The third and final top-five to be evaluated will be goaltenders. The list will evaluate overall impact that the player brought to the team throughout their tenure, and is not entirely reliant on points. It should also be noted that the list will be purely subjective, and won’t be entirely agreed upon by everybody who reads it.
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1. Cecil “Tiny” Thompson
Tiny Thompson is arguably the best goaltender in the history of the Boston Bruins franchise. Having won 252 wins in his 10 seasons with Boston, he holds the distinction for the most wins by a goalie in the history of the Bruins. In addition to the most wins, Thompson also has the best GAA in team history, playing in 468 games, and earning an insane 1.99 GAA. With a GAA that low, it’s no surprise that he also holds the record for most shutouts in franchise history with 74 (the next highest among Bruins goaltenders is 35). Thompson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959. Bruins fans need look no further than Tiny Thompson to find the man largely responsible for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 1929. Thompson’s five wins, three shutouts, and GAA of 0.60 were enough to help the Bruins reach their ultimate goal for the first time.
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2. Frank “Mr. Zero” Brimsek
Frank Brimsek played a total of 444 games over nine seasons for the Bruins, and in that time, won 230 games, 70 ties, and never had a losing season. Brimsek led the league twice in wins (with 33 and 31 in 1938-39 and 1939-40 respectively). Like Thompson, Brimsek played a huge role in helping the Bruins bring the cup home for only the second time in franchise history in 1939. Brimsek had eight wins, and playoff-high 1.25 GAA led the Bruins to success. Brimsek was not done there, having won a playoff-high eight wins in the 1941 playoffs, and catapulting the Bruins to their third Stanley Cup in franchise history. Brimsek ranks second among Bruins goaltenders in franchise history in minutes played with 27010, win, with 230, and shutouts with 35. Brimsek earned a nod from the league in 1966 when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
No goaltender list involving the Boston Bruins would be complete without Gerry Cheevers. Playing in 416 regular season games, Cheevers put up 229 wins, and 26 shutouts along with 74 ties. In his career with the Bruins, Cheevers played in 88 games in the playoffs, and won 53, which is a franchise record, and posted 8 shutouts. With a record of 12-1 in the playoffs in 1970, Cheevers led the Bruin to their 4th cup in franchise history, and two seasons later, helped the Bruins to their 5th cup. Cheevers was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1985, five years after his retirement.
4. Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas. Arguably the most fun goaltender to watch in the league during his tenure with the Bruins, Tim Thomas can be considered a Cinderella story of sorts. Drafted 217th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 draft, and having bounced around between multiple leagues and teams before finally settling in with the Bruins in 2002. Thomas led the NHL in GAA with 2.00 and Save Percentage with an NHL record-high 0.938 in 2011, and to cap the season off, Thomas helped the Bruins to their first cup in 39 years, and their 6th in franchise history. Thomas’ heroics in the 2010-11 season and playoffs earned him the Vezina trophy, as well as the Conn Smythe trophy. Thomas was a three time all-star in 2008, 2009, and 2011, and in his career, won 196 games with the Bruins. his 0.921 save percentage is second in Bruins history, and only current Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask has a higher save percentage.
5. Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Rask is the current goaltender of the Boston Bruins, and has already earned himself a place among the all-time greats in Bruins history. in 266 games played, Rask has 136 wins, 35 ties, and 26 shutouts. He leads the franchise in save percentage with 0.929, and has a very respectable 2.17 GAA. At only 28 years old, Tuukka Rask has a Stanley Cup ring (albeit as a backup) and another Stanley Cup appearance under his belt. If Rask can continue to play at the level he has shown he is capable of, he should be able to further show that he earns a place on this list. With a Vezina trophy win under his belt, Rask is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, and he should play a big role in helping the Bruins return to playoff contenders for years to come.
Honorable mentions: Andy Moog, Gilles Gilbert, Byron Dafoe
That concludes this series! What did YOU think of the list? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments below, as well as your own top-five goaltender group!
If you want to check out the first two articles in this series, click here and here