN JAN. 21, 1887 CHICOUTIMI, QUE. HT 5-6 WT 185 CATCHES LEFT TOTALS W-L-T 103-81-5 GAA 3.28 SO 13 AWARDS CAREER PREDATED MOST NHL AWARDS…
1 LORNE CHABOT
LORNE CHABOT is the only eligible goalie in THN’s top 20 not inducted into the Hall of Fame. He thrived during a low-scoring era, posting 71 shutouts in just 411 games, good for 11th all-time in NHL history. Sadly for Chabot, he’s best remembered for the shutout he missed. As a member of the Montreal Maroons, he was out-dueled by the Red Wings’ Normie Smith in the NHL’s longest game – a 1-0, six-overtime marathon in the 1936 playoffs. Chabot was well-traveled, playing for six teams during an era with 10 teams or fewer, winning Cups with the Rangers and Leafs. GOALIE 1927-1937 BORN OCT. 5, 1900 MONTREAL, QUE. HT 6-1 WT 185 CATCHES LEFT TOTALS W-L-T 201-148-62 GAA 2.04 SO 71 AWARDS & HONORS 1934-35 VEZINA TROPHY NHL FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM 1935…
COLORADO AVALANCHE
IF THE QUEBEC Nordiques had managed to hang around just one more season, they would’ve been the last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup. As finances had it, the team left for Colorado at the end of 1994-95 and took the talent with them that had suffered through some long, lean years. One year later, they brought the Stanley Cup, too. On the Nordiques all-time team, Hall of Famer Peter Stastny and his brother Anton join Michel Goulet to form the top line. Not surprisingly, the group comprises the three top scorers in Nordiques’ history. Stay-at-home stalwart Curtis Leschyshyn gets the nod over offense-minded Mario Marios as the top Quebec blueliner of all-time. Dan Bouchard is tapped as Quebec’s top goaltender since he was part of the team’s run of playoff…
MY IDEA, MY VOTE GOES TO HASEK
I SUPPOSE you could say I have a little something to do with all this. When The Hockey News was celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1997, I suggested something about ranking the top 50 players of all-time and a cottage industry here at THN was born. Back then we ranked Terry Sawchuk No. 9 on our list. That made him top goalie in NHL history, four spots on the overall list ahead of Jacques Plante. No problem there. But 13 years later, how could you possibly rank Sawchuk or anyone else ahead of Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur? Let’s be serious. We’re not talking about the goalies that played for the best teams. We’re identifying the best goalies in NHL history and to not have Hasek at the top of…
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