Winning a game in the NHL as a goalie is a lonely business. You're the only guy on the ice who can’t really be "subbed out" for a breather without it being a minor disaster. It’s a grind. But when we talk about nhl all time goalie wins, we aren't just talking about talent. We’re talking about survival.
If you look at the names at the top, you’re looking at guys who basically refused to age. Or, in the case of Martin Brodeur, a guy who played so many games it's actually kind of hard to wrap your head around the math.
The Mount Everest of Hockey Stats
Martin Brodeur sits at 691 wins. Just let that number sink in for a second. To even get close to that, a goalie has to win 35 games a year for twenty years straight. Twenty years! Most goalies' knees turn into dust by year twelve. Brodeur had this weird, hybrid style where he didn't flop around as much as the modern "butterfly" guys, which probably saved his joints. Plus, he played for a New Jersey Devils system that was basically a vacuum sealer for opposing offenses.
Honestly, the gap between Brodeur and everyone else is the story.
Then you’ve got Marc-Andre Fleury. As of early 2026, "Flower" has solidified his spot as number two all-time with 575 wins. He finally leapfrogged the legendary Patrick Roy (551 wins) not too long ago. Fleury is the last of a dying breed—the workhorse who started 60+ games a season for a decade and a half. With the way the league manages workloads now, seeing someone hit 500 wins again feels like a pipe dream.
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Why the Leaderboard is Harder to Climb Now
You might think with more scoring and better equipment, wins would be easier to come by. It's actually the opposite. Back in the day, if you were the "guy," you played until you couldn't walk.
- The 1A/1B Tandem: Most teams today split starts. You don't see many guys playing 70 games anymore. If you're only playing 50 games, you aren't stacking wins fast enough to catch Roy or Brodeur.
- The Shootout Factor: People forget that before 2005, games ended in ties. Brodeur has 154 ties on his record. If those had gone to a shootout, his win total might be over 750.
- Physical Toll: The modern butterfly style is brutal on the hips. Goalies are retiring earlier or dealing with chronic injuries that cap their career totals.
The Names You Need to Know
Behind the big three, the list is a "who's who" of goalie icons.
Roberto Luongo (489 wins) is often the most underrated guy in this conversation. He played a huge chunk of his career on some pretty mediocre Florida Panthers teams. If he had spent those years in Detroit or New Jersey? He’s likely pushing 600.
Ed Belfour (484 wins) and Henrik Lundqvist (459 wins) represent the "gatekeepers" of the top five. Lundqvist, specifically, was the king of consistency. He’s the only goalie in history to bag 30 wins in each of his first seven seasons. That’s the kind of metronomic brilliance you need to even see the top ten on the horizon.
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The Active Threat: Sergei Bobrovsky
If there’s one guy currently playing who is making a serious charge, it’s Sergei Bobrovsky. He’s already passed legends like Terry Sawchuk (445) and Jacques Plante (437). Entering the 2025-26 season, Bob has been on a tear with the Florida Panthers. He’s currently sitting at 448 wins and doesn't look like he’s slowing down.
Can he hit 500? Almost certainly.
Can he hit 550? That depends on how long those Florida beaches keep him feeling young.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Rankings
Usually, fans look at the win total and assume that's the "Best Goalie Ever" list. But wins are a team stat. Curtis Joseph (454 wins) is seventh all-time, yet he never won a Stanley Cup. Conversely, Ken Dryden won six Cups but doesn't even crack the top 30 for wins because he retired at 31 to become a lawyer.
The nhl all time goalie wins list is a measure of longevity and opportunity.
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If you want to track where the current crop is heading, keep an eye on Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s around 331 wins right now and he’s still relatively young. He has the best winning percentage among the top 50, but he’s playing in an era where he gets rested frequently. He’s the best "per-game" winner we’ve seen in a long time.
How to Track the Race Yourself
If you're a stat nerd trying to see if anyone will ever touch Brodeur, start looking at "Games Played" first. No one is reaching 600 wins without playing at least 1,000 games.
- Check the "Games Started" totals for guys like Vasilevskiy or Connor Hellebuyck.
- Monitor the 30-win season count. To hit the top five, a goalie needs about 12 of these.
- Watch the injury reports. A single hip surgery can end a chase for the top ten instantly.
The reality? Brodeur’s 691 is likely safe for our lifetime. The game has changed too much. We’re watching the era of the "specialist" now, where two goalies share the load. It makes for better hockey, but it makes for a very lonely climb up the all-time leaderboard.
To get a true sense of a goalie's greatness beyond just the win column, your next move should be comparing "Goals Saved Above Expected" (GSAx) for these all-time leaders. It's the best way to see who was actually carrying their team and who was just lucky enough to play behind a Hall of Fame defense.