Is Canada's Goalie Crisis Exaggerated?

[Nucks2001]

I get it. There is no Brodeur, Roy, Luongo or Price equivalent right now. BUT:

-33 Canadian goalies started at least 1 NHL game last season, the most of any other country.
-Capable and Reliable starters in Binnington, Skinner, Hill, Thompson, Jarry, Ingram, Montembeault.
-Good pool of prospects in Levi, Hofer, Cossa, Ivankovic, George.
*I seriously think Binnington is a top 10 goalie if you watch him play and look at his advanced stats.

The Russians and Americans are clearly in leagues of their own when it comes to goalies, but if it weren't for Ullmark (SWE) and Saros (FIN) I genuinely think that Canada would be the 3rd best nation in the tendy department. Of course goaltending development needs a serious and obvious revamp in Canada, but I think the Hockey World is being so hard on Canadian goaltending because it was seen as an obvious strength over other nations in the past. I think it's only a matter of time for an elite Canadian goalie to come around again.

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[BigRangy]

The thing with goaltending is, when the stakes are maximized, you only really need one guy.

Canada does not have that one guy right now.

Depth is fine but it’s not going to be the reason you win medals.

 

[JackSlater]

No, not exaggerated at all. With all of Canada's players and with all the infrastructure and money in hockey, it's difficult to believe that the country cannot produce an elite goaltender. Since Price there really hasn't even been one elite Canadian goaltender with any staying power, and honestly there was a gap before Price too. There are periods of strength (50s, 90s and 2000s) for Canadian goaltending, but I cannot think of a similarly fallow period.

This will become a big talking point the next time Canada loses a best on best tournament, as there is already a fair bit of talk heading into it. I don't think that the 4 Nationals tournament is at that level, but should Canada lose at the 2026 Olympics it will be a huge talking point.

 

[CuuuJooo]

All of the other "big" countries have at least three goalies that you'd feel extraordinarily comfortable with if you had to put them between the pipes in a game with everything on the line. I agree with @BigRangy that we do not have that guy -- and right now, I'm not convinced we have that guy waiting in the wings either (like the Russians do with Askarov or the Swedes with Wallstedt). Just for fun, I googled "top NHL goalie prospects," and the highest Canadian on the list was Devon Levi, who is... fine, I guess?

And I do not believe that Binnington is a top 10 goalie, at least not on the international stage. His performance at the Worlds was seriously underwhelming.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's notable that Canada doesn't have any top NHL goaltenders at the moment, but I don't think it's so bad that it can't be overcome at the best-on-best international level.

 

[Czechboy]

Pretty sure Canada could have 3 starters that have won a Stanley Cup if they wanted by 2026. Skinner, Binnington and Kuemper.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Well it depends on what context you are looking at.

30 seasons ago, if you look at the top Goaltender wins stat, you'd have 8 Canadian Goaltenders in the Top 10 and 17 Canadian Goaltenders in the top 20.

If you are considering the state of the overall position now compared to how it used to be, it is quite dramatic.

If you just mean, is there somebody they can throw in there that would cause them to still otherwise be the overall favorite? Then yes, it's not so "dire".

 

[WarriorofTime]

Pretty sure Canada could have 3 starters that have won a Stanley Cup if they wanted by 2026. Skinner, Binnington and Kuemper.

Adin Hill.. Skinner/Oilers haven't won a Cup yet.