Most Career Wins by Goaltenders in NHL History

The Top 10: Most Career Wins

1. Martin Brodeur: 691 wins

• 22 NHL seasons
• New Jersey Devils
• Three Stanley Cups
• Four Vezina Trophies
• 1,266 games played

2. Patrick Roy: 551 wins

• 19 NHL seasons
• Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche
• Four Stanley Cups
• Three Vezina Trophies
• Two Conn Smythe Trophies

3. Marc-Andre Fleury: 561 wins

• 21 NHL seasons
• Multiple teams (Pittsburgh, Vegas, Minnesota, Chicago)
• Three Stanley Cups
• Vezina Trophy winner (2021)
• Fan favorite across franchises

4. Roberto Luongo: 489 wins

• 19 NHL seasons
• Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks
• Elite performer on mediocre teams
• Never won Stanley Cup
• Underrated excellence

5. Ed Belfour: 484 wins

• 17 NHL seasons
• Multiple teams (Chicago, Dallas, Toronto)
• Two Vezina Trophies
• Stanley Cup champion (1999)
• Dead Puck Era workhorse

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6. Curtis Joseph: 454 wins

• 19 NHL seasons
• Five different franchises
• Portability and adaptability
• Never won Stanley Cup
• Playoff performer

7. Henrik Lundqvist: 459 wins

• 15 NHL seasons
• New York Rangers
• Vezina Trophy winner (2012)
• Never won Stanley Cup
• Model of consistency

8. Terry Sawchuk: 447 wins

• 21 NHL seasons
• Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Four Stanley Cups
• Original Six legend
• 103 career shutouts

9. Jacques Plante: 437 wins

• 18 NHL seasons
• Montreal Canadiens, multiple teams
• Six Stanley Cups
• Seven Vezina Trophies
• Popularized goalie mask

10. Tony Esposito: 423 wins

• 16 NHL seasons
• Chicago Blackhawks
• Three Vezina Trophies
• Hall of Fame butterfly style
• 76 career shutouts

Brodeur's Perfect Storm

Martin Brodeur's 691 wins came from unique combination of factors:

Health and Durability:

• Played 70+ games in 12 different seasons
• Rarely injured throughout career
• Ironman mentality

Team Success:

• New Jersey's defensive system
• Elite team defense
• Consistent playoff appearances

Dead Puck Era:

• Low-scoring environment
• Structured defensive systems
• Heavy workloads for starters

Longevity:

• Played until age 42
• 22 NHL seasons
• Maintained elite performance into late 30s

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Roy vs. Brodeur: Different Paths

Patrick Roy's 551 wins came through different approach:

Roy's Career:

• Four Stanley Cups (two with Montreal, two with Colorado)
• More playoff success than Brodeur
• Three Conn Smythe Trophies
• Butterfly revolution

Comparison:

• Brodeur: More regular-season wins
• Roy: More playoff success
• Both revolutionized position
• Different eras, different styles

Read more: NHL Goalies Trivia: Wins, Shutouts & Weird Records

Era Context: Team Dependence

Goalie wins are highly team-context dependent:

Great Play on Bad Teams:

• Roberto Luongo: 489 wins despite weak teams
• Curtis Joseph: 454 wins across multiple teams
• Elite individual performance sometimes not enough

Good Play on Great Teams:

• Martin Brodeur: Elite goalie + elite defense
• Ken Dryden: Montreal dynasty
• Perfect combination of skill and circumstance

Original Six vs. Modern:

• Original Six: Shorter schedules (70 games)
• Modern era: 82-game schedule allows more wins
• But modern tandems limit individual totals

Active Goalies Approaching Records

Andrei Vasilevskiy: 330+ wins (age 30)

• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Two Stanley Cups
• Elite win percentage
• Could reach 500+ wins

Connor Hellebuyck: 320+ wins (age 31)

• Winnipeg Jets
• Three Vezina Trophies
• 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner
• Could reach 450-500 wins

Sergei Bobrovsky: 400+ wins (age 36)

• Multiple teams
• Two Vezina Trophies
• Stanley Cup champion (2024)
• Could reach 450 wins

Igor Shesterkin: 150+ wins (age 28)

• New York Rangers
• Vezina Trophy winner (2022)
• Young enough for 400+ wins

Juuse Saros: 220+ wins (age 29)

• Nashville Predators
• Workhorse starter
• Could reach 400+ wins

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Can Anyone Catch Brodeur?

Vasilevskiy's Best Chance:

• Currently 330+ wins at age 30
• Needs 361 more wins to tie Brodeur
• Would require 12+ seasons at 30 wins per year
• Realistic ceiling: 500-550 wins

Modern Challenges:

• Tandem goaltending limits games played
• Load management protocols
• Injury risk over long career
• Need sustained team success

Brodeur's 691 wins appears safe for foreseeable future. Modern goaltending usage makes accumulating 600+ wins nearly impossible.

The 500-Win Club

Only five goalies ever reached 500 regular-season wins:

1. Martin Brodeur: 691 2. Patrick Roy: 551 3. Marc-Andre Fleury: 561 4. (No one else above 500)

This exclusivity shows how difficult reaching even 500 wins is, let alone Brodeur's 691.

Playoff Wins: Different Story

Regular-season wins tell only part of the story:

Most Playoff Wins:

1. Patrick Roy: 151 playoff wins
2. Martin Brodeur: 113 playoff wins
3. Marc-Andre Fleury: 92 playoff wins

Roy's playoff dominance (four Cups, three Conn Smythes) arguably makes him greatest big-game goalie despite fewer regular-season wins.

Read more: NHL Playoff Trivia: Stanley Cup Series History

Dead Puck Era Advantage

The Dead Puck Era (1995-2005) produced ideal conditions for workhorse goalies:

Why It Helped:

• Low-scoring games
• Defensive systems
• Heavy starter workloads
• Fewer backup games

Beneficiaries:

• Martin Brodeur
• Ed Belfour
• Dominik Hasek
• Curtis Joseph

These goalies stacked 35-40 win seasons during this era.

Modern Tandems: The New Reality

Modern load management may make 600+ wins impossible:

Tandem Usage:

• Starters typically play 50-60 games (down from 70+)
• Backup goalies get 25-30 starts
• Load management extends careers but limits wins

Impact:

• Elite goalies now max out around 35-40 wins per season
• Need 15-18 seasons to reach 500 wins
• 600+ wins requires 20+ seasons of excellence

What Win Totals Mean

Career win totals provide context for goaltending greatness:

• 300+ Wins: Franchise goalie, sustained excellence over 10+ seasons.
• 400+ Wins: Elite tier, Hall of Fame consideration strong.
• 500+ Wins: Legendary status, only five goalies ever.
• 600+ Wins: Martin Brodeur stands alone, untouchable in modern era.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

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