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Goalie Issue 2023
In our 2023 Goalie Issue, we've got you covered post-to-post with features on the state of NHL goaltending and what records have become unreachable, plus player profiles on Adin Hill, Alexandar Georgiev, Joonas Korpisalo, Spencer Knight, Filip Gustavsson and many more. In our cover story, we build the perfect goalie using the top traits of today's best keepers. In addition, we rank the best crease duos across the NHL and name the top goalie of all-time for every franchise.
GOODBYE, KENNY
A TELEPHONE RANG AT SAM Pollock’s hotel room in New York September 13. The Montreal Canadiens’ general manager is now wishing he hadn’t answered it. The man at the other end of the line was Vezina Trophy winner Ken Dryden, and he wasn’t calling Pollock to ask him about the weather. Dryden had called Sam to tell him that he was retiring from hockey for one year to article in law in Toronto. The reason? Money. “This is the most difficult decision I’ve ever made,” the 26-year-old netminder told newsmen at a press conference the following day. “But I feel it is a decision I have to make. But feeling that it is the right decision doesn’t make it any easier.” Dryden’s resolution to take a sabbatical from hockey in favor of articling with…
EVOLUTION OR DEVOLUTION
IF YOU DIDN’T know better, you’d think Jonathan Quick believed the goaltending position – whether that be at the professional level or any other – has never been in a better spot. “When I came into the league, it was during a transition of how goalies were playing the game,” Quick said. “Guys like Roberto Luongo played significantly different than someone like Martin Brodeur. But one thing they both had in common was an elite ability to read the play. And once the puck came off the stick, they would do what came natural to them.” Quick himself is considered one of the pioneers of the modern style that’s now common to most NHL stoppers. But the newest member of the New York Rangers’ crease believes it’s time for goalies to…
THE COUNTDOWN
FIRST, LET’S COME CLEAN. In this space one year ago, we ranked the Boston duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman 16th out of 32 NHL tandems. What happened in the next six months was sheer brilliance on the part of the Bruins’ duo and, by extension, pure doofus on our part. In our defense, however, we offered this proviso last year: “It wouldn’t surprise many if one of them (or both) takes an enormous step forward. But for now, middle of the pack.” Ullmark’s march to the Vezina Trophy and Swayman’s rise up the goaltending chart were huge reasons why Boston had such a dominant regular season. The Bruins easily won the Jennings Trophy with a goals-against average of 2.12, well ahead of runner-up Carolina (2.56). In fact, the distance…
SWISS BANK ACCOUNT
KEVIN FIALA IS MONEY in the bank. And not just any bank. When the Los Angeles Kings agreed to a seven-year, $55-million contract with Fiala, the money couldn’t have been more secure if they had placed it in a Swiss bank account. In a way, they did. Last year, Fiala became just the sixth Swiss-born player to appear in an NHL All-Star Game. “Exciting for the L.A. Kings,” he said, “and for Switzerland.” In June 2022, with the Kings in need of a dynamic scorer with playmaking ability, they invested heavily in the Swiss import market. Prospect Brock Faber and a 2022 first-round pick were shipped to Minnesota for Fiala. The same day, the Kings locked up the left winger with a long-term deal. “Kevin has game-breaking ability,” said Kings GM Rob…
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