I feel like he’s often passed over or forgotten when we talk about all time great goalies. It’s really hard for me to justify putting him on the list though.
BarryBuddy
Great has Tony “O” was his lack of Stanley Cup championships hurts his top 10 goalie listing status…🥅
schmokeabutt
I could, but I don’t want to. Thanks for asking though
ChiefSlug30
See my comment from your post about Glen Hall yesterday regarding different goalies from different eras.
Two things about him stick out, though. His record for most shutouts in a season, and his olay in the 1972 Summit Series. Esposito played the last few games in Moscow when Team Canada had to win, not Dryden. On a different post yesterday, some people were claiming Dryden as the best of all time, yet it was Esposito who played those crucial games.
Sko-isles
Unfortunately these goalies would have no chance in todays game. Imagine mcdavid bearing down on this guy. Can’t even see out of the mask
jarpio
If any goalie from his era is top 10 all time it’s Bernie and Dryden before Tony imo
TheBonePoet
Borderline
Falcon3492
Definitely top ten all time. 423 career wins, 76 career shutouts (15 as a rookie), .906 save percentage, 2.93 GAA.
TheKid_BigE
I’d probably place him outside the top 10 all time, and unfortunately it happens with the calibre of goalie and the era changes, in 100 years guys like Plante, Espo, Sawchuk, Bower, Roy, etc…probably won’t even be in the top 50 of all time and it’s all because of the changes of the game and the fact that the viewers won’t know about those legends because they’ll be taught about guys like Price, Rinne, Lundqvist, Otter, Etc.. the greats for he modern era
Sambizzle17
Shit prolly
kittrcz
I can, but why would I do that 🤷🏻♂️
GroutConsumingMan
Patrick Roy is #1 in my heart
CRayONTomtom
Personally when I think of top players, I like to choose among players I’ve had the opportunity to see play. Looking at stats and different eras can be hard, specially when the game has changed allot.
P4S5B60
Without Question
dvanderl
In no order, we have Roy, Hasek, Brodeur, Sawchuk, Plante, Hall, Dryden, Tretiak, Parent, Bower… the list goes on.
More recently, I think Fleury has a case to sneak into a top 10 for his career. Though early… Vasilevskiy has made a case as well.
I think you can find ways to soundly argue Esposito for the top 20, maybe top 15… which is pretty impressive for never winning a cup. Guys like Luongo, Cujo, Price, Miller, Lundqvist, Kipper, Hextall, Vanbiesbrouck, Kolzig… list goes on… were all incredible goalies that will always have a tough time making lists because of not having a cup.
HockeyStathead
Excellent in the regular season, but the knock is that he wasn’t quite as good in the playoffs (outside of 1970-1971). Outplayed Dryden in 1972 Summit, though, as other poster said.
Goalies who are *probably* ahead of Esposito in no specific order but grouped together:
-Jacques Plante and Terry Sawchuk
-Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy
-Glenn Hall
-Bill Durnan and Ken Dryden
-Vladislav Tretiak
-Clint Benedict and Georges Vezina
-Frank Brimsek, Turk Broda, and Charlie Gardiner
That’s 14 right there so maybe Esposito more ~15 range.
monumentvalley170
15 shutouts in one season. Yep.
He has a special place in my heart. Growing up in northern Alberta in the 1970’s as a snot nosed kid I wrote him a letter c/o Chicago Staidum. Not only did he send me a signed glossy photo. He had his brother Phil who was then one of the top players send me one too, and so did Terry O’Reilly. I somehow was put on both a Blackhawks & Bruins fan club list and was getting signed glossies from quite a few players. Dennis Hull. Stan Mikita. Johnny Bucyk, etc I was in heaven. Maybe cuz they were from the Sault. Oh and I had a relative who was a goalie who played I think 17 years so I was biased. But Tony O will always be special to me.
RickyTheRickster
That’s jason voorhees bro
DishRelative5853
No.
qwert5678899
He won 72, not that dryden fella who failed vs the Soviets.
23 Comments
I feel like he’s often passed over or forgotten when we talk about all time great goalies. It’s really hard for me to justify putting him on the list though.
Great has Tony “O” was his lack of Stanley Cup
championships hurts his top 10 goalie listing status…🥅
I could, but I don’t want to. Thanks for asking though
See my comment from your post about Glen Hall yesterday regarding different goalies from different eras.
Two things about him stick out, though. His record for most shutouts in a season, and his olay in the 1972 Summit Series. Esposito played the last few games in Moscow when Team Canada had to win, not Dryden. On a different post yesterday, some people were claiming Dryden as the best of all time, yet it was Esposito who played those crucial games.
Unfortunately these goalies would have no chance in todays game. Imagine mcdavid bearing down on this guy. Can’t even see out of the mask
If any goalie from his era is top 10 all time it’s Bernie and Dryden before Tony imo
Borderline
Definitely top ten all time. 423 career wins, 76 career shutouts (15 as a rookie), .906 save percentage, 2.93 GAA.
I’d probably place him outside the top 10 all time, and unfortunately it happens with the calibre of goalie and the era changes, in 100 years guys like Plante, Espo, Sawchuk, Bower, Roy, etc…probably won’t even be in the top 50 of all time and it’s all because of the changes of the game and the fact that the viewers won’t know about those legends because they’ll be taught about guys like Price, Rinne, Lundqvist, Otter, Etc.. the greats for he modern era
Shit prolly
I can, but why would I do that 🤷🏻♂️
Patrick Roy is #1 in my heart
Personally when I think of top players, I like to choose among players I’ve had the opportunity to see play. Looking at stats and different eras can be hard, specially when the game has changed allot.
Without Question
In no order, we have Roy, Hasek, Brodeur, Sawchuk, Plante, Hall, Dryden, Tretiak, Parent, Bower… the list goes on.
More recently, I think Fleury has a case to sneak into a top 10 for his career. Though early… Vasilevskiy has made a case as well.
I think you can find ways to soundly argue Esposito for the top 20, maybe top 15… which is pretty impressive for never winning a cup. Guys like Luongo, Cujo, Price, Miller, Lundqvist, Kipper, Hextall, Vanbiesbrouck, Kolzig… list goes on… were all incredible goalies that will always have a tough time making lists because of not having a cup.
Excellent in the regular season, but the knock is that he wasn’t quite as good in the playoffs (outside of 1970-1971). Outplayed Dryden in 1972 Summit, though, as other poster said.
Goalies who are *probably* ahead of Esposito in no specific order but grouped together:
-Jacques Plante and Terry Sawchuk
-Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy
-Glenn Hall
-Bill Durnan and Ken Dryden
-Vladislav Tretiak
-Clint Benedict and Georges Vezina
-Frank Brimsek, Turk Broda, and Charlie Gardiner
That’s 14 right there so maybe Esposito more ~15 range.
15 shutouts in one season. Yep.
He has a special place in my heart. Growing up in northern Alberta in the 1970’s as a snot nosed kid I wrote him a letter c/o Chicago Staidum. Not only did he send me a signed glossy photo. He had his brother Phil who was then one of the top players send me one too, and so did Terry O’Reilly. I somehow was put on both a Blackhawks & Bruins fan club list and was getting signed glossies from quite a few players. Dennis Hull. Stan Mikita. Johnny Bucyk, etc I was in heaven. Maybe cuz they were from the Sault. Oh and I had a relative who was a goalie who played I think 17 years so I was biased. But Tony O will always be special to me.
That’s jason voorhees bro
No.
He won 72, not that dryden fella who failed vs the Soviets.
Top 20 maybe 15, but not 10
Top 20 maybe 15, but not 10
Sure, but it’s gonna cost you.