Bill Ranford's mid-90s reputation

[The Panther]

Good ol' Bill. A Red Deer guy, so my Dad liked him. He was like a folk hero in Edmonton for a few years there. I think his style was just more suited to the late-80s/early-90s than the following era. Even before his huge 1990 and 1991, he already had great numbers as a rookie in Boston (1986-87) and as the back-up in Edmonton. But of course it was that 1990 spring and the 1991 Canada Cup (he was in no way more valuable than Gretzky, but anyway he got MVP) that were his peak accomplishments. For all that, on any one team for a full season he never won more than 27 games.

 

[vikash1987]

My reading is that, to the extent that Ranford maintained a strong reputation and was highly-regarded well into the mid-'90s, it was because he put in the work. His run in the 1990 playoffs and other past accomplishments were definitely there for people to see, but he really put in the work during this period. For example, in 1993-94, he was one of the busiest goaltenders in the league---tied for 2nd in games (71), 3rd in mins. (4,070), 2nd in shots (2,325) & saves (2,089), etc.---and he served as the backbone of an Oilers team that, everyone acknowledged, was rebuilding. In 1995-96, the season in which we was traded to Boston, he was again one of the busiest goaltenders in the league---tied for 2nd in games (77), 3rd in mins. (4,322), 3rd in shots (2,054), etc.---and he received a lot of the credit for the Bruins' turnaround in the 2nd half. It's also quite telling that he squeaked into the Top 10 in Vezina Trophy voting in both these seasons, as well as in 1994-95.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I often thought he was overrated.

He was not as good as Richter or Beezer or Joseph.

Heck, Khabibulin and Hebert were better goalies on worse teams.

i kind of always felt like richter was a slightly richer man’s ranford tbh

 

[Danny46]

That title was complety deserved, he was f***in amazing in the first 2 games of that 1999 Series (third Avalanche-Red Wings playoff meeting), even Scotty Bowman was smilling on the bench with Ranford's perfomance, to me he was the best player of the series in the first 2 games outplaying Patrick Roy. After that everything broke lose and he had 2 terrible games being subbed in both before Osgood comeback in Game 5. But i should say that in those 2 games Ranford was more impressive than Chris Osgood ever was against Colorado in the playoffs during the original feud of the Avalanche vs Red Wings (I am not countig the 2008 series where Osgood was real good the entire playoffs)...

 

[Danny46]

He had a strange career, but he was money in the playoffs when the Oilers won the Stanley Cup...

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

This is not in response to any one post: Ranford is Matt Murray...?

IMO, a closer recent example would probably be Cam Ward.

binnington

but damn what a game that leaky sieve had

 

[Crosby2010]

Some goalies look effortless out there. Carey Price was always that type of goalie. Martin Brodeur too. Then there are those that make every save look hard. Cujo was like that, Richter to an extent, and for my money Ranford comes to mind as well. While we're at it so did Fuhr. I always think that this is something that is a big risk. Some goalies can play that "hold your breath" style of play and I think Ranford did. I am not sure if his style didn't age as well or if he was just on some lousy Oilers teams after his Cup win that didn't give him a lot of support. Because to tell you the truth, whether we agree with it or not he was named to the 1996 World Cup team, so it isn't as if he was a lousy goalie by then. And he was on the 1994 World Championship team for Canada.

 

[connellc]

His style sucked and was totally exposed in his later career. If you don't believe me, check out his 1999 series against the Avs. That type of goaltending belonged in the 1980's. Not uncommon, because guys like, Tim Cheveldae, Don Beaupre, Tommy Söderström, who were middle of the pack goalies looked out of place without the butterfly style by about 1997. Ranford was living off past performance and excuses for being on very bad teams for years, so he lasted a little longer. The video evidence points to this, and he made routine saves look "incredible"

 

[Voight]

From October 1989-September 1991 he did have an all time run. In a smaller window of June 1990 to September 1991 he reached the absolute peak of his profession and between the Smythe & Canada Cup MVP he had the accolades to go with it.

 

[bucks_oil]

Ha... interesting Necro-bump @vadim sharifijanov ... I read those same posts (thinking they were recent) and thought about Binnington too. I agree he's an interesting comparable.

For my money, I think the following are true:
1) Ranford was the last great example of a dying breed of 'stand-up' (ie non-butterfly) goalies. I put 'stand-up' in quotes, because it was always a stupid name.. Ranford did anything but stand up... he would be more accurately described as a flailer
2) He had high athleticism (reflexes at least) and had a high-compete level which led to many highlight reel saves, even on nights when the Oilers were bound to lose by a four-pack.
3) He was money under pressure - hence while the 1996 pick was reputational/emeritus, he had earned that reputation with Edmonton, Canada Cup, and several World Championships.
4) Toward the end of his career, hybrid and true butterfly goalies were much better than him... equipment allowed that transition to a more modern style and he didn't grow up playing in it... he probably would have been better if he had been. In a way he (being a great goalie for his time/training) is a great example of just how much equipment drove technique and results... as I stated above, he was the last of a dying breed.

Someone earlier commented that he probably faced more shots (and saves) than anyone during that period... that's TRUE: