You should consider that Quick has been predominantly in a fairly weak Pacific division his entire career. Lundqvist has been in arguably the most competitive for his entire career. Lundqvist also has faced the league's premier offensive scorers much more often every season than Quick (Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos). Lundqvist played the first 4 years of his career with a team that was rebuilt through the draft. Lundqvist with the exception of a few years with Jagr, has been primarily playing in a system that suppresses offensive production and relies heavily on defense and goaltending. This creates more pressure, more mistake opportunities, more dynamic saves needed. The quality of chances against Lundqvist are higher. When your offense doesn't have the ability to keep play in the other end of the ice and your forced to constantly defend and collapse and counterattack, it strains the goalie that much more. Despite all of this, Lundqvist continues to be the most consistent performing goalie in the NHL over his career. I think many of these opinions and questions will be answered next season. Rangers will have a totally different system that should by my account, relieve pressure from Lundqvist which could see his numbers soar even higher. The divisions have changed making the competition different (but I still think the "Metro" division is a lot harder than the Pacific). Either ways, I still think Hank edges out Quick over the crown right now. And also looking at skill itself, best defined by shootout performance, Hank is the best.
- xcheckmajor

Wrong. The Pac division teams have always been pretty damn good since he's been a starter. No, Hank isn't better than Quick, either.

That's a ridiculous comment that has no basis in reality.
- GioRock

Other than the fact Hank has yet to get to the finals? At the end of the day postseason success is more important than regular season awards.

these comments seemed logical until people started a debate between the 2 best goalies in the world into an excuse why one is higher or lower than the other. so called fans will just look at standings and numbers...real fans who know the game will look at strength of schedule, division alignment, travel, team systesm as a very good way to rank players. its so easy to seperate actual hockey fans from those who follow only when their local team is doing well.
all this aside i had a conversation with some coworkers the other week about this. sadly i was the only one who had hank and quick at 1 and 2. granted many of them are devils fans and still think marty is the greatest currently playing, but then again those are those fans who disappear when a couple losses come their teams way. this season will tell a lot. with AV in charge and a new offensive system hopefully in place, we will see hank how all tri state area fans wanted to see brodeur. with him not hiding behind a very strong defensive system. yes i say that as a rangers fan. as good as i think he is, it does help when your team collapses in front of you and blocks every shot they possibly can. this will be the test if hank really is the guy to help ny bring another cup to the city or not. so far up to this point he absolutely is while being able to call himself one of the best in the world


EDIT: take into account he also won a Gold Medal with sweden, not behind a rangers collapse system and while beating many great nations

also corey crawford, stanley cup winning goalie or nbot, should not be in the top 20. he is bad. very shakey on controlling rebounds, gamble on first shots. he had the blessing of a historical offensive team in front of him this year. he had 2-3 great games in the playoffs, otherwise the hawks wouldve lost if it wasnt for their depth and scoring. it annoys me how crawford is looked at as a top goalie by many. invited to canada's camp? what a joke. crawford will be out of chicago when his contract is up anyways. good riddance have fun sitting the bench on just about any other team

Jason Lewis: Quick The Best? At Least One Writer Thinks So
- Jason_Lewis

Other than Quick above Lundqvist, I think the list is very fair. Quick certainly has a case to be number 1 one, just my own personal bias is keeping him out of the top spot.

Other than Quick above Lundqvist, I think the list is very fair. Quick certainly has a case to be number 1 one, just my own personal bias is keeping him out of the top spot.
- tomburton99

If I was a Rangers fan I would say the same. Its close...........go Kings!!!

Wrong. The Pac division teams have always been pretty damn good since he's been a starter. No, Hank isn't better than Quick, either.
- Ersberg

Yeah.........this guy is chiming in with no real knowledge of reality

Jason Lewis: Quick The Best? At Least One Writer Thinks So
- Jason_Lewis

Only in a bizzaro world a goalie posting a 2.45 gaa and .902 sv% is considered the #1 goalie.

It'll be interesting to see Hank this year with an offensive coach instead of a collapse defensive coach

Only in a bizzaro world a goalie posting a 2.45 gaa and .902 sv% is considered the #1 goalie.
- MatzCT

In a shortened season, after he had back surgery, and after having won a cup.

His lifetime numbers are .915 and a 2.32, and his lifetime playoff numbers are .929 and a 2.03. Not to mention he has 26 shutouts.

It's fun and all to cherry pick a single season and base your opinion on that but I wouldn't say it's the most effective way to garner support.

Only in a bizzaro world a goalie posting a 2.45 gaa and .902 sv% is considered the #1 goalie.
- MatzCT

what about a goalie that put up 1.86 gaa, a .934 sv% and 3 shutouts in the playoffs? theyre one in the same and hank doesnt top the second goalie in any of those stats. love your goalie all you want...but "as your attorney" i advise you to pump your brakes on that nonsense.

In a shortened season, after he had back surgery, and after having won a cup.

His lifetime numbers are .915 and a 2.32, and his lifetime playoff numbers are .929 and a 2.03. Not to mention he has 26 shutouts.

It's fun and all to cherry pick a single season and base your opinion on that but I wouldn't say it's the most effective way to garner support.
- Jason_Lewis

It's a list compiled by Yahoo sports so it is about as relevant to a Hockey discussion as is an article on the best NBA players written by a Scottish newspaper. They are both (frank)ing awesome tenders and any team in the league would snatch them up in a second given the opportunity. Making excuses for his numbers due to winning the cup is kind of a stretch, considering the season didn't start till 7 months after said cup win. That isn't a very effective way to garner support either.

Why is brodeur absent from the original list ? He is still a starting goalie ,is he not ?and both quick and hank will be lucky to come close to his accomplishments in their careers

Other than the fact Hank has yet to get to the finals? At the end of the day postseason success is more important than regular season awards.
- bluecoconuts

This is another garbage comment. Hank has been better than Quick for longer and will continue to be better. One playoff fluke does not make him better than Hank. Kings fans know crap about hockey.

It's a list compiled by Yahoo sports so it is about as relevant to a Hockey discussion as is an article on the best NBA players written by a Scottish newspaper. They are both (frank)ing awesome tenders and any team in the league would snatch them up in a second given the opportunity. Making excuses for his numbers due to winning the cup is kind of a stretch, considering the season didn't start till 7 months after said cup win. That isn't a very effective way to garner support either.
- ruttager17

I agree with you, By these idiots logic I guess you can put Rask, Crawford, and MAF ahead of Lundquist too

I agree with you, By these idiots logic I guess you can put Rask, Crawford, and MAF ahead of Lundquist too
- GioRock

Lundqvist is one of the best goalies in the world. Period. Cup or not. Quick is one of the best goalies in the world. Cup or not. Period. No one else even comes close at this point in my opinion unless Rask puts together a full season around .930, then he will start to creep into conversation.

Kings fans know crap about hockey.
- GioRock

That is one of most absurd things I've ever heard. Just because we live in Southern California doesn't mean we don't know anything about hockey. You're a joke.

Lundqvist is one of the best goalies in the world. Period. Cup or not. Quick is one of the best goalies in the world. Cup or not. Period. No one else even comes close at this point in my opinion unless Rask puts together a full season around .930, then he will start to creep into conversation.
- Jason_Lewis

I would mostly agree with this statement. But I don't see how you can pick Quick over Hank, Hank has 5 vezina nominations in 8 years of playing, he's been dominant in the league for nearly twice as long as Quick and shows no signs of slowing down. Stanley Cup is a team award, we're talking about who is the better individual player.

That is one of most absurd things I've ever heard. Just because we live in Southern California doesn't mean we don't know anything about hockey. You're a joke.
- Boba42199

I'm sure you guys know a hell of a lot about roller hockey.

what about a goalie that put up 1.86 gaa, a .934 sv% and 3 shutouts in the playoffs? theyre one in the same and hank doesnt top the second goalie in any of those stats. love your goalie all you want...but "as your attorney" i advise you to pump your brakes on that nonsense.
- good2b_the_king

nonsense is picking a playoff run, this would make Crawford the best goalie in the world. No need to pump my brakes on anything, Hanks been in the league nearly twice as long as Quick and been dominant nearly twice as long as Quick. 5 vezina nomination in those 8 years, and not slowing down.

This is another garbage comment. Hank has been better than Quick for longer and will continue to be better. One playoff fluke does not make him better than Hank. Kings fans know crap about hockey.
- GioRock

I would say by your comments that you've at least proven that you know nothing about hockey.

I would mostly agree with this statement. But I don't see how you can pick Quick over Hank, Hank has 5 vezina nominations in 8 years of playing, he's been dominant in the league for nearly twice as long as Quick and shows no signs of slowing down. Stanley Cup is a team award, we're talking about who is the better individual player.
- MatzCT

To me, personally, it's all about the potential. The potential is there for Quick to have one of those dominant years ala Hank did in his late 20's. That being said, goalies as strong as Hank often continue to be strong into their 30's. It's a VERY VERY VERY tight 1st and 2nd and I can't stress that enough. Time will obviously separate the two and one may pull away from the other.

You should consider that Quick has been predominantly in a fairly weak Pacific division his entire career. Lundqvist has been in arguably the most competitive for his entire career. Lundqvist also has faced the league's premier offensive scorers much more often every season than Quick (Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos). Lundqvist played the first 4 years of his career with a team that was rebuilt through the draft. Lundqvist with the exception of a few years with Jagr, has been primarily playing in a system that suppresses offensive production and relies heavily on defense and goaltending. This creates more pressure, more mistake opportunities, more dynamic saves needed. The quality of chances against Lundqvist are higher. When your offense doesn't have the ability to keep play in the other end of the ice and your forced to constantly defend and collapse and counterattack, it strains the goalie that much more. Despite all of this, Lundqvist continues to be the most consistent performing goalie in the NHL over his career. I think many of these opinions and questions will be answered next season. Rangers will have a totally different system that should by my account, relieve pressure from Lundqvist which could see his numbers soar even higher. The divisions have changed making the competition different (but I still think the "Metro" division is a lot harder than the Pacific). Either ways, I still think Hank edges out Quick over the crown right now. And also looking at skill itself, best defined by shootout performance, Hank is the best.
- xcheckmajor

1. And Quick faces Thornton, the Sedins, Toews, Kane, and up until now Datsyuk.

2. Like the Kings?

3. I have never, and will never, use the shootout as a valid measure of a goalie's overall skill, and up to now never even imagined anyone else did either.

Bottom line, I think it's a photo finish between the two. Maybe Hank is better now, and maybe he always will be. Only way to know is to wait and see if Quick can get back to his pre-back-surgeries form. If he can't, this debate dies out pretty quick. (pun intended)

To me, personally, it's all about the potential. The potential is there for Quick to have one of those dominant years ala Hank did in his late 20's. That being said, goalies as strong as Hank often continue to be strong into their 30's. It's a VERY VERY VERY tight 1st and 2nd and I can't stress that enough. Time will obviously separate the two and one may pull away from the other.
- Jason_Lewis

That's where I'd disagree, when putting a list like this together it's not about potential at all. It's about where they are right now, what you've done, how consistent you've been, etc. There's a hell of a lot of good goalies and so many with potential. Next it's for them to put it all together, live up to that potential, and repeat it year after year after year. Then you've earned to be in the conversation. Quick is a hell of a goalie, I'll be rooting for him this coming Olympics, but I think he needs to get a few more seasons under his belt at this level to be #1. Cam Ward is a great goalie, has a cup, he's never been able to put it all together on a consistent basis though after winning a cup.

I'm sure you guys know a hell of a lot about roller hockey.
- MatzCT

I'm sure you guys know a hell of a lot about roller hockey.
- MatzCT

youre right. roller hockey's one more thing that we're more knowledgable about than you...smh. ive always laughed at the clowns on the east coast who are in bed when our games are on yet insist theyre better able to tell us how good or bad our players are...lol. keep telling yourself that bud. too funny.

regular
Quick-286g-2.32gaa-.915sv-25shutouts
Hank-510g-2.25gaa-.920sv-45shutouts

playoffs
Quick-50g-2.03gas-.929sv-7shutouts
Hank-67g-2.28gaa-.920sv-8shutouts

you guys can be happy and take the slightly better reg season goalie(by 0.07gaa, .005sv). we'll be happy with the more than slightly better playoff goalie(by 0.25gaa, .009sv). everyones happy...but keep telling yourself that winning a cup has nothing to do in the equation and ill keep laughing at you. does playoffs even count to you? or is putting up one of the best playoff runs ever for a goalie not count? i mean giving up 29 goals in 20 games against the 1,2,3 seeds of the west and the east winner seems like it should count to me. or more exactly putting up 1.41gaa, .946sv with 3 shutouts
in 20 games seems like it should count. but what do i know? besides roller hockey...lol.