Their numbers have been dwindling, dramatically, almost every year now. From 73 percent of the NHL, to 51, and now down to half that in the span of less than 20 years.
While it may feel hyperbolic to call it a crisis in Canadian hockey, it’s certainly a troubling notion that now regularly registers in the national consciousness – especially when their hockey teams head to a major international tournament, as they do this week at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
After owning the crease for nearly a century, the Canadian goalie is apparently becoming outmoded.
The pressing question, throughout international hockey circles, is: How did this happen? How did Canada go from the world’s standard bearer – the country of Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur – to being outclassed at the most important position in its national sport?
And how can they fix it?
Historically, Canada had always excelled in goal at hockey’s highest levels – even beyond its success at other positions. All of the five goalies with the most wins in NHL history, for example, are Canadian. And Sweden’s Henrik Lundqvist is the only non-Canadian to crack the top 10.
In recent years, having Brodeur, Roberto Luongo or Carey Price in net at all of the major international events was a sizable advantage, and a big reason Canada won gold at the Winter Olympics (2002, 2010, and 2014) and World Cup (2016).
As recently as 2000, Canada was so overwhelmingly in control at the position that two-thirds of all games played in the NHL were by goalies from the country. Today, however, Europeans are twice as prevalent as Canadians, and the Americans are on the verge of passing Canada.
The trend has become so pronounced that it roughly equates to Canada losing a starting position in the NHL every season.
A Canadian, for example, has won only one of the past eight Vezina trophies as the league’s top goaltender. Prior to 1993-94, Canadians had won the award an incredible 62 of 67 times.
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