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100 Ranger Greats
Who's Better, Who's Best? Russ Ranks the Top Five NHL Goalies
In preparation for this week's rangergreats.com podcast on Henrik Lundqvist, 100 RANGER GREATS co-author Russ Cohen ranks the top five NHL goaltenders this season. Players were judged according to their individual performances and importance to their respective clubs.
1. Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) – Where would the Sabres be without him? He has a league-leading .931 save percentage and a 2.16 GAA with six shutouts. That’s impressive. When you look at the intangibles, Miller is very solid in the locker room and out on the ice. He is having his finest season as a pro.
1. Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) – Where would the Sabres be without him? He has a league-leading .931 save percentage and a 2.16 GAA with six shutouts. That’s impressive. When you look at the intangibles, Miller is very solid in the locker room and out on the ice. He is having his finest season as a pro.
2. Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) – Few observers expected the Devils to be as good as they have been. If you want to credit their coach, Jacques Lemaire, that's fine. But Brodeur has 33 wins, seven shutouts, and a 2.25 GAA with a .917 save percentage. He can still win the big game and he’s gotten better with age.
3. Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames) – He’s been one of the best goalies in the NHL for quite some time now. Even with all of the personnel changes the Flames have made lately his play has remained the same. He has 26 wins out of a possible 52 games with a 2.19 GAA.
4. Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers) – There is no doubt that the Rangers wouldn’t even be in the playoff hunt if they didn’t have this netminder. He has appeared in 51 games, winning 23 of them, despite a Swiss cheese defense playing in front of him. His .919 save percentage is tremendous considering the amount of second and third shots he faces every game. A team leader who brings a sense of stability, Henrik rarely allows himself to get too low after a loss or too high after a win.
5. Tomas Vokoun (Florida Panthers) – This has been an amazing season for Vokoun, considering the Panthers have been hard hit by injuries and their defense has been suspect. Tomas had some health problems a few years ago but has bounced back with seven shutouts (so far), and he’s tied with Buffalo's Miller with a .931 save percentage. His outstanding play is the biggest reason why this team still has a chance to make the playoffs.
This date in Rangers history: February 8, 1997
At Long Island, Rangers captain Mark Messier scores his 19th career hat trick in the Rangers' 5-2 win over the Islanders. Remarkably, Messier's hat trick was the first by a Ranger at Nassau Coliseum in the 25-year history between the two rivals.
This date in Rangers history: February 7, 1973
Goaltender Ed Giacomin records his 43rd career shutout, and center Walt Tkaczuk scores two goals and adds an assist as the Rangers extend their team-record winning streak to nine straight games with a 6-0 win over the visiting Islanders.
Tonight's Book Signing Postponed
Tonight's book signing at Gerry Cosby & Co. has been postponed due to inclement weather. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will announce new dates soon.
Ranger Great: Carol Vadnais
One unexpected bonus that defenseman Carol Vadnais brought with him to New York was an avuncular quality and the willingness to mentor and bond with the team’s younger players. He kept an injured Ron Greschner’s confidence up, taught Dave Maloney how to behave like a professional and respect the game, and showed Tom Laidlaw the right way to eliminate the puck carrier. He even helped Lucien DeBlois learn English. “Vad had their respect, for sure,” Phil Esposito said, “and he was willing to put in the time. He certainly made my job (as captain) easier.”
Want to read more? Pick up 100 RANGER GREATS, available at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Wiley.com.
Ranger Great: Sergei Zubov
Russian rearguard Sergei Zuvov arrived in North America in 1992 to find that the Rangers didn’t have room for him, so he ended up with Binghamton of the AHL. Since players of Zubov’s caliber tend not to stay in the minors very long, he soon joined the varsity on Broadway. His all-around play – and conditioning – improved markedly under the watchful eye of coach Mike Keenan, who delivered this ultimatum to the young defenseman early in the 1993-94 campaign: shape up or go back to Binghamton ... for good. “Zubie” responded to Keenan’s threat by leading the Rangers with 77 assists and 89 points.
Want to read more? Pick up 100 RANGER GREATS, available at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Wiley.com.
Authors' Roundtable: Breaking Down the Jokinen Trade
100 RANGER GREATS co-authors Russ Cohen and Adam Raider discuss the Rangers' acquisition of center Olli Jokinen, the team's playoff chances, and other topics in this podcast recorded February 2.
Download | Duration: 00:43:37
Raider & Cohen At Gerry Cosby & Co. This Saturday
Adam Raider and Russ Cohen will be signing copies of their book 100 RANGER GREATS at Gerry Cosby & Co. this Saturday, February 6 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.
Gerry Cosby & Co. is located at 11 Pennsylvania Plaza (on 31st Street, just East of Seventh Avenue). It's a short walk from The Garden, so stop by and meet Adam and Russ before the Rangers host the rival New Jersey Devils at 7:00 PM.
For more information, please contact the store at 877-563-6464 or gcsmsg@cosbysports.com.
For more information, please contact the store at 877-563-6464 or gcsmsg@cosbysports.com.
Rangers Acquire Jokinen, Prust From Calgary
Although delayed more than 24 hours, the trade that would send Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust was finally consummated late last night. The deal would have been announced sooner, but it is believed that both teams had to wait for Kotalik to waive his no-trade clause to Calgary.
As a result of the delay, Jokinen and Prust were in uniform last night for Calgary in a 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Both players will join the Rangers today in Los Angeles for the last stop on New York's three-game western road trip.
100 RANGER GREATS co-authors Russ Cohen and Adam Raider will analyze the deal's short-term and long-term implications for the Blueshirts tomorrow, right here at rangergreats.com.
This date in Rangers history: February 1, 1987
Center "Lucky" Pierre Larouche scores his 14th (and final) career hat trick and adds an assist as the Rangers beat the visiting Boston Bruins, 5-4.
