New York Islanders Top 10 Goalie All-Time

The New York Islanders got their start thanks to the WHA. The NHL wanted to prevent the WHA from putting a team in the then-new Nassau Coliseum. That was successful, but the Islanders weren’t at first. In their inaugural season they set team records for futility not matched until the Capitals came into being two years later.

That lack of success , though, gave the Islanders the opportunity to draft a dynasty. By the time the franchise was a decade old, it had won three Stanley Cups. After winning four Cups in a row in the 1980s, the Islanders haven’t won a Cup in more than 40 years.

There have been 59 men in goal for the Islanders, including Chris Osgood, who spent two seasons with the Islanders after leaving the Red Wings in 2001.

Here’s a list of the top 10 netminders in Islanders lore:

1. Billy Smith: Taken in the 1972 expansion draft, Smith was a mainstay during the Cup dynasty. He played 17 seasons and appeared in more than 700 games, counting the playoffs He also was the first goalie credited with scoring a goal and was the last of the original Islanders. Had a 3.18 GAA and .895 save percentage.

2. Chico Resch: Formed a formidable duo with Smith in the early days of the Islanders Cup run. Started pro career in  Muskegon and played 14 years in the NHL. Led the Islanders in the 1975 playoffs, when they won two playoff series after falling behind 3-0. Had a 2.56 GAA and .910 save percentage.

3. Ilya Sorokin: Has been solid in net for the Islanders since arriving from the KHL. Second Islanders netminder to score a goal, he also allowed Alexander Ovechkin’s 895th career goal, passing Wayne Gretzky. Has a 2.59 GAA .916 save percentage.

4. Semyon Varlamov: Shares timer with Sorokin in net. Became the first Islanders goalie to post consecutive shutouts in the playoffs in 2020. Owns a 2.57 GAA and .916 save percentage.

5. Rick DiPietro: Second goalie to be drafted first overall, he was a solid starter for four seasons before injuries derailed his career. Still getting paid $1.5 million a year until 2028-29 after an injury buyout in 2013. Had 2.87 GAA and .902 save percentage.

6. Thomas Griess: Won the Jennings Trophy in 2019. Played two years in Detroit after his stint on Long Island. 

7. Jaroslav Halak: Set team records for wins (38) and consecutive wins (11) in his first season with the team after a trade from Washington. Had a 2.69 GAA and .913 save percentage. 

8. Kelly Hurdey: Took over for Smith as the Islanders No. 1 goalie and was in net for the Easter Epic game, stopping 75 shots in a game the Islanders won in four overtimes. Had a 3.47 GAA and .889 save percentage.

9. Roland Melanson: Took over as key backup after Resch was traded and was a four-time Stanley Cup winner before getting traded. Shared the Jennings Trophy with Smith in 1983. Had a 3.14 GAA and .900 save percentage. 

10. Evgreni Nabokov: Had three solid years with New York after a year in Russia. He had agreed to a deal with the Red Wings, but was claimed on waivers by the Islanders. Had a 2.59 GAA and .910 save percentage,

Honorable mention: Garth Snow: Backup at the end of his career was named general manager of the team immediately after his retirement as a player, Known for oversize goalie equipment. Had a 2.76 GAA and .903 save percentage.