The NHL was an interesting league for goaltenders way back during the Original Six Era, and many of the netminders listed in today’s article recorded double-digit shutouts before the dawn of the Expansion Era.
But one extraordinary goaltender, one of the best to ever play in the NHL, made that mark in the 2006-07 season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. We will talk about them first before exploring some of the Wings best goalies during a time when the NHL only had a few franchises.
Dominik Hasek, 2006-07
It seemed like Dominik Hasek was an ageless wonder, as he was still putting up sound numbers during his final season in 2007-08 at age 43. But let’s kick back to Hasek’s age-42 campaign and break down what made it so spectacular, other than the fact he snagged an incredible eight shutouts.
That season, he nearly made the NHL All-Star Team and took fifth for the Vezina, and he also landed a 0.913 save percentage and a 2.05 GAA. Hasek, despite being 42 at the time, also saw the ice in an incredible 56 games, winning 38 of them.
John Ross Roach, 1932-33
John Ross Roach is one of a few Red Wings players listed who saw the ice nearly a century ago, but fans will always be talking about his incredible 1932-33 campaign. That year, Roach finished the season with 10 shutouts and a 1.88 GAA.
It was his first of three seasons with the Red Wings, and ironically enough, Roach’s 10-shutout campaign wasn’t his best. A few years before, he recorded 13 shutouts with the New York Rangers, and it was a season that saw him finish with a 1.41 GAA.
Dolly Dolson, 1928-29
Dolly Dolson played during the Detroit Cougars and Detroit Falcons era, which is what the Red Wings were known as before they became, well, the Red Wings. Anyway, Dolson’s 1928-29 season was an epic one for the Cougars, as he scored 10 shutouts and a GAA of 1.37 in what became 19 wins of a 44-game campaign.
Two seasons later, Dolson regained form, and he ended the year with a respectable six shutouts and a 2.29 GAA for the renamed Detroit Falcons.
Hap Holmes, 1927-28
Hap Holmes was also a member of the Cougars, and he enjoyed a fine season in 1926-27 with six shutouts and a 2.32 GAA despite leading the league with 26 losses. The next season looked a little different for Holmes as he recorded 11 shutouts, a 1.73 GAA, and 19 wins in what would be his final NHL season at age 39.
Glenn Hall, 1955-56
They called Glenn Hall “Mr. Goalie,” and with such an unforgettable nickname, there’s little wonder why he’s in the Hockey Hall of Fame today. Here’s another fun fact about Hall - He played in 70 games per season for seven straight years as a member of the Red Wings and later the Chicago Black Hawks, but during his time with the former, he recorded 12 shutouts in one campaign.
It came early in his NHL career during the 1955-56 season when he recorded a 0.925 save percentage and a 2.10 GAA, good for a spot as a Second-Team NHL All-Star and the Calder Trophy.
Terry Sawchuk, 1950-51, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54, 1954-55
If you’re a die-hard Red Wings fan, chances are, you saw this one coming as Terry Sawchuk was one of the best, if not the best, netminders to play in a Red Wings sweater. In 1951-52, Sawchuk ended the year with 12 shutouts, a 1.90 GAA, a first-place finish for the Vezina, First-Team All-Star honors, and fourth place for the Hart.
The year prior, in 1950-51, Sawchuk took first for the Calder and found a place as a First-Team NHL All-Star when he collected 11 shutouts and a 1.97 GAA. In 1952-53, Sawchuk didn’t reach the same number of shutouts, but he still tallied nine of them and snagged a career-best 1.89 GAA, First-Team All-Star honors, and first place for the Vezina.
The 1953-54 season saw him again finish with 12 shutouts, and his 1.93 GAA was also good enough for him to snag a spot as an NHL All-Star, but on the Second Team. Finally, in 1954-55, Sawchuk was again a Second-Team NHL All-Star and a Vezina recipient, ending the year with a 1.96 GAA and 12 more shutouts.
(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)