CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

When Curtis Joseph made it to the NHL during the 1989-90 season, Calgary’s Sergei Makarov was named the Rookie-of-the-Year.

Cujo’s seen many goalies come and go during the two decades that he’s played in the Big Tent. Some of them have set records – most haven’t.

Should Joseph play the 10 to 20 games that he’s expected to this season, he will certainly set one NHL record.

Which NHL record would that be?

And which other NHL record could he set this year – or more probably the next?

If he’s in goal for fifteen games – with the Leafs playing like they have been – he will probably have the 9 losses to tie Gump Worsley’s record for the most losses by an NHL goalie.

stats courtesy of hockey-reference.com

Now, this sounds sort of sad, but you must remember that Curtis Joseph is 5th in Games Played -922 – by an NHL goalie. And he is also the 4th in Wins, with 449.

Joe Pelletier, in his excellent blog greatesthockeylegends notes that Martin Brodeur could set a number of NHL Records this season – Wins by a goalie, Shutouts, and Games Played.

Next season, Brodeur will be vying with Joseph for the most Shots on Goal record.

Joseph has to face 1941 to tie Patrick Roy’s record. Brodeur needs to face more than twice that amount – 4097. Joseph will be facing more shots per game, whereas Brodeur will be playing four times as many contests.

It’s unfortunate that a goalie as good as Curtis Joseph will be stuck with the Most Losses record.

What Joseph can hope for, is that Marty Brodeur will play another four or so years, and eclipse all of Patrick Roy’s records, as well as Joseph’s pending one.

CURTIS JOSEPH’S NHL STATISTICS

Joseph's Goals Against Average is 52nd in NHL history and the same as Pittsburgh's Rick DiPietro.

Curtis Joseph’s NHL stats courtesy of The Legends of Hockey